Need advice regarding router purchase.

Greetings,

I have a rather complicated setup (for a home network that is), and
I’m looking for a router that can handle my needs.
I have a DSL connection upstairs with a desktop computer wired
directly into my current router. The router has 4 ports, plus
antennae for additional wireless access if ever need be. In one of
the ports is a 200’ long Ethernet cable leading downstairs to a WAP
which is used wirelessly by two computers, one desktop and one laptop.
In another port is a 75’ long Ethernet cable leading downstairs to the
other side of the first floor (and another WAP). This connection will
likely only be used sporadically, and then only with one wireless
laptop.
All the computers in the house are running Windows XP.
I have a strong feeling that I’m really pushing the envelope for what
the typical home DSL/router setup can handle.
My current router shut down every time any of the computers tried to
use a P2P program to download a very popular file.
I think the DSL is also a problem, with so much less bandwidth than a
cable connection.
Please correct me if I’m wrong there, but I’ve noticed that whenever
one computer is doing anything strenuous, the other computers slow
down dramatically…often becoming practically useless. Watching
streaming video on two of them at the same time is an exercise in
futility. I’m hoping that a switch to cable will alleviate some of
these problems, but I suspect that without the right grade of router,
the problems will persist, regardless of the connection.
So I’m looking for a router that can handle some serious use. I’d like
to be able to watch streaming video on all of the computers at the
same time (if that is indeed possible).

My Linksys WRT54G v.5 is clearly not up to the task.
I’ve read many complaints about this router…people claiming it doesn’t
have nearly enough memory and the fact that it is not upgradeable. But
the most serious complaints pertain to the underlying programming
language. Apparently, it’s not Linux. It’s some obscure language
that is practically proprietary. So firmware authors can’t write
fixes for the router’s flaws. Linksys has their own firmware of
course, but it doesn’t solve the P2P problem. Seems a little fishy
that a huge company like Linksys (Cisco) all of a sudden switches
gears and starts producing a mainstream router that can’t seem to
handle P2P…and then seemingly bends over backwards to make sure the
problem is not cureable. Hmmm.

So what will it take for me to stabilize this setup ?
Will cable improve things ? (vs. DSL…)
What should I be looking for in a router ? (memory ?)
Would this setup be too much for a single cable connection ?

Finally, are there any recommended sites out there that could help me
better understand what I’m dealing with here ?

Thanks very much for any assistance you may be able to offer.

--N

You're likely not be happy with anything in the typical retail router
market. Maybe make yourself one with a PC and a linux router program like
Monowall and hopefully do some bandwidth allocation-controlling.

"Noydb222" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Greetings,
>
> I have a rather complicated setup (for a home network that is), and
> I'm looking for a router that can handle my needs.
> I have a DSL connection upstairs with a desktop computer wired
> directly into my current router. The router has 4 ports, plus
> antennae for additional wireless access if ever need be. In one of
> the ports is a 200' long Ethernet cable leading downstairs to a WAP
> which is used wirelessly by two computers, one desktop and one laptop.
> In another port is a 75' long Ethernet cable leading downstairs to the
> other side of the first floor (and another WAP). This connection will
> likely only be used sporadically, and then only with one wireless
> laptop.
> All the computers in the house are running Windows XP.
> I have a strong feeling that I'm really pushing the envelope for what
> the typical home DSL/router setup can handle.
> My current router shut down every time any of the computers tried to
> use a P2P program to download a very popular file.
> I think the DSL is also a problem, with so much less bandwidth than a
> cable connection.
> Please correct me if I'm wrong there, but I've noticed that whenever
> one computer is doing anything strenuous, the other computers slow
> down dramatically.often becoming practically useless. Watching
> streaming video on two of them at the same time is an exercise in
> futility. I'm hoping that a switch to cable will alleviate some of
> these problems, but I suspect that without the right grade of router,
> the problems will persist, regardless of the connection.
> So I'm looking for a router that can handle some serious use. I'd like
> to be able to watch streaming video on all of the computers at the
> same time (if that is indeed possible).
>
> My Linksys WRT54G v.5 is clearly not up to the task.
> I've read many complaints about this router.people claiming it doesn't
> have nearly enough memory and the fact that it is not upgradeable. But
> the most serious complaints pertain to the underlying programming
> language. Apparently, it's not Linux. It's some obscure language
> that is practically proprietary. So firmware authors can't write
> fixes for the router's flaws. Linksys has their own firmware of
> course, but it doesn't solve the P2P problem. Seems a little fishy
> that a huge company like Linksys (Cisco) all of a sudden switches
> gears and starts producing a mainstream router that can't seem to
> handle P2P.and then seemingly bends over backwards to make sure the
> problem is not cureable. Hmmm.
>
> So what will it take for me to stabilize this setup ?
> Will cable improve things ? (vs. DSL.)
> What should I be looking for in a router ? (memory ?)
> Would this setup be too much for a single cable connection ?
>
> Finally, are there any recommended sites out there that could help me
> better understand what I'm dealing with here ?
>
> Thanks very much for any assistance you may be able to offer.
>
> --N

[POSTED TO alt.internet.wireless - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]

In <(E-Mail Removed)> on Wed, 12 Apr 2006 00:31:28
GMT, Noydb222 <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>My Linksys WRT54G v.5 is clearly not up to the task.
>...

D-Link DGL-4300 Wireless 108G Gaming Router
http://games.dlink.com/products/?pid=370&#DGL-4300
--
Best regards, SEE THE FAQ FOR ALT.INTERNET.WIRELESS AT
John Navas <http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/FAQ_for_alt.internet.wireless>

On Wed, 12 Apr 2006 21:13:56 GMT, "bumtracks" <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>You're likely not be happy with anything in the typical retail router
>market. Maybe make yourself one with a PC and a linux router program like
>Monowall and hopefully do some bandwidth allocation-controlling.
>

Thanks for this advice.
I took a good long look at Monowall's site and came away very
impressed. I have a few old pc's hanging around and I may try to set
one of them up with linux and do a little experimenting.
Well, maybe a lot of experimenting...
In any event, I'm pretty sure it's going to take me quite a while to
get up to speed in this arena, but I'll give it a try.
It looks like setting up a PC with a router program isn't exactly plug
and play, but hopefully it will be something newbie like me can
accomplish.
If you know of any good sites on the subject, I'd appreciate your
recommendations.
Wish me luck.

Thanks again, --N

On Thu, 13 Apr 2006 02:17:28 GMT, John Navas
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>[POSTED TO alt.internet.wireless - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]
>
>In <(E-Mail Removed)> on Wed, 12 Apr 2006 00:31:28
>GMT, Noydb222 <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>>My Linksys WRT54G v.5 is clearly not up to the task.
>>...
>
>D-Link DGL-4300 Wireless 108G Gaming Router
>http://games.dlink.com/products/?pid=370&#DGL-4300


Thanks for this link.
I actually noticed that particular router last night while surfing
around the big shopping sites looking for expensive routers.

I'm pretty sure I'm going to upgrade to cable, and I better upgrade
the router while I'm at it.
Thanks again, --N