trouble finding a wireless router for a friend - fingers burnt

Hi Folks,

Recently, having had a reasonable time with a netgear DG834GT I got a DG834G
(without the T). It was version 3 of this model which has a totally new
chipset.

It was a disaster (connectiveity trouble/bad switch, bad wireless: the
works). Firmwares (up and down) didn't make any difference. I;ve seen on
various forumns similar problems to mine with this edition.

Ebuyer sent me a replacement and it was just as bad. I got fully refunded.
So I decided to go cheap and got a Guru (safecom) non-wireless router/modem.
It works but it often needs rebooting even with the renegade routertech
firmware, plus the firmware UI is not very pleasant. I;m using an old AP to
do the wireless.

I understand dlink uses the TI internals and firmware that safecom uses, and
I;ve heard similar storys of not such great performance from dlink users.

I can abuse myself with Guru/Safecom stuff, but I can;t inflict that sort of
rubbish on my friend.

So what do I get? I've lost confidence in Netgear, Linksys pulled a similar
stunt with the WRT54GS (version 5+) so I don't want to try them either as
I'm expecting that they have been messing around with their other gadgets.

I don't know anything about the other folks in this market, and some of them
seem to be under-specced for the price. I need my WPA2. Granted I'm in the
cheap end. Should I be looking at 3Com, Buffulo, and all those other weird
names out there?

Any recommedations from the battle-scarred?

Greg

"Greg Loriman" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Hi Folks,
>
<snip>

>
>So what do I get? I've lost confidence in Netgear, Linksys pulled a similar
>stunt with the WRT54GS (version 5+) so I don't want to try them either as
>I'm expecting that they have been messing around with their other gadgets.
>
>I don't know anything about the other folks in this market, and some of them
>seem to be under-specced for the price. I need my WPA2. Granted I'm in the
>cheap end. Should I be looking at 3Com, Buffulo, and all those other weird
>names out there?
>
>Any recommedations from the battle-scarred?
>
Got a ZyXEL 2602HW-61c running here - seems rock solid and reliable. Wireless is good
and has VOIP inbuilt too.

I'm happy with it. Dunno how it will be on price for you, but in the long run it
might be a good idea to pay a little more for a reliable piece of kit?


--

Andrew Sayers

"Greg Loriman" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news(E-Mail Removed). uk...
> Hi Folks,
>
> Recently, having had a reasonable time with a netgear DG834GT I got a
> DG834G (without the T). It was version 3 of this model which has a totally
> new chipset.
>
> It was a disaster (connectiveity trouble/bad switch, bad wireless: the
> works). Firmwares (up and down) didn't make any difference. I;ve seen on
> various forumns similar problems to mine with this edition.
>
> Ebuyer sent me a replacement and it was just as bad. I got fully refunded.
> So I decided to go cheap and got a Guru (safecom) non-wireless
> router/modem. It works but it often needs rebooting even with the renegade
> routertech firmware, plus the firmware UI is not very pleasant. I;m using
> an old AP to do the wireless.
>
> I understand dlink uses the TI internals and firmware that safecom uses,
> and I;ve heard similar storys of not such great performance from dlink
> users.
>
> I can abuse myself with Guru/Safecom stuff, but I can;t inflict that sort
> of rubbish on my friend.
>
> So what do I get? I've lost confidence in Netgear, Linksys pulled a
> similar stunt with the WRT54GS (version 5+) so I don't want to try them
> either as I'm expecting that they have been messing around with their
> other gadgets.
>
> I don't know anything about the other folks in this market, and some of
> them seem to be under-specced for the price. I need my WPA2. Granted I'm
> in the cheap end. Should I be looking at 3Com, Buffulo, and all those
> other weird names out there?
>
> Any recommedations from the battle-scarred?
>
> Greg


I'm really surprised to hear this. I bought a Netgear DG834G v3 recently
after some research on user reviews, etc - nearly all of which were very
positive. Got mine from Amazon and it was relatively easy to set up (network
novice) and has been impressively reliable in the month or so that I've had
it. Would recommend it to anyone. I must have looked at different forums to
you!

