To make a long story short, my Netgear WPN824 has not been getting along with my apple products since I upgraded to Snow Leopard, and my parents earlier version of the same router hasn't ever totally satisfied them in terms of range, so both are up for replacement. Here's the respective networks and primary concerns/issues:
Me
Wired (house is wired Cat-6):
-PS3
-Xbox360
-D-Link 8 port Gigabit Switch
--Desktop PC
--Tivo HD
--Tivo
--HP Printer (built in ethernet)
--Other Desktop PC
Wireless:
-Wii
-DSi
-iPhone 3GS
-iPad (soon)
-MacBook
-HP Notebook running Ubuntu
Most of the time, it's only the items on the switch, the macbook, and iPhone actually running, but all those devices are around.
Main concerns: I need stability and speed. Having to reset our router every few days (which I've managed to extend slightly by setting up static IPs, and I have a feeling the mac issues with DHCP may be partly to blame) is annoying and one of the primary drivers for the upgrade. I haven't had issues with online gaming with the current router, though some sort of QOS would probably be a plus.
Parents:
Wired:
-Desktop PC
Wireless:
-PS3 (primarily a blu-ray player and a way to show pictures on the TV, possibly also streaming audio or home movies...not really for gaming beyond simple puzzle titles on the PSN)
-iPad
-Laptop PC
Though, visitors (my sister, for example) often being in other laptops (mac and PC), iPhones, etc. on the wireless.
Main concerns: Reliability and range. I'm sure many of you are probably in similar situations where you have people who look to your guidance for these kinds of things, and as much as I don't mind being light tech support, I don't want to have to troubleshoot this thing often (if at all) after the setup. Also, there has always been an issue for wireless reception in this house. The house is shaped like L. Imagine the . is the wireless router and the L is the house. To date, I still can't get wireless signal in all rooms, though this netgear was a huge improvement over the previous Linksys (WRT54G, I think). I've seriously considered trying to run cable to a second access point, but the way the second story sits on the house, it would be a real challenge to get the AP to anywhere that would be really useful.
So, here's where I am. Is there a single solution that would work for both, or do I need to be looking at two different routers? I've certainly researched this to death, and it seems to me like top contenders would be:
Linksys E2000 or E3000
D-Link DIR-655 or 825
Netgear WNDR3700
Apple Airport Extreme (possibly with an Express to extend the range in my parents house, pending some practical testing)
Or should I be looking at a higher end router for myself and a lower end router and a range extension of some sort for them?
Thanks in advance for the help.
Me
Wired (house is wired Cat-6):
-PS3
-Xbox360
-D-Link 8 port Gigabit Switch
--Desktop PC
--Tivo HD
--Tivo
--HP Printer (built in ethernet)
--Other Desktop PC
Wireless:
-Wii
-DSi
-iPhone 3GS
-iPad (soon)
-MacBook
-HP Notebook running Ubuntu
Most of the time, it's only the items on the switch, the macbook, and iPhone actually running, but all those devices are around.
Main concerns: I need stability and speed. Having to reset our router every few days (which I've managed to extend slightly by setting up static IPs, and I have a feeling the mac issues with DHCP may be partly to blame) is annoying and one of the primary drivers for the upgrade. I haven't had issues with online gaming with the current router, though some sort of QOS would probably be a plus.
Parents:
Wired:
-Desktop PC
Wireless:
-PS3 (primarily a blu-ray player and a way to show pictures on the TV, possibly also streaming audio or home movies...not really for gaming beyond simple puzzle titles on the PSN)
-iPad
-Laptop PC
Though, visitors (my sister, for example) often being in other laptops (mac and PC), iPhones, etc. on the wireless.
Main concerns: Reliability and range. I'm sure many of you are probably in similar situations where you have people who look to your guidance for these kinds of things, and as much as I don't mind being light tech support, I don't want to have to troubleshoot this thing often (if at all) after the setup. Also, there has always been an issue for wireless reception in this house. The house is shaped like L. Imagine the . is the wireless router and the L is the house. To date, I still can't get wireless signal in all rooms, though this netgear was a huge improvement over the previous Linksys (WRT54G, I think). I've seriously considered trying to run cable to a second access point, but the way the second story sits on the house, it would be a real challenge to get the AP to anywhere that would be really useful.
So, here's where I am. Is there a single solution that would work for both, or do I need to be looking at two different routers? I've certainly researched this to death, and it seems to me like top contenders would be:
Linksys E2000 or E3000
D-Link DIR-655 or 825
Netgear WNDR3700
Apple Airport Extreme (possibly with an Express to extend the range in my parents house, pending some practical testing)
Or should I be looking at a higher end router for myself and a lower end router and a range extension of some sort for them?
Thanks in advance for the help.