Wireless Router

[pingwrx]

I need some ideas for a new wireless router it's going to be used to connect my Xbox 360 and my wifes IPad plus a laptop.

[KC]

I've had no problems with the Netgear wireless routers that I have used over the last few years.

[Daehawk]

Im using a Linksys WRT54GL for my 360 and wife's iPod and my PSP.

[CeeKay]

I need some ideas for a new wireless router it's going to be used to connect my Xbox 360 and my wifes IPad plus a laptop.

DLink 4500 works great for me, but it's pricey.

[pingwrx]

I need some ideas for a new wireless router it's going to be used to connect my Xbox 360 and my wifes IPad plus a laptop.

DLink 4500 works great for me, but it's pricey.

How many connections can that router support?

[CeeKay]

I need some ideas for a new wireless router it's going to be used to connect my Xbox 360 and my wifes IPad plus a laptop.

DLink 4500 works great for me, but it's pricey.

How many connections can that router support?

I can't find a hard number for that (I don't see anything in the specs but I did see something about people running a 14 player LAN games using it) but I've had my PS3, netbook and iPhone connected at the same time with no issues.

That said, I did see some horror stories about the router too, so I may have gotten lucky.

[Bullwinkle]

I had the 4500 until it got fried by a lightning bolt.  I upgraded to the Netgear WNDR3700 after reading from so many sites that it was the one to beat.  So far, I've been extremely pleased.

[Greggy_D]

Im using a Linksys WRT54GL for my 360 and wife's iPod and my PSP.

This.  Put on either Tomato or DDWRT firmware.

[Daehawk]

Im using a Linksys WRT54GL for my 360 and wife's iPod and my PSP.

This.  Put on either Tomato or DDWRT firmware.

I think I used tomato.

[CeeKay]

Im using a Linksys WRT54GL for my 360 and wife's iPod and my PSP.

This.  Put on either Tomato or DDWRT firmware.

I need to check those out.

[BuckeyeShane]

I had the 4500 until it got fried by a lightning bolt.  I upgraded to the Netgear WNDR3700 after reading from so many sites that it was the one to beat.  So far, I've been extremely pleased.

    I need to get a new router as my current router only support wireless G.  I have it down to either the one linked above (WNDR3700) or the netgear WNDR3400 http://www.amazon.com/Netgear-N600-Wireless-Router-WNDR3400/dp/B0041LYY6K/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1295012222&sr=1-1  The only difference I see is the wired connections on the WNDR3700 is gigabit.  Is it worth the extra $70.00 for the gigabit wired ports?

[Purge]

I had the 4500 until it got fried by a lightning bolt.  I upgraded to the Netgear WNDR3700 after reading from so many sites that it was the one to beat.  So far, I've been extremely pleased.

    I need to get a new router as my current router only support wireless G.  I have it down to either the one linked above (WNDR3700) or the netgear WNDR3400 http://www.amazon.com/Netgear-N600-Wireless-Router-WNDR3400/dp/B0041LYY6K/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1295012222&sr=1-1  The only difference I see is the wired connections on the WNDR3700 is gigabit.  Is it worth the extra $70.00 for the gigabit wired ports?

If you have gigabit ethernet on your PC and you stream stuff to other devices (preferrably other gigabit -enabled devices), it certainly can't hurt. Plus, you'll be all future-proof.

[gellar]

I had the 4500 until it got fried by a lightning bolt.  I upgraded to the Netgear WNDR3700 after reading from so many sites that it was the one to beat.  So far, I've been extremely pleased.

    I need to get a new router as my current router only support wireless G.  I have it down to either the one linked above (WNDR3700) or the netgear WNDR3400 http://www.amazon.com/Netgear-N600-Wireless-Router-WNDR3400/dp/B0041LYY6K/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1295012222&sr=1-1  The only difference I see is the wired connections on the WNDR3700 is gigabit.  Is it worth the extra $70.00 for the gigabit wired ports?

