Wirless Router for Web Server

[Robert42]

I am looking to upgrade my wireless router my last Belkin just died. I need good WiFi coverage and fast Ethernet between for RAID drive and Linux server. Modem not required will keep to what I have.
Main concern is the Linux server and dealing with FTP. Some firewalls can make this very difficult where I prefer easy setup it can be more complicated than opening ports. I also need it to last a few years.
I seem to be looking at the Netgear N900 like to get feedback from someone using this device.
What other wireless routers would anyone recommend based from experience, Especially if you are running a server.
I am also been looking at the "Buffalo AirStation Nfiniti Dual Band High Power Gigabit Router"
Like to hear from someone who has actual knowledge of these or other units.

Thanks
Robert

 

[eibgrad]

Many of the concerns you have have little to do w/ the router.

For example, the problem w/ FTP is not so much the firewall, but the protocol itself. FTP is unusual in that it uses two connections, one for the command channel, and the other for the data channel. By default, it uses "active" mode, which requires the FTP server to establish a connection back to the FTP client for the command channel. And that's where the problems begin. You may be trying to access your own router remotely, but find yourself behind someone else's firewall and can't get that connection established back to you. Or perhaps trying to access an FTP server behind your own router, and need to establish a block of port forwards the remote connection can use. To make matters worse, FTP is not even safe. Everything, including username/password, is sent in the clear. The way to get around some of these problems is to use passive mode, so all your FTP connections are outbound, from you to the FTP server. Another is to use a VPN so you’re always *local* to the FTP server, making the firewall irrelevant (you don’t even need FTP port forwarding, at all), and as a bonus, encrypt all your FTP traffic.

Anyway, FTP is a royal pain when it comes to firewalls. No router I've ever seen makes it easier (it might not even be your own firewall that's the problem). The way to deal w/ it is to understand why it’s a pain, and the ways to ease that pain through proper configuration and alternate access methods (e.g., VPN). To that end, it might be more important to have VPN server capability!

As far as wired connections, gigabit is nice, but you can always add a gigabit switch separately (and may end up doing so anyway given most routers only have 4 ports). Also, an integrated gigabit switch will probably not offer the best performance (e.g., jumbo frames). In fact, you may not even want local gigabit traffic competing w/ internet traffic on the router's switch! I certainly wouldn't limit my options to only gigabit routers, esp. if I found something else that offered much better features but only lacked gigabit.

 

[Robert42]

Many of the concerns you have have little to do w/ the router.

For example, the problem w/ FTP is not so much the firewall, but the protocol itself. FTP is unusual in that it uses two connections, one for the command channel, and the other for the data channel. By default, it uses "active" mode, which requires the FTP server to establish a connection back to the FTP client for the command channel. And that's where the pr.......

Hi

Thanks for the reply. I may have been a little misunderstood. FTP was only one aspect. The thing was I had to get a new router as the Belkin died and the one supplied by BT (British Telecoms) Home Hub 3 is next to useless. I found that whilst I had spread my wings on the Internet people don't seem to like to talk about the routers they are running.
I did find some one who recommended the Asus RT-N16 with Tomato/Toastman firmware. One I had this information my research supported this. So that is what I have gone for. As for FTP - problem over.
Robert...