RE: Wi fi router

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firefighterjake

firefighterjake

Minister of Fire
Jul 22, 2008
19,588
Unity/Bangor, Maine
Can't comment on that specific router, but the NEtflix on the wifi is great.
I have an older router (Linksys 2.4GHZ) in an upstairs office, and with the door closed it reaches the netflix downstairs no prob on the other side of the house.
Really wish we had gotten the Wii before this year, but money has been tight.
I think if you stick to one in that $60-$80 range you should be fine. (My wife uses the laptop outside all the time on the screen porch, so it seems to handle distance well)
 
Netgear stuff is good. I just got one of the Higher end Netgear Routers b/c it has a USB hookup for my External HD so I can access the HD through all computers on the network.
 
I have its big brother and its great. I bought the more expensive version because it provided for network attached storage through a USB port on the router...very handy. The increased range of WiFi N is nice too.
 
I had that same router, Jake. Worked great for about 3yrs and then just started to drop the connection randomly, causing me to unplug it and then plug it back in. Other than that, I had no issues with it working with my xbox 360 and laptop.
 
I prefer the linksys routers. They are run with a decent Cisco firmware. The netgear ones are ok too (firmware is a little quirky)
 
Wifi is not as good as wired for streaming video!

Yeah, it works......sometimes...but, given the choice, I'd try to wire my connection.

We got an apple TV for our beach place and it was burping with wireless, but once I hooked it up with ethernet it runs fine.

BTW, for 99 bucks the apple TV makes a nice little netflix box...with other benefits built in too.
 
Webmaster said:
Wifi is not as good as wired for streaming video!

Yeah, it works......sometimes...but, given the choice, I'd try to wire my connection.

We got an apple TV for our beach place and it was burping with wireless, but once I hooked it up with ethernet it runs fine.

BTW, for 99 bucks the apple TV makes a nice little netflix box...with other benefits built in too.
Click to expand...

Craig, was the Roku XDS available when you were looking? I found it a better deal than the Apple unit.

We use the Roku wirelessly with the N router I mentioned and have few problems with slowdowns. Our DSL speed averages 1.5 Mbps.
 
Bubbavh said:
I prefer the linksys routers. They are run with a decent Cisco firmware. The netgear ones are ok too (firmware is a little quirky)
Click to expand...

2nd that. I find the Linksys firmware much easier to deal with.
 
Semipro said:
Craig, was the Roku XDS available when you were looking? I found it a better deal than the Apple unit.

We use the Roku wirelessly with the N router I mentioned and have few problems with slowdowns. Our DSL speed averages 1.5 Mbps.
Click to expand...

I didn't shop around - I am usually (not at the moment) a big apple stockholder, so for 99 bucks I call it product research...especially since I disconnected any TV service......

It has netflix and youtube as well as apples own itunes shows and movies, but of course netflix is much cheaper. We have a fairly fast cable connection there....at least 3mps, so it works well on the big screen.
 
I use netgear wireless G and have had no problem with 4 wireless computers and one hard wired.
md
 
Unless you're pulling an awful lot of data in multiple directions and are at the very edge of the usable wireless signal, your internet connections is going to be significantly slower than the speed across the wireless link. Lots of new exciting issues like EMI, signal diffraction and such come into play with wireless (here in the injection mold plant I have to really tweak the antennae on the router to get much more than 50 usable feet of range on wireless G.
 
If your internet connection *is* slower on wi-fi than wired, it's worth trying to change the channel that it's using. By default a lot of them will all use the same channel and it can really bog things down if your neighbors are all on it too. It's not a question of security (assuming you have the encryption), but if you're all on channel 1, then you're all sharing the same bandwidth.
 
My kids got an apple I-Pad from Santa - so I needed to get my service wireless.

Who's your internet provider?

I have century link and they simply exchanged my previous router with a wireless router. Didn't cost me a dime.