John Miller

"John Miller" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:eqghlg$ul9$(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "Greg Loriman" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news(E-Mail Removed). uk...
>> Hi Folks,
>>
>> Recently, having had a reasonable time with a netgear DG834GT I got a
>> DG834G (without the T). It was version 3 of this model which has a
>> totally new chipset.
>>
>> It was a disaster (connectiveity trouble/bad switch, bad wireless: the
>> works). Firmwares (up and down) didn't make any difference. I;ve seen on
>> various forumns similar problems to mine with this edition.
>>
>> Ebuyer sent me a replacement and it was just as bad. I got fully
>> refunded. So I decided to go cheap and got a Guru (safecom) non-wireless
>> router/modem. It works but it often needs rebooting even with the
>> renegade routertech firmware, plus the firmware UI is not very pleasant.
>> I;m using an old AP to do the wireless.
>>
>> I understand dlink uses the TI internals and firmware that safecom uses,
>> and I;ve heard similar storys of not such great performance from dlink
>> users.
>>
>> I can abuse myself with Guru/Safecom stuff, but I can;t inflict that sort
>> of rubbish on my friend.
>>
>> So what do I get? I've lost confidence in Netgear, Linksys pulled a
>> similar stunt with the WRT54GS (version 5+) so I don't want to try them
>> either as I'm expecting that they have been messing around with their
>> other gadgets.
>>
>> I don't know anything about the other folks in this market, and some of
>> them seem to be under-specced for the price. I need my WPA2. Granted I'm
>> in the cheap end. Should I be looking at 3Com, Buffulo, and all those
>> other weird names out there?
>>
>> Any recommedations from the battle-scarred?
>>
>> Greg
>
>
> I'm really surprised to hear this. I bought a Netgear DG834G v3 recently
> after some research on user reviews, etc - nearly all of which were very
> positive. Got mine from Amazon and it was relatively easy to set up
> (network novice) and has been impressively reliable in the month or so
> that I've had it. Would recommend it to anyone. I must have looked at
> different forums to you!

Yes I've had many good experiences with Netgear DG834G/GT routers. I've
installed about 30 of these for customers over the past two years, and
probably 2/3 of these have been DG834G V3. Dead easy to set up and to
diagnose "can't connect to ADSL" problems. I've only seen one of these
routers misbehave and that was one that was dead on arrival: it kept
rebooting and flashing its lights at random. All the others come into the
"fit and forget" category. My own DG834GT has never had to be rebooted in
the two years 've had it: the only times it has ever been turned off have
been when I've had power cuts!

>> I'm really surprised to hear this. I bought a Netgear DG834G v3 recently
>> after some research on user reviews, etc - nearly all of which were very
>> positive. Got mine from Amazon and it was relatively easy to set up
>> (network novice) and has been impressively reliable in the month or so
>> that I've had it. Would recommend it to anyone. I must have looked at
>> different forums to you!
>
> Yes I've had many good experiences with Netgear DG834G/GT routers. I've
> installed about 30 of these for customers over the past two years, and
> probably 2/3 of these have been DG834G V3. Dead easy to set up and to
> diagnose "can't connect to ADSL" problems. I've only seen one of these
> routers misbehave and that was one that was dead on arrival: it kept
> rebooting and flashing its lights at random. All the others come into the
> "fit and forget" category. My own DG834GT has never had to be rebooted in
> the two years 've had it: the only times it has ever been turned off have
> been when I've had power cuts!

Hi John and Martin,

I did read on the forums (we're talking a few months ago now) that this
problem didn't affect everyone. But I got two duds in a row, both version 3.
I can be sure that Ebuyer didn't send me back the first as I had both in my
hands at the same time (I was slow to send back the first).

So you can understand my reluctance to try netgear again. Plus if you look
at the most recent ebuyer and dabs.com user reviews they are mostly of
complaints.

Anyway that Zyxel idea seem like it could be a good one. I've found just the
job for £85. Have you guys got any experience of them?

