Educate me here guy's,looking on line(ebay,cragslist) for used routers what's the key features or models to look for in these things,don't want to buy someone's junk.I have DSL internet.
Routers?
- Thread starter daman
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Originally Posted By: daman
don't want to buy someone's junk.
Then don't buy them used. Home routers are so inexpensive nowadays. Plus, if you buy old, it may not support the latest security standards, etc.
When it comes to brands, generally Linksys/Cisco and ASUS make good stuff.
don't want to buy someone's junk.
Then don't buy them used. Home routers are so inexpensive nowadays. Plus, if you buy old, it may not support the latest security standards, etc.
When it comes to brands, generally Linksys/Cisco and ASUS make good stuff.
echo what Pete has said.
Also worth noting: because of inferior electrical components used inside these routers, most of these "consumer" grade routers from D-Link, Linksys, Netgear, Trendnet, Buffalo, Asus, etc. are only good for approx. 2~3yrs before they start to misbehave and by then when that happens, there's nothing you can do (unless you know how to test/service/recertify them yourself and can do them cheep) but to either (a) dump them on craigslist as "gently used" and let the next gullible buyer takes on the bad router; or (b) trash them and get new ones and start all over again.
Also there's the possiblity of picking up a faulty unit just because the previous owner/seller may have attempted to load different firmware than the factory ones, or crashed/damaged the original one due to a firmware update gone wrong.
My advise:
(1) never buy used router unless you know how to test it or work on it if it needs repair.
(2) never trust any routers that have been "flashed"
(3) buy a brand-new unit whenever Tigerdirect, egghead, etc. have a sale and get one with 2 or 3 yrs warranty.
For wired, I go with Netgear DI-604/DI-614; for wireless, Linksys WRT54GL is my pick.
Q.
Also worth noting: because of inferior electrical components used inside these routers, most of these "consumer" grade routers from D-Link, Linksys, Netgear, Trendnet, Buffalo, Asus, etc. are only good for approx. 2~3yrs before they start to misbehave and by then when that happens, there's nothing you can do (unless you know how to test/service/recertify them yourself and can do them cheep) but to either (a) dump them on craigslist as "gently used" and let the next gullible buyer takes on the bad router; or (b) trash them and get new ones and start all over again.
Also there's the possiblity of picking up a faulty unit just because the previous owner/seller may have attempted to load different firmware than the factory ones, or crashed/damaged the original one due to a firmware update gone wrong.
My advise:
(1) never buy used router unless you know how to test it or work on it if it needs repair.
(2) never trust any routers that have been "flashed"
(3) buy a brand-new unit whenever Tigerdirect, egghead, etc. have a sale and get one with 2 or 3 yrs warranty.
For wired, I go with Netgear DI-604/DI-614; for wireless, Linksys WRT54GL is my pick.
Q.
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Thanks for the info sounds like the Linksys WRT54G router is a good one,shoot for one of thos for a beginner?
Consumer grade routers are not bullet proof, they do wear out eventually especially the radio amp can get burn out. If you want to buy a used one, make sure it is cheap enough to be worthwhile or new enough to be in warranty.
Depends on what you want to do. If you just want a simple network connection then check the said router's review on the net and see how good they are (make sure they are very version specific). Some router changes chipset between revision and they are completely different internally, can go from junk to good or good to junk (i.e. WRT54G from different revision, WRT160N from different revision)
If you want open source firmware, then most Broadcom can do it with best compatibility. Experts from DD-WRT forum usually like Atheros for their radio's quality, and nothing that comes with Marvell can run open source firmware.
You get what you pay for, but sometimes you may get more than you pay for if you do some research.
Depends on what you want to do. If you just want a simple network connection then check the said router's review on the net and see how good they are (make sure they are very version specific). Some router changes chipset between revision and they are completely different internally, can go from junk to good or good to junk (i.e. WRT54G from different revision, WRT160N from different revision)
If you want open source firmware, then most Broadcom can do it with best compatibility. Experts from DD-WRT forum usually like Atheros for their radio's quality, and nothing that comes with Marvell can run open source firmware.
You get what you pay for, but sometimes you may get more than you pay for if you do some research.
Originally Posted By: daman
Thanks for the info sounds like the Linksys WRT54G router is a good one,shoot for one of thos for a beginner?
*Negative* on that one, fella... I have a newer WRT54G, and can tell you that the latest versions use little memory and lesser processors. They are by a long shot the most "consumer-y" of the cheap-o consumer units.
On the positive side, they're loadable with third party firmware; albeit feature reduced firmware to accommodate the c-r-a-p-tacular innards of the device.
Thanks for the info sounds like the Linksys WRT54G router is a good one,shoot for one of thos for a beginner?
*Negative* on that one, fella... I have a newer WRT54G, and can tell you that the latest versions use little memory and lesser processors. They are by a long shot the most "consumer-y" of the cheap-o consumer units.
On the positive side, they're loadable with third party firmware; albeit feature reduced firmware to accommodate the c-r-a-p-tacular innards of the device.
Originally Posted By: PandaBear
Consumer grade routers are not bullet proof, they do wear out eventually especially the radio amp can get burn out. If you want to buy a used one, make sure it is cheap enough to be worthwhile or new enough to be in warranty.
