Need a new wireless router modem

S

Shamil

Well-known member
Hello,

I've been using a Linksys WAG54GS router modem for the past few years, and now it's dying. Presently, I am using my ISP-supplied (TalkTalk) Huawei EchoLife H520b.

Unfortunately, both of these don't have the best coverage out there, and with the HG520b, I am not getting any reception either upstairs or downstairs, relevant to where I put it.

I prefer to have a Broadcom-based router, so I was wandering, what would you suggest I use for this?

Thanks.
 
One of the following...they are dual band and have GREAT range...I own both of these presently and have no problems with either not even a complaint...vpn host works great through it and wireless media streaming is SICK. Also the models support direct connection of a usb hardrive as a network storage device for even easier filesharing in the home. I know your skill level so I'm sure you could manually set that up yourself if you need it. Bottom line is I have tested the first device extensively and have had no undesired activity. I have to leave my wireless off on one of my routers as I can see the ssid broadcast from the end of my road practically. :)


source: Wikipedia

Both Linksys Models
E3000

A simultaneous dual-band gigabit model that replaced the WRT610N.

Version CPU speed RAM Flash memory Radio S/N Prefix Notes
1.0 Broadcom BCM4718 @ 480 MHz 64 MB 8 MB 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz CVQ0 DD-WRT supported with special builds as of 14567
FCC ID: Q87-E3000

E4200

A three-stream simultaneous dual-band gigabit model targeted for "high performance wireless entertainment"[11], with a rated maximum throughput of 450Mbps. This model also includes a USB port for storage, UPnP media streaming or a print server. Further details of the E4200's hardware are still unknown.
The E4200 also marks the first radical change in design of the Linksys series since Cisco launched the winged "spaceship" design first seen on the WRT400N. The E4200 features a minimalistic, streamlined design with no LEDs, labels or buttons visible on the front or top of the device. All traffic activity LEDs and buttons have been relocated to the rear of the device.

Version CPU speed RAM Flash memory Radio S/N Prefix Notes
1.0 Broadcom BCM4718 @ 480Mhz 64 MB 16 MB 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz
FCC ID: Q87-E4200
 
I just got a Linksys E3000 a month or so ago and it works great. It will also act as a media server too if you hook up a storage device to it, although I haven't tried out that feature yet.

The E3000 replaced a D-Link router that didn't seem to have a strong enough WiFi signal to reach all the areas of our house - with the E3000 there are no issues.

I would have purchased the E4200, but it's not going to be out in Canada, until later this year.

-Chris
 
Chris said:
I just got a Linksys E3000 a month or so ago and it works great. It will also act as a media server too if you hook up a storage device to it, although I haven't tried out that feature yet.
-Chris
Click to expand...
It's pretty much as easy as you made it sound..plug it in and it works.. :) *note you cannot use usb hardrives with crapware installed on them from the factory it needs to be a standard drive partition. HP simplesave for example will not work with it (though for what it is, it's not that bad of a drive considering). Also is much better if your HDD isn't being powered by usb with this device as it would be drawing the current through the router itself. Putting 1.5 tb hdds in enclosures works great for this even better if you have hotswap bays.
 
Take a look on hotukdeals.com - there have been a number of good deals on there recently.

I personally found though that I needed to setup a second router as a repeater to get a decent signal everywhere. It may be worth looking into, rather than replacing what you have, simply compliment it :)
 
Well network speaking..you can only be as fast as your bottleneck so I would say being his gateway he should opt for a new one...his better router (as I would consider it) is about to check out soon...so instead of piggybacking on equipment about to be put out to pasture he should just save those funds for one solid model with all the trimmings since a router if working is not something you replace often. Also doing that creates another occupied socket and if your UPS/surge/power strips look anything like mine...well every outlet counts and there is a limit as to how many plugs we should be clown packing into a power outlet ;-)
 
Shamil said:
Just noticed the E4200. It's £169.99 , but it's cheaper if I import it then pay tax :eek:
Click to expand...
Offtopic but you know what this reminds me off...out local mcdonalds here...