Only if you transfer large amounts of data through the wired connections (and all of your other wired devices have Gig-E links).

You're talking about the difference of 12 Megabytes per second versus 120 Megabytes per second in terms of transfer rates.  Keep in mind that most hard drives don't go 120 Megabytes per second, so you aren't going to actually see that as a real world speed.

[BuckeyeShane]

I ended up getting the WNDR3400 for $69.99   My wireless N card is rated to goto 150 mbps but I'm only getting 75 mbps, any ideas why?

[KC]

I ended up getting the WNDR3400 for $69.99   My wireless N card is rated to goto 150 mbps but I'm only getting 75 mbps, any ideas why?

Did you check the Netgear setup screen?  IIRC, there is an option to set the wireless mbps rate.  I think it describes the settings as "neighbor settings" to avoid interference with close-by wireless networks.

[BuckeyeShane]

I ended up getting the WNDR3400 for $69.99   My wireless N card is rated to goto 150 mbps but I'm only getting 75 mbps, any ideas why?

Did you check the Netgear setup screen?  IIRC, there is an option to set the wireless mbps rate.  I think it describes the settings as "neighbor settings" to avoid interference with close-by wireless networks.

Yes I made sure I'm on a channel no other neighbors are on and also set the mbps rate to 300 mbps.  I know it's using wireless N but my wireless card can goto 150 mbps.  The odd thing is when I switch to a different channel it will connect at 150 mbps but then within 30 seconds drop out and reconnect at 75 mbps??

[gellar]

I ended up getting the WNDR3400 for $69.99   My wireless N card is rated to goto 150 mbps but I'm only getting 75 mbps, any ideas why?

Did you check the Netgear setup screen?  IIRC, there is an option to set the wireless mbps rate.  I think it describes the settings as "neighbor settings" to avoid interference with close-by wireless networks.

Yes I made sure I'm on a channel no other neighbors are on and also set the mbps rate to 300 mbps.  I know it's using wireless N but my wireless card can goto 150 mbps.  The odd thing is when I switch to a different channel it will connect at 150 mbps but then within 30 seconds drop out and reconnect at 75 mbps??

Is your network operating in mixed mode?  Are there other wireless device on the network?  To get the speed of N, I think the network has to be in N only and have no B/G devices connected to it.

[BuckeyeShane]

Well my desktop is hardwired and the only other things connected wirelessly are axbox 360, PS3 ipad and 2 iphones.  My only options in the netgear router configuration is the speed, which I selected up to 300mbps and the channel.

[gellar]

Well my desktop is hardwired and the only other things connected wirelessly are axbox 360, PS3 ipad and 2 iphones.  My only options in the netgear router configuration is the speed, which I selected up to 300mbps and the channel.

Yeah that must be it then.  I believe most iPhones are not N, I know the PS3 is not N, and unless the original 360 wireless adapter is not N.

Some of the newer routers allow you to run in dual-mode (my Airport Extreme does this) where you are actually broadcasting two networks: one standard and one @ 5GHz N.  That's really the only way to get around this step down.

[Purge]

360 Slim, or the black MS dual-antenna are N. Otherwise, (A*)/B/G for you. What you might want to do is to have a G router and an N router (wire them together, and use gigabit ethernet) and get all your wireless G devices to use the slower one.

You'll need to be comfortable in planning your network though. I'd recommend having the G router as a part of the N router, and let the N do all the DHCP/Firewall/Gateway and set the G up to be a simple entry point.

*802.11A is only available on the 360 "cracker" wireless adapter, and the A connection requires router support and short distances. It was pretty much obsolete before N came out.

[BuckeyeShane]

The router I got Netgear WNDR3400 is dual band.  The 360 I have is the slim version and the iphones PS3 aren't connected to the wireless network yet.

[BuckeyeShane]

Now all of a sudden it's connecting at 150 mbps, i did nothing to change this.  Why??

[gellar]

Local interference, I'd imagine.