Depends on what you want to do. If you just want a simple network connection then check the said router's review on the net and see how good they are (make sure they are very version specific). Some router changes chipset between revision and they are completely different internally, can go from junk to good or good to junk (i.e. WRT54G from different revision, WRT160N from different revision)
If you want open source firmware, then most Broadcom can do it with best compatibility. Experts from DD-WRT forum usually like Atheros for their radio's quality, and nothing that comes with Marvell can run open source firmware.
You get what you pay for, but sometimes you may get more than you pay for if you do some research.
Right yes i want just a a simple network connection nothing
fancy,i'll prabaly look into new now.
Consumer grade routers are not bullet proof, they do wear out eventually especially the radio amp can get burn out. If you want to buy a used one, make sure it is cheap enough to be worthwhile or new enough to be in warranty.
Depends on what you want to do. If you just want a simple network connection then check the said router's review on the net and see how good they are (make sure they are very version specific). Some router changes chipset between revision and they are completely different internally, can go from junk to good or good to junk (i.e. WRT54G from different revision, WRT160N from different revision)
If you want open source firmware, then most Broadcom can do it with best compatibility. Experts from DD-WRT forum usually like Atheros for their radio's quality, and nothing that comes with Marvell can run open source firmware.
You get what you pay for, but sometimes you may get more than you pay for if you do some research.
Right yes i want just a a simple network connection nothing
fancy,i'll prabaly look into new now.
Originally Posted By: daman
Thanks for the info sounds like the Linksys WRT54G router is a good one,shoot for one of thos for a beginner?
Please be careful: It's WRT54GL (linux version, with lots of open source firmware avail) and not the ordinary "G" version (unless you can find an older ver.1 ~3, which while it's loaded with more than enough memory for hackers to play with firmware, the shortfall is, these versions are, by and large, at least 4+yrs older version and already long out of warranty.
Go with RP-604 if you want simplicity and ease of use; if you want something slightly better, think BEFSR-41 or RP-614 or similar.
If you want higher grade firewall, you may opt for something like sonicwall or Zytel or similar (or build your own linux firewall).
Q.
Thanks for the info sounds like the Linksys WRT54G router is a good one,shoot for one of thos for a beginner?
Please be careful: It's WRT54GL (linux version, with lots of open source firmware avail) and not the ordinary "G" version (unless you can find an older ver.1 ~3, which while it's loaded with more than enough memory for hackers to play with firmware, the shortfall is, these versions are, by and large, at least 4+yrs older version and already long out of warranty.
Go with RP-604 if you want simplicity and ease of use; if you want something slightly better, think BEFSR-41 or RP-614 or similar.
If you want higher grade firewall, you may opt for something like sonicwall or Zytel or similar (or build your own linux firewall).
Q.
Brother lots too this thing i see.
Buy an Asus router... a BITOG member who is a Network Engineer (OVERK1LL) convinced me to buy that brand and I did and have had a really great experience. I loaded DD-WRT linux firmware on it and it now performs much faster and like a $600 router...
If you want a more mainstream brand go with a Linksys WRT54G router... Excellent router and you can also load DD-WRT on it if you wish... Makes the router very stable and fast!
If you want a more mainstream brand go with a Linksys WRT54G router... Excellent router and you can also load DD-WRT on it if you wish... Makes the router very stable and fast!
what about somthing like this??
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=260365576364
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=260365576364
Excellent choice with the DD-WRT firmware... Lots of RAM in this model! Will be fast, reliable and all you want in a router!
so steve thats a good for startes then? whats it's worth??
I would pay up to $60 for it... Otherwise you can buy one yourself and load on DD-WRT.
Originally Posted By: StevieC
If you want a more mainstream brand go with a Linksys WRT54G router... Excellent router and you can also load DD-WRT on it if you wish... Makes the router very stable and fast!
You have to use a feature crippled version of DD-WRT on the new(er) WRT54G's. Their processors and amount of RAM are too sucky to run the real firmware.
If you want a more mainstream brand go with a Linksys WRT54G router... Excellent router and you can also load DD-WRT on it if you wish... Makes the router very stable and fast!
You have to use a feature crippled version of DD-WRT on the new(er) WRT54G's. Their processors and amount of RAM are too sucky to run the real firmware.
just need somthing that works get the job done,
Originally Posted By: uc50ic4more
Originally Posted By: StevieC
If you want a more mainstream brand go with a Linksys WRT54G router... Excellent router and you can also load DD-WRT on it if you wish... Makes the router very stable and fast!
You have to use a feature crippled version of DD-WRT on the new(er) WRT54G's. Their processors and amount of RAM are too sucky to run the real firmware.
Not all of them just the lower end ones... Besides the smaller DD-WRT firmwares are more than enough for the average user... Lots of features that no-one will use...
The one he posted above on E-Bay is a mega-ram model that has the Mega DD-WRT version on it.
Originally Posted By: StevieC
If you want a more mainstream brand go with a Linksys WRT54G router... Excellent router and you can also load DD-WRT on it if you wish... Makes the router very stable and fast!
You have to use a feature crippled version of DD-WRT on the new(er) WRT54G's. Their processors and amount of RAM are too sucky to run the real firmware.
Not all of them just the lower end ones... Besides the smaller DD-WRT firmwares are more than enough for the average user... Lots of features that no-one will use...
The one he posted above on E-Bay is a mega-ram model that has the Mega DD-WRT version on it.
Guy's i got another question i plan on using this to run my other desktop(DELL)how will it receive the signal do i need a receiver on the desktop?
I picked up a Belkin 6 years ago at Staples for $10 after rebate. Still working great. Used?
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