They had for years, 4 piece nuggets for $1 and 20 pieces for 7$ , I was the guy ordering (5)4 pieces and saving 2 dollars on principle. It took cooperate at least 5 years to charge that which they did the other day to $4.50 for 20.

Gotta love that McMath, duh duh duh duh duh, I'm lovin it
 
EQnoble said:
It's pretty much as easy as you made it sound..plug it in and it works.. :) *note you cannot use usb hardrives with crapware installed on them from the factory it needs to be a standard drive partition. HP simplesave for example will not work with it (though for what it is, it's not that bad of a drive considering). Also is much better if your HDD isn't being powered by usb with this device as it would be drawing the current through the router itself. Putting 1.5 tb hdds in enclosures works great for this even better if you have hotswap bays.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the tips. :)

I was actually looking on Saturday to get a HDD for this exact use but I haven't jumped yet. When I visited the Linksys support forums, there are a number of people reporting that they were/are having issues with the USB HDD hooked up to the E3000. Linksys apparently have a recommended list of HDD hardware that works, but most were older models and some other were really expensive and capable of running multiple hard drives. I was just hoping to go out and get a typical USB HDD that has 1 or 2 TB capacity, but supposedly some were posting that it won't work with anything over 1 TB.

So if you can provide and tips on models that seem to work, that would be most appreciated.

-Chris
 
Shamil said:
Just noticed the E4200. It's £169.99 , but it's cheaper if I import it then pay tax :eek:
Click to expand...

Thats why I call England..... Taxland.
smile.png
 
EQnoble said:
Offtopic but you know what this reminds me off...out local mcdonalds here...

They had for years, 4 piece nuggets for $1 and 20 pieces for 7$ , I was the guy ordering (5)4 pieces and saving 2 dollars on principle. It took cooperate at least 5 years to charge that which they did the other day to $4.50 for 20.

Gotta love that McMath, duh duh duh duh duh, I'm lovin it
Click to expand...

I haven't visited MacD for the past few years. I am going to try to go to one this year.
 
Shamil said:
hehe, well, we probably are the King of taxes, with all of them... income tax, green tax (?), council tax, living tax, moving tax, value added tax - no value added for me though.
Click to expand...
You forgot Air Tax and MP Tax (so MPs can talk and lie all year round).
 
tickedon said:
Take a look on hotukdeals.com - there have been a number of good deals on there recently.

I personally found though that I needed to setup a second router as a repeater to get a decent signal everywhere. It may be worth looking into, rather than replacing what you have, simply compliment it :)
Click to expand...
You can also just get a repeater as well.

That's what we were going to do originally before we bought the E3000. But once I started researching which routers would work well with the repeaters I was looking at, I discovered that I would probably have to replace my router regardless. So I decided to replace my router and then see if a repeater was even required. Sure enough, once I hooked up the E3000 the signal was strong enough that we didn't need a repeater after all. :)

-Chris
 
When I put wireless into the house, I took a different approach that might work for you.

I installed the main wireless router with the switches. Then I went to every location where I wanted coverage and checked signal strength with my iphone. Where is was insufficient, I installed a wireless repeater. With one router and three repeaters, I have the house covered: all bedrooms, the kitchen, the front porch and poolside. I can work anywehre I want on any type of wireless device.

The most important thing, secure the hell out of it.
 
Fred Sherman said:
When I put wireless into the house, I took a different approach that might work for you.

I installed the main wireless router with the switches. Then I went to every location where I wanted coverage and checked signal strength with my iphone. Where is was insufficient, I installed a wireless repeater. With one router and three repeaters, I have the house covered: all bedrooms, the kitchen, the front porch and poolside. I can work anywehre I want on any type of wireless device.

The most important thing, secure the hell out of it.
Click to expand...

I've been thinking of doing this. For some odd reason, there's one quadrant of the house which just isn't taking a liking to wifi, little is going through it. I've moved the router to an area on one side of the area, in the quadrant, but there's no wifi upstairs. The only thing I can think of that's jamming it is the alarm system, but that's unlikely.

I could place a repeater in that area.
 
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