What router do you use?
- Thread starter felixrosbergen
- Start date
I would also look at splitting up the different functions (router, switch and WAP). You might even be able to reuse equipment that you already have. If you absoluted cannot get the current router to work (reflashing to better software if available, etc), then you could still use it as your switch if needed. Turn off the WAP and router functions and continue to use it. Eventually you can get a better Gb switch if needed. Or use the existing router as your WAP if you are OK with the current protocol (G vs N, etc).
But I think you will find your system to be more stable and flexble if you go with separate devices for each function.
But I think you will find your system to be more stable and flexble if you go with separate devices for each function.
thewireguy
Active Member
I like Zyxel products. Great pricing.
felixrosbergen
Senior Member
I think the linksys has officially died...plugged it in last night..it had all the 'diag' lights on and woudl do nother...the ports on it were not on either (i.e. PC saying no cable). I don't see a way to access the firmware to flash it...this thing is going in the garbage...
WeatherDave
New Member
I used to use IPCop Firewall on an old K6-233 with 48M of memory. I had a four port ethernet card in it that allowed me to pull a DHCP from my cable modem, then it ran it's own DHCP on the various subnets that I had active (Green for internal Lan, Orange for my Server, Blue for my wireless). IPCop is free, it's very good and can be used quite well on old hardware. I ran about between 5-10% system utilization and I had QoS, port filtering, snort, VOIP and a VPN connection runnning through it.
I said used to, because I recently bought a new compact computer for the firewall. It's an ALIX.2C3 with 3 LAN, 2xUSB, 1 miniPCI and 256MB RAM, with a 500mhz AMD. It pulls about 3 watts, and boots off a compact flash card (all logging is done with the internal RAM). The mini-PCI has a wireless card option, but I like to keep my firewall pure. =D I'm running pfSense on it now, and it's okay, but I'll think about looking at IPCop once the new 2.0 version is released.
Given that Intel's Atom processor is due in June, I think you'll see a lot more of these types of things. I can't wait to build a nice NAS with that Atom, and pull ~30 watts for three SATA drives running in RAID.
However, that Linksys (which I hear Cisco is going to kill the brand soon) with DDWRT/OpenWRT is pretty sweet. Can't ask for much more than what it offers.
Dave
I said used to, because I recently bought a new compact computer for the firewall. It's an ALIX.2C3 with 3 LAN, 2xUSB, 1 miniPCI and 256MB RAM, with a 500mhz AMD. It pulls about 3 watts, and boots off a compact flash card (all logging is done with the internal RAM). The mini-PCI has a wireless card option, but I like to keep my firewall pure. =D I'm running pfSense on it now, and it's okay, but I'll think about looking at IPCop once the new 2.0 version is released.
Given that Intel's Atom processor is due in June, I think you'll see a lot more of these types of things. I can't wait to build a nice NAS with that Atom, and pull ~30 watts for three SATA drives running in RAID.
However, that Linksys (which I hear Cisco is going to kill the brand soon) with DDWRT/OpenWRT is pretty sweet. Can't ask for much more than what it offers.
Dave
wuench
Senior Member
I use Linksys with OpenWrt firmware and it has been rock solid, although admittedly I haven't used the VPN functionality.
If quality is the issue, then another option is to look for an old Cisco router/switch on ebay. Looking for gigabit would drive up the price, but honestly, gigabit is way overkill for a home network.
If quality is the issue, then another option is to look for an old Cisco router/switch on ebay. Looking for gigabit would drive up the price, but honestly, gigabit is way overkill for a home network.
felixrosbergen
Senior Member
The raason i'm considering gigabit for home use is to allow me to pop a DVD into a desktop or laptop and then Rip it to a NAS in the basement from where SageTV can access it...if it took 45 minutes or an hour to do this that would be annoying..
Also...i want bragging right for having a gigabit home LAN...
Also...i want bragging right for having a gigabit home LAN...
felixrosbergen
Senior Member
So I think I'm going to get a Linksys RV042 since i know that one works good and i know how to set it up. I'll probably combine it with a 8 or 16 port Gigabit switch.
ANy suggestions on a seperate wireless access point to pair with this combo? Is the Linksys WAP54G any good?