Replied to you via Martin's post.

thanks for the lead. Hadn;t looked at Zyxel becuase they tend to be a bit to
pricey, but I;ve jsut found an £85 quid gadget via one of the price
aggregators.

Have you used other routers? How does it compare?

"Andrew Sayers" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> "Greg Loriman" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>>Hi Folks,
>>
> <snip>
>
>>
>>So what do I get? I've lost confidence in Netgear, Linksys pulled a
>>similar
>>stunt with the WRT54GS (version 5+) so I don't want to try them either as
>>I'm expecting that they have been messing around with their other gadgets.
>>
>>I don't know anything about the other folks in this market, and some of
>>them
>>seem to be under-specced for the price. I need my WPA2. Granted I'm in the
>>cheap end. Should I be looking at 3Com, Buffulo, and all those other
>>weird
>>names out there?
>>
>>Any recommedations from the battle-scarred?
>>
> Got a ZyXEL 2602HW-61c running here - seems rock solid and reliable.
> Wireless is good
> and has VOIP inbuilt too.
>
> I'm happy with it. Dunno how it will be on price for you, but in the long
> run it
> might be a good idea to pay a little more for a reliable piece of kit?
>
>
> --
>
> Andrew Sayers

Greg Loriman, in article
<(E-Mail Removed) >, says...

>
>Any recommedations from the battle-scarred?
>
I'm using a ZyXEL P660HW-61 for simple NAT wireless + wired
sites (and P660R compacts for others). The TI chipset gives
very good performance, and it's not too expensive.
--
JohnW.
Replace nospam with the first 3 letters of the current month
to mail me.

"Greg Loriman" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>thanks for the lead. Hadn;t looked at Zyxel becuase they tend to be a bit to
>pricey, but I;ve jsut found an £85 quid gadget via one of the price
>aggregators.
>
>Have you used other routers? How does it compare?


Linksys WAG54G. Okay but can give problems. As regards someone that I've set up a
network for it is the only router that will hold a connection on his line (250meg
from Zen) trouble he's got is that all the lines into his village are aluminium, (yup
really!) hence the problem.

Netgear is good, I've set up the usual ones, all are the DG834 in different formats.
Reliable IME.

ZyXel - excellent if a bit more pricey - give VOIP on some models.

Tried a Draytek Vigor - excellent piece of kit - wouldn't hold a connection on the
aluminium line mentioned earlier, but did well when a Linksys failed to hold a good
connection on a different (normal copper) line.

I'm running the ZyXEL here now, it does everything, it's not pretty but it is a
reliable if boring looking black box. VOIP using a standard phone (via Sipgate) is
reliable using the router.

Put it this way - if it went "bang" tomorrow I'd go and buy another one.

hth



--

Andrew Sayers

"Andrew Sayers" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> "Greg Loriman" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>>thanks for the lead. Hadn;t looked at Zyxel becuase they tend to be a bit
>>to
>>pricey, but I;ve jsut found an £85 quid gadget via one of the price
>>aggregators.
>>
>>Have you used other routers? How does it compare?
>
>
> Linksys WAG54G. Okay but can give problems. As regards someone that I've
> set up a
> network for it is the only router that will hold a connection on his line
> (250meg
> from Zen) trouble he's got is that all the lines into his village are
> aluminium, (yup
> really!) hence the problem.

I've not installed many Linksys routers (or configured ones that customers
already had when I was called in) but a high proportion of them have failed
and had to be replaced. Two were WAG54Gs and one was a flat box about 4"
square with just one Ethernet LAN socket (sorry, don't know what model
number). Problems ranged from failure of the switch (PCs could no longer
communicate with each other or the internet by Ethernet but wireless worked
OK) to intermittent wireless problems (signal strength kept fading to almost
zero, even for a PC right next to the router). Also my parents' wireless
access point (connected by Ethernet to a non-wireless router) keeps locking
up and refusing to give wireless PCs an IP address from the router (either a
problem with WPA authentication or a failure to communicate over Ethernet to
the router).

So based on my experience, Linksys is the one brand that I would not
recommend.