Looking for a router

[Peteyb]

Hello all I'm new to the Aria's forums and would like to start by asking a question about routers :)

I really need to get a new wireless router as the freebie one I got from BE broadband is falling apart and keeps dropping.

The musts are: Around the £50 mark, Wireless and compatible with mobiles, ps3, laptop etc and easy to use.

What would be nice is to have 5-6 ports so I can wire up everything but not too fussed as I could just get a switch and wire that in.

Many thanks!
- Pete

[IanS]

The TP Link ones are pretty good value and reliable
http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Networking/Routers/ADSL+%28BT%29/TP-Link+TD-W8961N+300Mbps+Wireless+N+ADSL2%2B+Modem+Router+?p roductId=43220

[cinek]

here's a review of that router: http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac/networking-and-wi-fi/modem-routers/tp-link-td-w8961nd-300mbps-wireless-n-adsl2-modem-router-924663/review

[alexnifty]

If I were in the market for a new router I would be looking at a DD-WRT router to make it easy to install custom firmwares. Linksys do a line of these.

You can often turn a £50 router into one with the features of a £100. Worth investigating if you're not squeamish about some light router modding.

[andyn]

DD-WRT is great, but I wouldn't recommend it for everyone. Only go for it if you are confident in your geek-fu, and not afraid to brick your device :).

[alexnifty]

DD-WRT is great, but I wouldn't recommend it for everyone. Only go for it if you are confident in your geek-fu, and not afraid to brick your device :).

Oh yeah I will qualify that with my experience. I bricked a perfectly good Linksys WRT54G the first time I tried. And I mean BRICKED. Couldn't telnet into it or anything :censored:

Running tomato on my current one. It's great :thumb:

[Alfizzle]

Dlink DSL-2740B.. what i use.

Edit:

just realised you said under 50..

[Burn-IT]

edited by mods.

start a thread if you want to sell things.

[tawmjk]

Linksys do a line of these.

Careful, Linksys are not the best products and their support is limited and short lived. If there is any defect with their products it won't get fixed. So far, I'm batting 50% success with Linksys, they seem to have had a major lapse after being purchased.

[kav]

Careful, Linksys are not the best products and their support is limited and short lived. If there is any defect with their products it won't get fixed. So far, I'm batting 50% success with Linksys, they seem to have had a major lapse after being purchased.

Really? That is shocking as Cisco (Linksys) IMO have been good since I've been using them.... Sorry you've had such bad luck!

@OP, I assume your on ADSL rather than cable?

[Brutos]

The TP Link ones are pretty good value and reliable
http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Networking/Routers/ADSL+%28BT%29/TP-Link+TD-W8961N+300Mbps+Wireless+N+ADSL2%2B+Modem+Router+?p roductId=43220
+1
have one my self rock solid routers..and lets me set my SNR margins using the dmt too as tp link use the broadcom chipset and the dslam my provider uses has the same chipset

[Toonshorty]

Yeah, get a router that'll allow you to do some nifty little SNR hacks.

My default SNR is 15dB, so I sync at 4500Kb, I've got that down to 3.5dB and I now sync at 8128Kb with an attenuation of 42dB - no line drop outs either.

Pretty damn impressive if you ask me.

[t4ss]

Hi Petey b,
Like you, I have gone thru 3 models of routers from my broadband provider so have decided to find something for myself.
My research has lead me into some discoveries. You could have a broadband modem, (wired), a modem router or (the popular solution here) the all-in-one solution wireless modem router. Some of these have usb ports for mobile broadband dongles should your home broadband one fail.
You could also get an access point or the wireless side to extend your range and speed. I have found reviews on most of these equipment confusing. Some swear by particular models some have endless problems.
Consider how you want to set up your network then see which equipment fit best.
I have found the TP-Link W8961ND here for a reasonable price and it seems to do most things mentioned above. Reviews are mixed but I think it is a good starting point. Will post my experience here.
Good luck.