ANy suggestions on a seperate wireless access point to pair with this combo? Is the Linksys WAP54G any good?
felixrosbergen
Senior Member
Anybody on this? Time to buy for me now...been in a temp home without wifi for 1 month now since my wifi router fried and i bought a RV042 instead..now time to get a WAP.
Is the WAP54G compatible with higher gain antenna's? Linksys antenna seem to be for WRT54G or for WAP54PE but not WAP54G.....
upstatemike
Senior Member
I have an RV016 router and about 10 Linksys 10/100 switches (5,8, and 16 port models) but I went with Netgear RangeMax units for my WAPs.
tmbrown97
Senior Member
I've been using home routers since they first gained popularity in 2000, and helped a lot of home users and family set them up... At first I swore by Linksys - not sure why, but just liked them... but started having more and more problems, and after a while, it seemed like I was replacing them at least yearly - both in my house and other peoples'. Then I had a linksys switch that caused me hours of troubleshooting pain - which ended with it finding its demise under the tires of my Suburban.
Since then, about 4 years now, I've been exclusively Netgear... I've installed probably 30 or so of them, never replacing one due to failure. In some instances, they lock up when a new model first comes out until the firmware is straightened out, but the RangeMax WPN824 seems to be pretty bullet-proof.
If you want gigabit, the WNR854T was a pretty good router (until we moved and my wife mixed up the power cords for it and the cable modem and cooked it) - that gets you gigabit. For me, I also threw in a prosafe 8-port gigabit switch just to get the whole house on Gigabit.
What that doesn't address is VPN - so you might be going down the right path with the RV042... as far as wireless, I've been very happy with the range on the Netgear RangeMax (about 10X my old Linksys AP's) - and the WN802T is the RangeMax N AP w/1GB uplink.
Since then, about 4 years now, I've been exclusively Netgear... I've installed probably 30 or so of them, never replacing one due to failure. In some instances, they lock up when a new model first comes out until the firmware is straightened out, but the RangeMax WPN824 seems to be pretty bullet-proof.
If you want gigabit, the WNR854T was a pretty good router (until we moved and my wife mixed up the power cords for it and the cable modem and cooked it) - that gets you gigabit. For me, I also threw in a prosafe 8-port gigabit switch just to get the whole house on Gigabit.
What that doesn't address is VPN - so you might be going down the right path with the RV042... as far as wireless, I've been very happy with the range on the Netgear RangeMax (about 10X my old Linksys AP's) - and the WN802T is the RangeMax N AP w/1GB uplink.
I agree. If you are happy with wireless G (and I personally don't see a big need to get wireless N until the majority of devices support it without adapters) then I would get a regular wireless G router than can run DDWRT or Tomato which is a third party flash OS. Flashing the unit to the new OS will give you all the options of a really good WAP (costing several hundred dollars). It will certainly be better than any consumer level wireless G WAP.
You can find a Linksys WRT54GL router for around $60 normally and even cheaper on sale. I just picked on up from Newegg a couple of weeks ago for around $30 AR.
DD-WRT worked great for me for over a year... However at one point I really reached the maximum throughput that you can get out of WRT54G hardware. I switched to a cisco 851W and haven't looked back. The 851 & 871 have really decent cpus, support ipsec and ip2ip tunnels. And for me, having IOS was a plus because I'm so used to it.
--David
--David
drozwood90
Senior Member
The raason i'm considering gigabit for home use is to allow me to pop a DVD into a desktop or laptop and then Rip it to a NAS in the basement from where SageTV can access it...if it took 45 minutes or an hour to do this that would be annoying..
Also...i want bragging right for having a gigabit home LAN...
Sorry, had that for going on 2 years now. I got that for my server, so multiple people can stream movies at the same time.
GREAT thread! I've really picked up a TON of information. Especially about m0n0wall and IPCop. I wanted to re-do my network for a while, put the wifi on it's own router. I use SSH to tunnel in to the network, and really found it seems more stable and easier to setup then VPN (as I use portable putty to tunnel in).
I also found that it's almost necessary to have Gigabit to stream VOB files over a Windows network ;-)
--Dan
