Home Routers and Firmware

[Lazybones]

Asus RT-N16
http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wireless/wireless-reviews/31058-asus-rt-n16-gigabit-n-router-reviewed
- Has a surprisingly fast processor, significant flash and ram, as well as USB ports for mass storage.
- Also N and not that expensive for one with a Gigabit switch
- Can run DD-WRT
- Can run TomatoUSB

We all know that DD-WRT is fairly awesome feature wise firmware that runs on lots of routers. Tomato was an easier lighter faster firmware that ran mostly on WRT54 units.

Tomato has a fork now called TomatoUSB, all the speed and ease of use of Tomato but also packs more router support and features.
Tomato USB
http://tomatousb.org/


I am looking at getting the RT-N16 and loading DD-WRT or TomatoUSB on it this weekend.. I don't intend to use it as a nas, but sticking a USB stick on it will let me load Optware modules on it and greatly expand what it can do.

[Mr. Analog]

Well, this is good timing, my current router is having some issues lately. Not sure what it is though but the recent speed upgrade seems to be causing it some problems (locking up, etc)

Also, the Wireless G is showing its age...

[Mr. Analog]

Well, I ended up buying a D-Link DIR-655.

I'll give it a shot tonight, can't be worse than my old POS that needs resetting every few days...

[Mr. Analog]

Interesting experience so far with the D-Link DIR-655

Pro

• All the core features I expect
• Great response
• Easy to set up
• Handles a lot of traffic with ease
• Custom/Secure DNS
• No more streaming problems (YouTube, games, etc)

Con

• Power adapter plug will take up two spots no matter what
• LEDs far too bright
• Default Admin interface is designed for newbies
• Max speed on 802.11N ~65 Mbps
• By default WiFi enabled (G/B/N) and unsecured (had to boot a neighbor's system off my network!!)
• Single USB port

Since the subnets didn't change it was easy to get all my devices set up. One of the interesting features you can enable is custom DNS that prevents unwanted redirection (here's looking at you, Shaw cable!). Once I finally plugged in my modem again I also found that things like YouTube videos no longer freeze loading and Steam updates don't clobber all the machines on my network. I still have to connect my printer to it though, so there might be some bumps there perhaps...

Overall I am satisfied with it out of the box.

[Thorin]

Con

• LEDs far too bright

Uhh, was that what you were talking about today?

[Mr. Analog]

Con

• LEDs far too bright

Uhh, was that what you were talking about today?

Yup!

[Tom]

I just upgraded my WRT-150n to dd-wrt. turns out it was worth the effort. Almost thought I bricked it for a bit. But everything is ok, and it supports 802.11n, where as OpenWRT didn't

Will be trying n in a bit, if theres a 64bit driver for that usb wifi adapter I have.

[Lazybones]

I think I am petmently converted to tomato/TomatoUSB vs DD-WRT due to vast stability differences and bette qos tuning features. Dd-wrt does have multiple SSID and vlan options but good luck finding a bulid where at least one feature isn't broken.

[Tom]

I think I am petmently converted to tomato/TomatoUSB vs DD-WRT due to vast stability differences and bette qos tuning features. Dd-wrt does have multiple SSID and vlan options but good luck finding a bulid where at least one feature isn't broken.

I looked at tomato, it doesn't seem to support my WRT150n. So I went DD-WRT, since it supports N on my router (OpenWRT doesn't).

[Thorin]

Interesting experience so far with the D-Link DIR-655

Pro

• All the core features I expect
• Great response
• Easy to set up
• Handles a lot of traffic with ease
• Custom/Secure DNS
• No more streaming problems (YouTube, games, etc)

Con

• Power adapter plug will take up two spots no matter what
• LEDs far too bright
• Default Admin interface is designed for newbies
• Max speed on 802.11N ~65 Mbps
• By default WiFi enabled (G/B/N) and unsecured (had to boot a neighbor's system off my network!!)
• Single USB port

Since the subnets didn't change it was easy to get all my devices set up. One of the interesting features you can enable is custom DNS that prevents unwanted redirection (here's looking at you, Shaw cable!). Once I finally plugged in my modem again I also found that things like YouTube videos no longer freeze loading and Steam updates don't clobber all the machines on my network. I still have to connect my printer to it though, so there might be some bumps there perhaps...

Overall I am satisfied with it out of the box.

Did you hook up your printer yet?  I'm looking at replacing my D-Link 4-port 100mbps router for a router with a printer port so I don't have to have one specific computer on to print.  Plus I wouldn't mind switching to a gig-E router.

Of course then I have to copy all of the config settings (MAC address white list, reserved IP addresses, port forwarding, wifi passwords).

[Mr. Analog]

Did you hook up your printer yet?  I'm looking at replacing my D-Link 4-port 100mbps router for a router with a printer port so I don't have to have one specific computer on to print.  Plus I wouldn't mind switching to a gig-E router.

Of course then I have to copy all of the config settings (MAC address white list, reserved IP addresses, port forwarding, wifi passwords).

I did indeed and if my blank ink didn't have a problem it would work like a dream. It uses a client called "SharePort Utility" to talk to whatever device you have attached to the USB port, which is better than some as it will expose all the features to your client machines.

I'm actually torn at the moment, I need to find out how much it would cost to fix this printer because honestly I can get a WiFi enabled combo (scan/copy/print) unit at Staples for $80... I'm also considering laser, but we'll see about that.

[Melbosa]

Believe it or not, Netgear's latest line are some of the best routers for reliability and cost now.  Also most are compatible with DD-WRT, Tomato and other hacked firmwares... I couldn't believe it myself when I did some deep research myself last week.  D-Link is the "ok" brand now and Linksys is going down the tubes.  Even Asus routers are getting great reviews for reliability, but I hate their web interface.

Had a client have a Linksys one dye onsite, and they have had issues with them in the past.   Hence my research.

[Lazybones]

Even Asus routers are getting great reviews for reliability, but I hate their web interface.

As per the first post in this thread I have been running the Asus RT-N16 with the TomatoUSB firmware.. So far it has been really good, I can get rather massive amounts of connections going with bittorent and it doesn't slow down. I have also started to migrate some functions I was running on my NAS to the Router since I have Optware installed on both of them.

I have had a VERY intermittent bug in TomatoUSB where performance drops and needs a reboot, however from the sound of it it might be fixed in a future release, also it is a once in every few months kind of thing not a frequent one.

[Mr. Analog]

I'm glad Netgear is coming back, they always seemed to be at the ass end of consumer grade stuff.

I'm quite happy with D-Link, this is my second one since the old WRT54G went to the big network in the sky. I'm connected to VPN, two RDP sessions TFS, Outlook and elsewhere on my network I got torrents running and I'm not feeling any difference.

I love it when stuff just works.

[Melbosa]

Even Asus routers are getting great reviews for reliability, but I hate their web interface.

As per the first post in this thread I have been running the Asus RT-N16 with the TomatoUSB firmware.. So far it has been really good, I can get rather massive amounts of connections going with bittorent and it doesn't slow down. I have also started to migrate some functions I was running on my NAS to the Router since I have Optware installed on both of them.

Yeah I was agreeing with you, but from a more recent perspective.  Also the reviews and research I was doing was without using a 3rd party firmware and just sticking with out-of-the-box functionality.