Now the Wii can connect and the I-Pad too. Net flix on either is great! Instant. Got to love that.

I also put a new hard drive in my older Dell from 2002 and reloaded the restoration disks and got a USB router so that now I have 2 computers on my LAN, plus the Wii and I-pad.

For an old fart ---> I'm feeling pretty geeky! But atleast I don't compete for computer space with the kids anymore!
 
If you look at the benchmarks the router below beats all other routers on the market pretty consistently. I got one for xmas and it works great. Has both the 2.4 and 5.0ghz band. Use the 5.0 ghz for streaming video and use the 2.4 for all other network activity in the house.

There are two different models here, but they are interchangeable.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...6&cm_re=netgear_router-_-33-122-326-_-Product

Or this, different model number but the same router
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833122375
 
firefighterjake said:
Thinking about getting a wi fi router for Camp Jakeawana . . . I'm hoping to have a Movies Under the Stars Night for this year's event and would like to view Netflix movies through the Wii on the TV.



This any good? Opinions?



http://www.bestbuy.com/site/NETGEAR...34872989&skuId=1208844&st=3400&contract;_desc
Click to expand...

I have a Netgear Rangemax router and love it. The reception is good all over the house and it's loads better than my old Linksys BEFSR11 which was starting to fail. I really don't think you can go wrong with the Netgear o the Linksys products though, both are good quality networking gear.
 
highly recommend its big brother, the wndr3700. I bought one of the linksys routers (3000) at the same price of $150, i had trouble connecting to existing wireless conenctions in my house. I took it back, read some reviews and some tests and the WNDR 3700 came out on top, i think maximum pc did the tests. Check it out. Took it home and any problems i was having with the linksys were non existent. I think i saw it in this weeks best buy for $129, great value. Spend the extra money on this one, its something you will have for a while. I have easily connected to the Wii, PS3, computer of course, iFit live on the treadmill. I actually bought it becuase i was going to wire my whole house and needed a new router, so i figured i would make sure to get good wireless as well for future plans. needless to say, i haVE 500' of CAT wire sitting in a box with no immediate plans to use it.
 
EJL923 said:
highly recommend its big brother, the wndr3700. I bought one of the linksys routers (3000) at the same price of $150, i had trouble connecting to existing wireless conenctions in my house. I took it back, read some reviews and some tests and the WNDR 3700 came out on top, i think maximum pc did the tests. Check it out. Took it home and any problems i was having with the linksys were non existent. I think i saw it in this weeks best buy for $129, great value. Spend the extra money on this one, its something you will have for a while. I have easily connected to the Wii, PS3, computer of course, iFit live on the treadmill. I actually bought it becuase i was going to wire my whole house and needed a new router, so i figured i would make sure to get good wireless as well for future plans. needless to say, i haVE 500' of CAT wire sitting in a box with no immediate plans to use it.
Click to expand...

From what I understand the wndre37AV will supercede the wndr3700. In fact, I purchased the wndr37AV because I read speculation it would have a hardware upgrade but when I got it, the unit was actually labeled wndr3700.

The closest Cisco/Linksys I found was the E3000, but its benchmarks did not hold up against the netgear.

I will say the 2.4 does have better range than the 5.0, but if your distance is relatively close, the speeds of the 5.0 will crush 2.4.

Regardless, prob the best router in any category at this time.
 
Update: Bought it, plugged in the connections and was pleasantly surprised to find that I had a wi-fi connection in about 4 minutes . . . strong signal . . . I've watched several Netflix movies and only had one blip where it hesitated for about 2-3 seconds . . . no blips in any of the other movies I have watched. Need to still bring home a laptop and see how far a range I have and how well the router works. So far I'm loving watching the movies through the Wii.
 
EJL923 said:
Jake, which one did you end up buying?
Click to expand...

The router I first mentioned.
 
EJL923 said:
Jake, which one did you end up buying?
Click to expand...

The router I first mentioned . . . so far so good.
 
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