Another what router thread

Bought a Belkin AC1200 DB for $99 yesterday at Best Buy on the recommendation of a sales person. As it's all new to me I was kinda stoked to get it set up but before opening the pack thought I'd check reviews... and, meh.... 'bout bottom of the food chain on all the e-reviews, software issues were a primary issue compared to others. Musta been a stock boy who recommended it, WTF.

From the e-mag reviews the ASUS RT-N56U caught my eye but is not infallible per customer reviews. Price isn't the main concern here but something w/ decent range and durability wins.

Will be using for Smart TV and wireless printer w/ in 15' of my desktop but will probably add wireless security cams later.

I could chance the Belkin but if there's better I wanna check 'em out, not really dollar wise but if this thing is just gonna jerk me off it's getting returned.

Checked the GRM search but nothing specific to this, at least I didn't find it. I really know nothing about these.

So, what's the go to router?

At home right now I am running a Linksys WRT54G with the Linksys firmware replaced by DD-WRT. I actually have two of these and use one as a bridged extension for in my shop so that I can get online out there.

I've had good luck with Netgear and horrible luck with Linksys. Every Linksys I've worked with ends up having some bizarre partial-failure that leaves you scratching your head for hours trying to figure out WTF is wrong. I finally got to the point that if I'm troubleshooting and confirm the problem is the router, and it's a Linksys, I don't waste another minute - no firmware upgrades, no reset and try again. If it was working fine, then quit without anything changing, time to trash it and get a Netgear.

I came thinking we were going to have a meaningful discussion on woodworking tools, and I was going to drop some knowledge. Carry on, I'm out.

I've had 100% good experiences with my ASUS RT-N56U. Loved it so much I bought one for the office too. It has great range, is very fast and very stable. The config pages can be slow to update some times but you don't change router settings very often, or at least I don't.

At work, I can get a signal on the 3rd floor from our router on the 1st floor, and that's through two 8" thick reinforced concrete slabs. At home, I get a signal in my detached garage behind the house from the front bedroom. Two thumbs up.

I had great luck with a WRT54G but that's ancient tech at this point. Mine served me well for 10 years or so 'till it died but I wouldn't go back. The RT-N56U (man that's an awkward name) is better. Other than DD-WRT, that would be handy to be able to install.

In reply to petegossett:

99.9% of the problems with linksys routers (of any model) is the software. Ditch that for DD WRT and everything works smooth as silk and gives you a ton more functionality. Hell I bridged 5 of the damn things once just to see how far I could extend the network range. I basically have an unending supply of the things dropped off at work because they don't work. Swap out firmware and boom they are running perfect.

They all suck to some extent. Go to DD-Wrt.com and search their router database for any you're interested in that can use their firmware, read the instructions, download the firmware and purchase the router.

I have two Cisco/Linksys WRT-160N routers (to get enough coverage to stream HD content effectively throughout the 2000sq-ft house) running DD-WRT and they work great. Before the DD-wrt firmware they both sucked (needed to be rebooted daily, lock ups, vulnerabilities, etc.)

+1 for OpenWRT or DD-WRT. Stock router firmwares are basically a crapshoot.

Buffalo and D-link (Edit: And Linksys/Cisco, I should add) make good hardware, D-link's stuff is very cheap and rock-solid-reliable with a different firmware. Stock firmwares...not so great.

Linksys probably makes the best stock firmware, because it's usually just a lightly modded DD-WRT.

Edit: BTW, these days you want an AC or at least N router. G is old now.

fasted58 wrote: Bought a Belkin AC1200 DB for $99 yesterday at Best Buy on the recommendation of a sales person.

I guess that's kinda like buying a stock that your broker recommends. Unfortunately, they have motives other than your best interests.

I have a Cisco EA-4500. My recommendation would be to go to Costco or Sam's and buy their best router. Odds are you'll get a solid router at a very good price.

Hmm. I have a WRT54G at home. Have had it a long time, probably at least 5-7 years. Maybe I should update the firmware.

I'll never own another belkin product.....currently I have a linksys running my xbox via ethernet and an apple time machine taking care of wifi/backup.

I love Apple Airport Extremes, but I couldn't afford one when my last one conked out so I got a Linksys + DD-WRT instead (for free, woo!). It's been relatively flawless since aside from a few port-forwarding hiccups that are resolved.

Everyone I know with an Asus loves them and they are the best "I want to spend $$$ on a router" choice right now.

Canoe

All of the consumer-grade walmart shelf routers suck. . After the last Lynksys blew up in less than a year I spent a bit more dough on a Unifi dream machine and it just works. Without hassle or flaw. Yay. 

Sorry - responded to a necropost.  Heck, only seven years ago

Ya well me too....

+1 on the Unifi Dream Machine.

I acquired Unifi AP's and spun up a Unifi controller on a Raspberrry Pi several years ago, before the Dream Machine was available.   The all in one device would have been a lot easier.