2 different relatives want wireless routers for Christmas.

WarAdvocat · Post by **WarAdvocat** » Sun Dec 19, 2004 8:22 pm

Guess who is buying & installing them..

I was looking @ belkin and linksys wireless G+B routers today, for around $70.00 USD.

Both seemed to be good products. I've had real good experiences with Linksys in the past, but the Belkin unit was much more aesthetically pleasing than the rather chunky Linksys.

Anyone have any recommendations in regards to wireless routers, or anything to push me one way or the other on the above two I mentioned?

Xamindar · Post by **Xamindar** » Sun Dec 19, 2004 8:25 pm

I don't have one, but all I have noticed while wardriving is that the Linksys and Netgear wireless routers have GREAT range compared to the others!

CDN_Merlin · Post by **CDN_Merlin** » Sun Dec 19, 2004 8:36 pm

With my linksys Wireless G with Speedboost, I pick up a wireless network about 1.5-2KM away.

DCrazy · Post by **DCrazy** » Sun Dec 19, 2004 8:46 pm

Google for the "cantenna". A classmate of mine made one last year. It involves a big tin can, a metal rod, a wire, and some splicing. It's line-of-sight but it works real nice in Manhattan... aim it out the window and you get perfect reception on any network.

WarAdvocat · Post by **WarAdvocat** » Mon Dec 20, 2004 7:43 am

yeah hey...Thanks for thread crapping. I really appreciate it when people do that.

I'm not sure if you noticed, but all of you missed the point I think. I was looking for advice in selecting a wireless router. Not reasons NOT to go wireless. You see, I already KNOW all the reasons, including many you didn't mention.

But that's not going to stop these people from going wireless. Given that, why not install as secure a unit as possible.

CDN_Merlin · Post by **CDN_Merlin** » Mon Dec 20, 2004 8:35 am

Try to get a WPA router adn not one that uses WEP. Given enough time, someone can hack your WEP network. WPA changes your SSID every 4 hrs or so which will stop a hacker from being able to d/l your packets and decode the SSID.

Plebeian · Post by **Plebeian** » Mon Dec 20, 2004 9:00 am

I have a Belkin G router that I'm currently using as an access point (signal wouldn't go through the walls well enough). It's okay, but if I had to do it all over again, I'd probably go with something else. (The signal issue could just be my house, but it's pretty crazy that I can't get a signal very well even at 20' through a wall or two.

A few other issues:
* Interface wasn't all that pleasing. Can't put my finger on it, especially since I'm not in there often, but it just didn't really seem right.
* Haven't had any luck enabling protection. At least, my last wireless card didn't want to do WEP (didn't support WPA). My current one I didn't try WEP, but did try WPA, and while I can get a connection to the router, I can't do anything on the connection (even get to the management URL for the router). That may be a misconfiguration on my part, though.

It's not a bad unit, and I can't compare to anything as it's the only one I have (went wired and have a PowerLine adapter to move my wireless into the living room), but I'd look at something else next time, to see if Linksys or Netgear or someone else could do it better and actually let me get WPA and a signal in the living room, garage, etc..

Xamindar · Post by **Xamindar** » Mon Dec 20, 2004 11:08 am

DCrazy wrote:Google for the "cantenna". A classmate of mine made one last year. It involves a big tin can, a metal rod, a wire, and some splicing. It's line-of-sight but it works real nice in Manhattan... aim it out the window and you get perfect reception on any network.

I built one!

It works great, and looks cool too...fiery hot pringles can.

But, what does it have to do with the parent's question?

WarAdvocat wrote:yeah hey...Thanks for thread crapping. I really appreciate it when people do that.

I'm not sure if you noticed, but all of you missed the point I think. I was looking for advice in selecting a wireless router. Not reasons NOT to go wireless. You see, I already KNOW all the reasons, including many you didn't mention.

But that's not going to stop these people from going wireless. Given that, why not install as secure a unit as possible.

Hey man....don't get all upset. I just mentioned the ones I noticed had the better range, and believe me, in a larger house this really matters. Thanks for crapping on me for providing what little information I have.

Just make sure when you set up the router that you CHANGE THE FREAKEN PASSWORD!

I'm sure you already know that but so many people just buy the thing and plug it in and then complain when someone passes by and uses their internet. Also, there was a story on slashdot a while back about certain models having a backdoor on port 442 or something, no matter what you did you could alwayl log in at that port.

EDIT: Here we go
http://it.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=0 ... 44&tid=193
(Oh, I guess it isn't a different port but just a certain username and password, that's worse! They might have fixed this stuff by now.)

WarAdvocat · Post by **WarAdvocat** » Mon Dec 20, 2004 11:43 am

sorry if I took offense needlessly.

BUBBALOU · Post by **BUBBALOU** » Tue Dec 21, 2004 12:12 am

go with the linky, stick with works for you

After SSID is changed from linksys (default)and broadcasted for your initial network setup and all is good, set up the network. Use 128 bit encription with the 26 character WEP Hex Key. Test file and print sharing. then disable SSID broadcast and lock it down tight..

you really want to make it tight then do mac only access...

run/cmd/ipconfig /all physical address(aka mac) wireless adapter.. or via wirelss network access config

GO LINKY BUN BUN

Dedman · Post by **Dedman** » Tue Dec 21, 2004 8:37 am

I have a Linksys 2.4 GHz 802.11b and am very happy with it. If you have had success with Linksys in the past, I would stick with them. Besides, who cares how it looks? It's how it performs that matters.

Avder · Post by **Avder** » Tue Dec 21, 2004 11:28 am

BUBBALOU wrote:After SSID is changed from linksys (default)and broadcasted for your initial network setup and all is good, set up the network. Use 128 bit encription with the 26 character WEP Hex Key. Test file and print sharing. then disable SSID broadcast and lock it down tight..

No no no. 128 bit WEP is like using a single brick wall to stop an army. Sure it will hold for a few seconds, but under continuous fire it will be shredded to pieces. 156 bit isnt that much better, but it is an improvement. Merlin had it right, use only a WPA Compatible router and access card.

BUBBALOU wrote:you really want to make it tight then do mac only access...

That one you actually have right. if at all possible, get a router that has a mac address filter, set it to allow, and enter in the mac addresses of whatever wireless devices will be used by the device.

As for what router to get? I cant advise you on that. A friend of mine currently has a linksys WRT54G with third party firmware and he's quite happy with it. I personally own a D-Link DWL-7100AP and am quite happy with it. It features multiple operating modes and dual-band support so I can use both B/G(2.4GHz...trainwreck where I am currently) and A(5GHz...wide open). I'm not sure if there are many routers out there that support both spectrums, dualband products are getting to be a rarity as A for some reason isnt very popular. I currently own an accompanying DWLAG660 Cardbus adapter for my laptop and am planning on picking up an AG530 PCI Card For use in another computer.

So I dunno, thats what I reccomend for features. The only problem is that dualband stuff is not only rare, but expensive too. So if youre in not too crowded an area, go for B/G only stuff. If youre in a place where theres going to be a lot of 2.4GHz devices, go for the dualband stuff to keep your options open in case of a frequencey trainwreck.