stevvi Posted November 30, 2005 Report Posted November 30, 2005 Hi,Can any one recommend Wireless ADSL Router/Modem & USB Adapter combination that can actually handle BT? I am sick to death of looking at my PC in the morning only to find out that my damn Netgear WG111T adapter crashed 2 minutes after I went to bed. I am also sick of trying every adapter/router software configuration known to mankind!Please don't tell me to go wired as that just isn't possible if I still want to be married (which is debatable Thanx.PS. I need something with a strong signal as it has to go through 2 floors etc.
Firon Posted November 30, 2005 Report Posted November 30, 2005 If you can put your modem into bridge mode, do so and get a real router (like a Linksys WRT54GS), and a matching Linksys wireless card. D-link is crap, avoid it like the plague.If you can't use bridge mode, get a regular ADSL modem then, instead of a modem/router combo and pick up the real router anyway. It should let you set it to bridge mode though (basically makes it stop acting like a router)
splintax Posted November 30, 2005 Report Posted November 30, 2005 Oh, and also, stay away from USB wireless adapters, they're terrible in my experience.Go for an internal PCI card. Post back here if you don't know how to install a PCI card and someone should be able to help you out with a link, google is helpful too
stevvi Posted November 30, 2005 Author Report Posted November 30, 2005 All I've read about the Linksys WRT54GS says that performance drops off rapidly with distance and I am 2 floors away from the router. Unfortunately, I do need a USB adapter as I don't have any PCI slots left (damn Shuttle). Any other suggestions?
Firon Posted November 30, 2005 Report Posted November 30, 2005 Well, I know you can boost the power in the firmware to double the default, which should help immensely, and there's always replacement antennas to cope with the problems... Raising the power only helps to a degree though, since the wireless adapter has a limited power rating too. you might need an antenna for the adapter. There's various methods to improve the range (including manually setting which antenna is for tx and rx, and positioning them differently) on the WRT54G/GS routers without actually buying a new antenna.
splintax Posted November 30, 2005 Report Posted November 30, 2005 Hmm. Don't know of any good USB-only adapters, then. Sorry
Simon Posted November 30, 2005 Report Posted November 30, 2005 I wouldnt get the WRT54GS unless you plan to be very close to the router, in wich case a wired would be better...
slayers Posted November 30, 2005 Report Posted November 30, 2005 Please don't tell me to go wired as that just isn't possible if I still want to be married (which is debatable Thanx.PS. I need something with a strong signal as it has to go through 2 floors etc.Here are a couple of ideas.How about a mixed solution? Can you pull a wired cabled closer to your second floor and then plug an access point? Two floors is quite a stretch (depending on the material it could be worse), it's possible but your asking for trouble with interference and whatnot.If you can't physically pull a cable through, you could look at power line routers too. You could even create a hybrid environement with wireless for optimal coverage.http://www.networkworld.com/net.worker/columnists/2004/0524shaw.html
Firon Posted November 30, 2005 Report Posted November 30, 2005 You can also get more than one router and create a multi-router wireless network. You can combine routers and access points.
abbad0n Posted December 1, 2005 Report Posted December 1, 2005 If you can put your modem into bridge mode, do so and get a real router (like a Linksys WRT54GS), and a matching Linksys wireless card. D-link is crap, avoid it like the plague.If you can't use bridge mode, get a regular ADSL modem then, instead of a modem/router combo and pick up the real router anyway. It should let you set it to bridge mode though (basically makes it stop acting like a router)Guess I haven't had your bad luck with D-Link. I'm using an a/b/g router, and an a/b/g access point in repeater mode with no problems.
stevvi Posted December 2, 2005 Author Report Posted December 2, 2005 This is somewhat embarrassing but, for simplicity and financial reasons, I ended up buying Belkin F5D7633 Modem/Router bundled with a F5D7051 USB adapter from... wait for it... PCWorld (the cheapest I could find)! So far the thing has been rock solid, not losing the wireless connection or net connection once. It has also stopped my hard disk from thrashing when using programs from minimsed while UT is running.Who would have thought it...
1c3d0g Posted December 2, 2005 Report Posted December 2, 2005 Eeww...Belkin...yuck! /me won't touch Belkin/D-Link with a ten foot pole...
stevvi Posted December 2, 2005 Author Report Posted December 2, 2005 Yes, yes... I know all about Belkin and, as I said, it is embarrassing but my moment of madness does seem to be working
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