How should I be comparing home routers?

Is there a clear winner when comparing d-link, netgear, and linksys in
terms of Range and Security? I can't find any significant differences.
I must be missing something.

Should I be more concerned with other issues instead? (like
tweakability issues or reliability issues)

Humbly and Respectfully requesting a router reccomendation--you guys
know your stuff. Only need 3 MBps.

For cable (not ADSL) broadband, Linksys' WRT54G seem generally reliable
and very popular - the latter due to being highly customisable through
being able to change the stock Linksys firmware with 3rd party
firmware, adding many additional features.

(The latest version of this router, v5, seems to be one to avoid,
though.)

#1 - Reliability (I have had good luck with Netgear, and CompUSA branded
routers; I have had lots of problems with Linksys)
#2 - Price (I bought a CompUSA branded router for $2.99 after rebates around
Jan 1; At that price, if it doesn't work for you, you can junk it).
#3 - Functionality (The CompUSA router can be configured as a repeater with
another identical router; This solves any range problems you might run
into; You can only do this with Linksys or Netgear if you buy one of their
Access Points)

I haven't tried any 3rd party firmware. This is fine for hackers, but
probably not something a normal, non-technical user would want to get into.

Mike Schumann

"Raif" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) oups.com...
> Is there a clear winner when comparing d-link, netgear, and linksys in
> terms of Range and Security? I can't find any significant differences.
> I must be missing something.
>
> Should I be more concerned with other issues instead? (like
> tweakability issues or reliability issues)
>
> Humbly and Respectfully requesting a router reccomendation--you guys
> know your stuff. Only need 3 MBps.
>

Mike Schumann wrote:

> #1 - Reliability (I have had good luck with Netgear, and CompUSA branded
> routers; I have had lots of problems with Linksys)
> #2 - Price (I bought a CompUSA branded router for $2.99 after rebates
> #around
> Jan 1; At that price, if it doesn't work for you, you can junk it).

Yeah, you can't beat that price

> #3 - Functionality (The CompUSA router can be configured as a repeater
> #with
> another identical router; This solves any range problems you might run
> into; You can only do this with Linksys or Netgear if you buy one of
> their Access Points)

That's not true of Linksys, and I'd doubt it's any more true of the others.
If you buy a router that advertises WDS, it will do WDS with identical
routers, and not likely with anything else. WRT54Gs work great as
repeaters.

> I haven't tried any 3rd party firmware. This is fine for hackers, but
> probably not something a normal, non-technical user would want to get
> into.

There's nothing at all to it. Anybody can upgrade the firmware on a router
if they follow the instructions.
--
derek