should I upgrade?

[rustybumpers]

I installed a Leviton panel, ran CAT6 and coax throughout my house, and have a Comcast supplied cable modem, and a D-Link DGS-2208 8-port gigabit switch. I have one WRT54G v8 functioning as router-only (wifi off) inside the panel. Upstairs I have another WRT54G v6 functioning as an Access Point (DHCP off).

This setup as been running smoothly for over a year. Lately troubles have started. On my work machine (wired) I am VPN'ing into my corp network and RDP into my PC at work - I keep getting disconnected from Remote Desktop session.

And on our wireless laptops and iPhones we keep losing the wireless signal and I just end up power cycling the WRT54G AP upstairs.

Needless to say this is all a hassle. So I updated to the latest firmware for both the v8 and v6 WRT54G's and I am still having the same disconnects and losing wireless signal.

I would like to find a wired-only gigabit router to put in the Leviton panel. AND an affordable Access Point to put upstairs. I understand that I could just by two wireless routers and configure them like I do now; one to be the router and one to be the AP. But that seems like a waste. Although when I go shopping for wired routers they really don't have much to offer in wired-only and what they do is not very highly reviewed.

So if you were me, what would you do?

 

[rhombus]

So if you were me, what would you do?

For the work issue, I'd first try connecting your work machine direct to the modem and see if it persists.

For the wireless issue, I'd temporarily take the Leviton panel and the D-link switch totally out of the equation/network chain. I'd also maybe swap the Linksys devices around in their roles to see what happens. Then switch the devices on one-by-one to see if a particular client (especially the iPhones) joining the network is causing some issue...

 

[thiggins]

You'll pay more for a wired-only router and there is no guarantee that it will be any more reliable. You need to look at small-biz routers like the Cisco RVs, which will come with VPN endpoints built in.

Do as rhombus suggests first. Try to figure out what has changed "recently". Something new attached to the network? New neighbor move in? Been doing a lot of downloading that might be causing your ISP to mess with your service? ISP changed its Terms of Service to block VPN traffic unless you upgrade to "Business" service?

 

[rustybumpers]

I am no longer getting dropped VPN connections. Only change I made was to remove an older HP wireless printer from the network mix.

Although I am still getting errors while faxing. This might be a Vonage issue.

Regardless, I am willing to spend a couple hundred on new wireless routers or a router and an AP if there was any chance it would be an improvement over my current two WRT54G's that are serving separately as router and access point.

Since I am familiar with converting old WRT54G's to router-only and AP only my thought was to by two identical new wireless routers and do the same. This will upgrade me to gigabit and N instead of just 10/100 and G.

I have been looking at the NetGear Nxxx family of routers was wondering if anyone has experience in doing something simular to my setup with a couple NetGear's WNDR3800?