Need a Good Router Please HELP!!!!

krisneph · May 22, 2004 3:22PM

Hey guys I need a good Router for going online with a Mac and a PC. I want to just get one on eBay cause I don't know how long I'll keep the cable modem. I prefer a 4 port Router cause I have Xbox Live. And it needs to be OS X compatable and easy to hook up for the PC.

Thanks for the Help

Krisneph

alberto · May 22, 2004 4:48PM

I have a Linksys WRT54G wireless router, It has 4 wired ports, my iBook G4 is using its airport network while 2 windows PC and an iMac rev. A are connected via ethernet cables, everythig is working great and was very easy to install

dmgeist · May 22, 2004 5:00PM

Most routers work with all flavors of OS, I use Netgear with the wireless access point it has good security features and easy to setup, especially when you want to do port forwarding and other specialty stuff. Ive had linksys and there setup for certain things is flaky a times, but just my opinion take it or leave it.

coolmac · May 22, 2004 7:17PM

I use a Netgear FWAG114 806.11b/g/a wireless router.

I have 3 Macs and a PC all wirelessly networked, I also print wireless to 2 printers using Linksys wireless print servers.

m01ety · May 22, 2004 10:03PM

Another vote for Neatgear products. If anything, their nice Aluminum (or gray plastic; whatever it may be) casing complements recent Macs very well. Certainly better than Linksys's Fisherprice design...

gon · May 23, 2004 5:33PM

I just recently bought a D-Link 624+ which didn't work. The settings pages were constantly messed up. I figured a new firmware would fix this, but it didn't want to go in. Eventually the device accepted the new firmware and totally ceased functioning. I hope to have the device back (fixed) or a replacement soon. The store says 95% of D-Link stuff works fine, and faults are not common.

dfiler · May 24, 2004 8:03AM

I have a NetGear MR314. It routinely looses contact with verizon's DSL nameservice. It is neccessary to power cycle either the router or the modem on a daily basis to restore contact with the name server.

This is a known issue that Netgear refuses to acknowledge or fix. Verizon just passes the buck to Netgear.

trailmaster308 · May 24, 2004 8:44AM

Quote:

Originally posted by krisneph

I want to just get one on eBay cause I don't know how long I'll keep the cable modem.

Thanks for the Help

Krisneph

Your not planning on getting rid of the cable modem are you? You can't replace your cable modem with a router and still have internet access. You have to hook you router up to the cable modem. If I misunderstood please disregard.

krisneph · May 24, 2004 2:32PM

Nope I am fully aware that to access the internet I need the cables modem, and to go online with two computers I need to add the router. What I ment is that I don't want to get an expensive router only to figure out I can't afford cable for some weird reason. Not that this will happen. Yep but I'll look into all of these options thanks for the replies.

kraig911 · May 24, 2004 2:37PM

go to www.xbox.com to make sure whatever router you have works. For the longest time I kept getting dropped and it was because of my old linksys router, so I bought the versoin 4 of it and now it works great

, I have to say I've had really bad experiences with Dlink and netgear in the past but that was windows networking...

ichiban_jay · May 24, 2004 6:40PM

I recommend Belkin's line of routers, they are very well made. They also are the lightest routers I have ever laid hands on, lighter then a pack of pencils (10). Also, the feature I love best is DMZ (demiliterization Zone) Which allows you to put a computer out of the firewall's protection, perfect for hosting games through the internet without having to unplug the router, and hook directly to the cable modem (causing others to lose their internet). Their wireless routers also have very good range (1500 ft indoors) I can use my internet all the way across my home.

trailmaster308 · May 24, 2004 9:19PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ichiban_jay

I recommend Belkin's line of routers, they are very well made. They also are the lightest routers I have ever laid hands on, lighter then a pack of pencils (10). Also, the feature I love best is DMZ (demiliterization Zone) Which allows you to put a computer out of the firewall's protection, perfect for hosting games through the internet without having to unplug the router, and hook directly to the cable modem (causing others to lose their internet). Their wireless routers also have very good range (1500 ft indoors) I can use my internet all the way across my home.

