- Feb 24, 2009
- 10
- 0
- 18,510
Am looking for a new router. Currently have an ancient Linksys BEFSR41, but my space is getting used more as a SOHO and less as a home-only. Most of my house is wired but there are a few rooms that require wireless so I'd like to go ahead and upgrade to a wireless even though the wireless capability will be rarely used (I suppose guests might be the primary users of the wireless functionality).
- Would like to get the current standard (802.11n) and WPA2.
- Would like at least one 10/100/1000 WAN port (I know that the 1000 on the WAN side is wasted at this point, but do not want to buy another router next year if something suddenly changes on the WAN side) and at least four (4) 10/100/1000 LAN ports (although eight (8) ports would be better).
- Needs to work with an Arris TM601A cable modem and with a Netgear GS108 Gigabit Switch supporting three laptops running Windows XP and Windows 7 as well as four desktops running Windows XP (running mostly 11g cards at this point--upgrading soon).
- Am also planning to add a media server (primarily for videos) in the coming months and want the router to support DLNA. Would like the router to have at least one USB port and support NTFS drives.
- And would like dual-band with good range/speed (but does not have to reach the very last millimeter at the very fastest speed that the standard supports--I do not need bleeding edge--just want something that is good-plus with no drops).
- Don't care how it looks as it will be out of sight in the basement.
- May eventually want support for printer, but that is optional and may not be truly needed.
- Would also like to get something that will accomodate the 3rd party firmware (DD-WRT) that seems to be popular (am not 100% sure on this one, but it seems pervasive in comments from experts).
- Would like to stay under $150, but if that is impossible, feel free to tell me.
Am a tiny bit concerned about buying a Cisco product given recent announcements about their supoport for consumer products, but if this concern is unwarranted, feel free to tell me.
Am not 100% sure what else to look for? I am not a professinal Network Admionistrator, but am also not a computer novice. In summary, NOT looking for the absolute latest-and-greatest-cost-is-no-factor-state-of-the-art unit, but rather one that near the top of the heap and has good-plus stats and a strong track record of stable performance.
Would appreciate your advice and pointers to exhaustive and authoritiative comparative reviews.
- Would like to get the current standard (802.11n) and WPA2.
- Would like at least one 10/100/1000 WAN port (I know that the 1000 on the WAN side is wasted at this point, but do not want to buy another router next year if something suddenly changes on the WAN side) and at least four (4) 10/100/1000 LAN ports (although eight (8) ports would be better).
- Needs to work with an Arris TM601A cable modem and with a Netgear GS108 Gigabit Switch supporting three laptops running Windows XP and Windows 7 as well as four desktops running Windows XP (running mostly 11g cards at this point--upgrading soon).
- Am also planning to add a media server (primarily for videos) in the coming months and want the router to support DLNA. Would like the router to have at least one USB port and support NTFS drives.
- And would like dual-band with good range/speed (but does not have to reach the very last millimeter at the very fastest speed that the standard supports--I do not need bleeding edge--just want something that is good-plus with no drops).
- Don't care how it looks as it will be out of sight in the basement.
- May eventually want support for printer, but that is optional and may not be truly needed.
- Would also like to get something that will accomodate the 3rd party firmware (DD-WRT) that seems to be popular (am not 100% sure on this one, but it seems pervasive in comments from experts).
- Would like to stay under $150, but if that is impossible, feel free to tell me.
Am a tiny bit concerned about buying a Cisco product given recent announcements about their supoport for consumer products, but if this concern is unwarranted, feel free to tell me.
Am not 100% sure what else to look for? I am not a professinal Network Admionistrator, but am also not a computer novice. In summary, NOT looking for the absolute latest-and-greatest-cost-is-no-factor-state-of-the-art unit, but rather one that near the top of the heap and has good-plus stats and a strong track record of stable performance.
Would appreciate your advice and pointers to exhaustive and authoritiative comparative reviews.
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