Opinions on wireless router & notebook card (Linksys & D-Link) (1 Viewer)

[Cosmos75]

Am planning on buying a wireless router and wire notebook card. In no particular order, here are the two combinations that I am thinking of getting:

Linksys
Linksys SpeedBooster 802.11g Wireless Broadband Router (Model: WRT54GS)
Linksys SpeedBooster 802.11g Wireless Notebook Card (Model: WPC54GS)

D-Link
D-Link RangeBooster N Wireless-N Router (Model: DIR-625)
D-Link Platinum RangeBooster N Wireless-N Notebook Card (Model: DWA-642)

Any opinions? Or suggestions on others that might fit the bill?

 

[Oldsoftboss]

I purchased a NetComm NP643 SuperG wireless network card for my laptop and a wireless router (cant see the model, it's buried waaay at the back of the compter table under all the sh1t)

The intallation was fairly straight forward EXCEPT the disk that came with the laptop card installed the driver etc no worries, but just wouldn't work.
After f&*@#ing around for hours, I found that "Wireless networking" on the laptop had not been enabled / started. Well bugger me. You would think that this would be one of the first things it would do.

Once set up I picked up the next door neighbours network, so that was a bit of fun. So I ran the wireless network security thingy and all has been good since. The card works to around 40m (120 feet) and seems to give the same performance as my wired computer.

HTH
Dave

 

[Cosmos75]

Oldsoftboss,

Thanks for the reply!

I have a Microsoft router that my company bought for me but the wireless function started not to work after some upgrades to Win XP and firmware updates.

Been reading more about it, and it seems that the D-Link router is a new draft 802.11n standard router that is also backwards compatible with 802.11g and 802.11b devices. Anandtech.com has a review of the D-Link router here. Also found a blog entry about the D-Link router.

Found a PC Mag review of the Linksys router here, but it was written in 2004!!

User reviews aren't terrible helpful since there are both complaints and praises. And people are more likely to review a product that they have problems with.

The D-Link router may be compatible with the final 802.11n standard which is supposed to be out this year, which is something in its favor. I am a little wary of a router built on a draft standard, even if it is backwards compatible with the current standards but the fact that it could be better once they finalize the standard and if it will be compatible then I could get better performance. I also think that the D-Link router has more functionality but since I am not very well versed in this kinda thing, I could very well be wrong.

In the end, it probably doesn't matter what standard I use as all I really want is to network my personal and work computer, while allowing my wife to use her laptop with a wireless card.

 

[FoFa]

I had a linksys router, it worked OK (would have to reboot it every now and then as it seemed to "hang" about once a week and half to two weeks. The USB wireless card on my daughters was a whole nother matter. After none-use for a couple hours, it would require a reboot for the PC to get it to work again. Tried many different solution and none worked.
Just bought a Dlink last Dec. along with a Dlink USB adapter for my daughter. It works like a dream. Installation was a snap, have had NO problems with it either. My daughter likes the new faster 108 MBS speed (requires the Dlink card for this sped I think), and my generic dell card in my laptap connects with out hitch at 54 MBS. From now on it is Dlink for me.

 

[Cosmos75]

FoFa,

Thanks for weighing in.


Just out of curiousity, what model D-Link router did you get?

 

[GohDiamond]

D-link is a ton of fun

D-Link,heh, Tech support first level people are generally clueless and don't speak either the Queens' or Yanks' all that well. They don't listen too well either and get off on a tangent that makes one have to re-explain the problem to keep them focused on task... I've had D-Link since they came out with wireless cards and routers... just keep shooting myself in the foot over and over again I suppose ... anyway, I got the Rangebooster G series Max 108Mbps and upgraded from the previous AIRPLUS 22Mbps... bloody router thingie would just crap out for no apparent reason... and guess bloody what, so does the new one ... what a bother to reboot the router, had to disconnect ALL and shut down ALL Wireless apparati, press the reset button whilst standing on 1 leg and whistling dixie with the unit upside down for 300 ticks then unplug from the socket whilst maintaining the proper position afore described observing the passage of time until the TECH administered torture was discontinued... The firmware upgrade wou'dn't and so had to be repeated over and over until I finally gave in to check with the lousy Techsupport again... buggers hung up on me and it's a B trying to get them on the line in the first place, not that they're that helpful... after all the bloody thing won't upgrade firmware from just any PC connected, has to be the one in the first port ... So after several hours on the tele with LameSupport I was bumped to the 2nd level who promptly had me disrobe bend over and disconnect ALL over again... asked me to hold me knickers over me head for the time and then reconnect only the port 1 Computer to knock out the blasted memory on the router with the firmware upgrade that supposedly addressed the problem that it has been all along... failure to respond to a WANPING

Alright that being said, we fixed it and it has worked wonderfully since, I can't seem to get it to use greater than 64bit WEP security, but for my 'hood, 64 may be enough

D-Link is a loverly product after the acrobatics are over, so I'd recommend it or something else... I'm taking my older models out to the range this weekend and putting them in the skeet launcher for a little Anger Management Therapy. I rekon the a 30 ought 6'll putter out of her misery what!

Thanks for the air, mates!

CHeers!

Goh

 

[retro]

Linksys over D-Link. Linksys is a subsidiary of Cisco, THE networking experts. They wrote the book on networking - literally.

I used a small supplier once - they sold mostly cheap and cheerful - Genius, Codegen etc. Their ONLY networking products were D-Link. They now don't exist.

Netgear aren't bad, too... although some of their routers required firmware updates to stop dropping out every 5 minutes!

As for Wireless cards, we sell ASUS, and I haven't had a complaint yet. Actually, the cool thing about ASUS is the software - pretty simple to use, and it'll even work as a virtual AP should you wish (i.e. make your PC the router).