Belkin,Draytek or Netgear for DSL?

Hi All (I'm a newbie so go easy on me)

I'm about to get ADSL but I've gone for wires only service with Pipe
and I need some advice on DSL/Wireless routers.

I've been looking at three possible setups I've found fro
www.Transparent.uk.com (anyone ever bought from them on here?)

Netgear DG834GT, WG511T & WG111T Bundle for £133 (with VAT)
DrayTek V2600G & V540 Laptop Card Bundle for £177 (with VAT)
Belkin F5D7633 & F5D7011 Laptop Card Bundle £71.50 (with VAT)

Now I've heard a lot of good stuff about Draytek but why are they mor
expensive than Netgear and Belkin? Also what features are reall
necassary on a day to day basis?

Can anyone recommend if these prices or kit are anygood.

Cheers

James
The happy wandere

--
dj_jammy

"> Now I've heard a lot of good stuff about Draytek but why are they more
> expensive than Netgear and Belkin? Also what features are really
> necassary on a day to day basis?
>
> Can anyone recommend if these prices or kit are anygood.

Draytek are solid, reliable and just work out of the box. IMHO they are the
best at the consumer level. My 2600 has now run for 14 months non stop.

Peter Crosland

"Peter Crosland" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:4295c277$0$538$(E-Mail Removed)...
>"> Now I've heard a lot of good stuff about Draytek but why are they more
>> expensive than Netgear and Belkin? Also what features are really
>> necassary on a day to day basis?
>>
>> Can anyone recommend if these prices or kit are anygood.
>
> Draytek are solid, reliable and just work out of the box. IMHO they are
> the best at the consumer level. My 2600 has now run for 14 months non
> stop.
>
> Peter Crosland

Draytek are a lot smaller (by volume) manufacturer so their products are
more expensive...they also have some 'higher-end' features

I use a Netgear DG834G - it only goes down when I change something - had it
about 15 months now and very pleased with it. They are 54Mbps wireless
rather than 108Mbps...but unless you intend to do huge file transfers
between machines tehn I wouldnt bother with 108Mbps proprietary
solutions...you should be able to get a DG834G + 54Mbps adaptor for under
£80
>
>

"Peter Crosland" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>"> Now I've heard a lot of good stuff about Draytek but why are they more
>> expensive than Netgear and Belkin? Also what features are really
>> necassary on a day to day basis?
>>
>> Can anyone recommend if these prices or kit are anygood.
>
>Draytek are solid, reliable and just work out of the box. IMHO they are the
>best at the consumer level. My 2600 has now run for 14 months non stop.
>
I have set up a few Belkins and they are cheap and good. The Draytek
(which I am struggling to set up in a static IP environment) has a lot
of high end features. If you want the features, go for the Draytek, if
you just want a basic good router go for the Belkin. I'd stay clear of
the 3Com ones, I had 3 failures of same model in 9 months.
--
(E-Mail Removed)SPAM (delete NOSPAM)
www.redoak.co.uk www.eze-buy.co.uk

If you want peace of mind and rock solid performance, get the Draytek, but I
would suggest you get the 2600VG, cheap VoIP calls will help ease the pain
of the price.
Check out Davoom.com, they are flexible on prices (and were selling new
units on Ebay).

Sadly I can' recommend the Draytek's PC Card and / or USB adaptors, I found
that Orinoco and D-Link have much better reception, (I don't believe Draytek
makes them themselves).

Belkin is cheap and mostly OK, but you may want to consider their 'Pre-N'
version even though is doesn't have built in ADSL modem.

If you are masochist and enjoy forever updating firmware and battling with
non existent
support - get the Netgear.
Regards,
Martin
(Netgear didn't work and after a weeks tearing my hair out I returned it,
got Draytek 2600We which hasn't missed a single bit in over two years, and
now bought 2600VGi as well.)

"Martin?" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

: If you are masochist and enjoy forever updating firmware and battling with
: non existent
: support - get the Netgear.

Or alternatively if you want rock-solid+excellent performance get the Netgear!

This "Martin" guy is tiresome about them - he cannot accept that 99% of
people don't have the problems he had!

In article <4296709d$0$39088$(E-Mail Removed)>,
"Martin²" <(E-Mail Removed)> writes:
> If you are masochist and enjoy forever updating firmware and battling with
> non existent support - get the Netgear.

With the caveat that you have to get to DG834G firmware version 1.05.00, I
respectfully disagree. Mine hasn't `skipped a bit' in several thousand hours
of operation since the 1.05.00 update, and as a result I can't comment on
the existence status of its support.
--
SAm.

"Brian McIlwrath" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:d76oqq$rci$(E-Mail Removed)...
> "Martin?" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
> : If you are masochist and enjoy forever updating firmware and battling
> with
> : non existent
> : support - get the Netgear.
>
> Or alternatively if you want rock-solid+excellent performance get the
> Netgear!
>
> This "Martin" guy is tiresome about them - he cannot accept that 99% of
> people don't have the problems he had!

Ding ! ROFLMAO - ignore Martin - hes a Draytek salesman that goes around all
the forums slating the competition (sales must be really down) and the
last time he owned a Netgear was over 2 years ago.....

On 27 May 2005 09:47 UTC, (E-Mail Removed) (Sam Nelson) wrote:

>With the caveat that you have to get to DG834G firmware version 1.05.00, I
>respectfully disagree. Mine hasn't `skipped a bit' in several thousand hours
>of operation since the 1.05.00 update, and as a result I can't comment on
>the existence status of its support.

Thanks for the report, Sam. Comparing them on prices, I can see why many
would opt for the Belkin, or Netgear, before considering whether the extra
features offered on a Draytek (never had one to play with, probably do not
need to :-) will be OTT for regular 'consumer' use. Peter M.


--
Plus.Net <http://tinyurl.com/5jpa4>
I recommend them and save some cash.

With a guarantee allowing new users to migrate if they're unhappy!

In article <bqtd91hthgstt44pkekm318tg95ej18eub@212.159.2.86 >,
Peter M <us-(E-Mail Removed)> writes:
> On 27 May 2005 09:47 UTC, (E-Mail Removed) (Sam Nelson) wrote:
> >With the caveat that you have to get to DG834G firmware version 1.05.00, I
> >respectfully disagree. Mine hasn't `skipped a bit' in several thousand hours
> >of operation since the 1.05.00 update, and as a result I can't comment on
> >the existence status of its support.
>
> Thanks for the report, Sam. Comparing them on prices, I can see why many
> would opt for the Belkin, or Netgear, before considering whether the extra
> features offered on a Draytek (never had one to play with, probably do not
> need to :-) will be OTT for regular 'consumer' use. Peter M.

An acquaintance whose views on this sort of kit are well worth listening to
condemns NetGear kit, wireless in particular, as the Nissan Micra end of the
market. I was quite prepared to drop the NetGear in favour of something else
if it turned out to be a turkey: I'd originally intended to get a Draytek box,
but they simply weren't available at the time I needed to buy one.
--
SAm.