Most, if not all, routers have a DMZ zone feature. Also, there is no need to put and entire IP outside the firewall into the DMZ to host a game. This is what port forwarding is for. Just find out what ports your game uses to host. I host UT '04 games all the time.....no need to put your machine in the DMZ for this purpose.

gon · May 25, 2004 2:25AM

Got a replacement D-Link DI-624+ that also didn't work. Taking that to the store now. The malfunction was different than with the last one.

ebby · May 25, 2004 2:49AM

I've have an Asante 3004LC and has rarely ever acted up. With the exception the one time I set the IP address to 192.168.123.256, it is still chugging away after 4 years.

Oh yea, I have: 4 Macs, 3 PC's, various switches, hubs, wireless access points, and many LAN parties!8)

res · May 25, 2004 4:57AM

SMC Barricades- they are great. They are usually at the top of the speed tests and are very reliable. I've used them in 4 permeant installations and for temporary LANs at conventions.

dfiler · May 25, 2004 8:57AM

Another factor to consider: Dynamic DNS update capabilities.

Some routers have dynamic dns support. These solve the problem of getting a new IP address every time you reconnect to your ISP. Just publicize your dynamic dns name (mine is darrinfiler.dyndns.org) and your router will notify them of your new IP everytime it logs into your ISP.

If you pay a yearly fee, you can get any name assigned to your dynamic IP... as long as your router is capable of interfacing with one of the dynamic dns services.

formerlurker · May 25, 2004 9:15AM

Asante or Belkin.

The other ones, I've seen too many cases like Gon's or dfiler's. Linksys (aka Stink-sys) is the worst, and their tech support hangs up on you if you tell them you're using a Mac. Belkin, OTOH, includes a Quick Start with one side each for Windows XP and OS X (much like those printer quick start sheets that are so popular).

gon · May 25, 2004 4:33PM

Another update, because I think people really *need* to know this. I got the third (!) DI-624+. Started configuring it. It went out like a light when I touched wireless settings.

After some quality phone time with D-Link support personnel, I learned a couple of things.

1) The D-Link people act professional, but are not up to date with this particular new product (this from their own mouth, not just my opinion). The hour of unsuccessful problem-fixing ended up in the case being transferred to "level 2 technical support" which is supposed to contact me in a few days. The support guy also had doubts whether Airport Extreme was 802.11g compatible.

This and some other questions felt like the guy was not a repairman looking to repair something, but a dumb and persistent lawyer who only gets paid if they find a way to void my warranty or a way to say "we don't support that".

2) It says on the box, "Requirements: Operating system: ..., Macintosh, ...; Browser: IE 6.0 or above or Netscape Navigator 6.0 or above". At one point, I was accidentally using Mozilla, my default browser, and they correctly pointed out that Mozilla is unsupported and I should use IE. I pointed out that my platform (OS X) doesn't have IE 6.0, so I should probably install Navigator. The support guy told me, "that works even worse than Mozilla". So, contrary to what the box says, this product is not at all compatible with OS X, even though it's browser configurable.

3) I continued fixing the router from my Windows 2000 box with the totally supported IE 6.0 and the ah-so-nice "change net settings and restart for them to take effect", alas, I only got a bit farther in the wireless security settings after the router came crashing down again. The tech support drone suggested I try connecting without wireless security. I explained that it had worked before when I tried it, and would probably work again, but I would be a fucking moron to *use* an unsecured WLAN in the middle of my technical university campus - the largest concentration of trained hackers in this country.

4) Since the two units I received after the (totally defective) first one shared the same problems with each other, I can do nothing but conclude that most of the batch is probably defective.

5) For some unimaginable reason, D-Link is shipping newer firmwares inside the factory units than what is available from the web support site *or* from the "level 1" tech support personnel. Not that the router would have accepted any firmware upgrade without crashing, but still.

Tomorrow morning, I'll be calling the store, informing them of the situation and whether they like it or not, switching my router to another brand. I'm done with D-Link, and want the network running yesterday. The next router is SMC I think.

krisneph · May 29, 2004 3:38PM

How about the Netgear RP614NA 4-Port Cable/DSL Router it's pretty cheap at amazon.com right now what do you guys think.

Linky

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...onics&n=507846

They have a wireless version with a USB adapter but i'm not sure about going wireless thouht USB.

opinions please I'm about ready to buy

Thanks

krisneph · May 29, 2004 3:42PM

I also found this one and it's cheaper why

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...564768-6923060

which one do you think is better this one or the one above

bka77 · May 29, 2004 5:10PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Gon

Another update...

... The next router is SMC I think.

My SMC Router works flawless in a mixed environment (It is not wireless though).

Need a Good Router Please HELP!!!!

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