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Topic: Wireless Networking (Read 12532 times) previous topic - next topic
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Wireless Networking

Reply #25 –
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At this point all I can do is resist the Troll.
I encourage other readers to research "best practices."
These are unnecessary for those who know everything.
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=325842"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Oh, I encourage other readers to research "best practices" too, except I mean that it's a good idea to go talk to people who know what they're talking about instead of just doing Google searches.

I agree with you about Linksys gear though. My older gear had issues, but my new gear seems happier overall and works better. The router doesn't crash and reboot itself all the time anymore like the old one did.

Wireless Networking

Reply #26 –
Okay, I checked with my local computer store and they strongly recommend the D-Link. They claim they have a lot of returns on Linksys gear and recommend against that brand. Likewise, their D-Link gear doesn't get a lot of returns. Any responses to that? I've always personally had luck buying the products my guys recommend so I'm inclined to buy their D-Link router and Foxconn wireless cards. I didn't ask about USR though.

Wireless Networking

Reply #27 –
No, definitely go for the Linksys!  I've got a D-Link wireless router that came free with a friend's computer and it is a complete piece of junk.  We currently have 2 Linksys WRT54Gs in WDS mode set up to cover 3 apartments and it works perfectly.

Wireless Networking

Reply #28 –
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No, definitely go for the Linksys!  I've got a D-Link wireless router that came free with a friend's computer and it is a complete piece of junk.


Define "piece of junk", and give a model number, please. All models are not equal. One user's opinion is great, and I thank you for that, but please sympathize: my local guys go through dozens of pieces of hardware, and they know return rates. Your experience seems to contradict them, and if I get enough people agreeing with your view, great. I'm just trying to do my best to figure out where the best place to spend my money is.

Wireless Networking

Reply #29 –
My experiences with D-Link and USR wireless have been very negative.
The cases, drivers, and documentation for the D-Link were very poor.
No drivers, no joy.
USR had a cheap product and lousy drivers.
The Intel 2915ABG has a decent product and drivers.
The Netgear has better drivers, docs, and cases. Not perfect by any stretch, just pretty good.
The Linksys has been OK for me. I own one, I am typing this message through it. I have no complaints.
My customers have been happy with the Netgear and Linksys.
D-Link was quite simply, crap.

Wireless Networking

Reply #30 –
I would not go for the linksys! I got the WRT54GS and it sucks big time. Everytime I download something really fast or connect to a server multiple times for a download, the router freezes for some seconds and therefore I'm loosing the connection. I tried to download iTunes using Firefox and wasn't able to complete the download unless I reseted the max simultaneous connections in windows from 10 to 4....sometimes it won't even let me open new connections, just the already running connections are working...same thing when browsing websites: it won't let me open new websites, but I can surf websites, which domains have already been resolved in the active browser session. So it seems that the DNS lookup gets somehow blocked. Of course, this doesn't happen all the time and only if the router is somewhat overwhelmed. However, it doesn't take much to overwhelm it...when I tested it, I was the only one connected to the router...in order to gain back full internet access I had to restart Windows...
--alt-presets are there for a reason! These other switches DO NOT work better than it, trust me on this.
LAME + Joint Stereo doesn't destroy 'Stereo'

Wireless Networking

Reply #31 –
D-Link units have known issues with the iTunes 5 Bonjour service as well. I'd avoid them.

As for Jojo's problems, well, I had similar issues with an older Linksys router. It would freak out and reboot itself for no reason. I ended up replacing it with my current WRT54GS (the one with "SpeedBooster") and it works great. No issues.

Wireless Networking

Reply #32 –
I have had no issues with my WRT54GS V2 with the 4.70.6 firmware.
It is rock solid.
I surf with different browsers.
I regularly download large files.
No issues.
Hope it works for you.

Edit: Added router version.

Wireless Networking

Reply #33 –
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D-Link was quite simply, crap.[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=328727"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]


I wholeheartedly agree.

Also, I rarely trust store people's opinion. They often recommend brands based on how much they will earn with sales, and not on quality (every store here recommends Intel over AMD, not because Intel is supposedly better, but because stores get big revenues and prizes based on sales of Intel products, and the same doesn't happen with AMD)

I'd much rather trust users' and friends' opinions.

Wireless Networking

Reply #34 –
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As for Jojo's problems, well, I had similar issues with an older Linksys router. It would freak out and reboot itself for no reason. I ended up replacing it with my current WRT54GS (the one with "SpeedBooster") and it works great. No issues.
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=328744"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]



Quote
I have had no issues with my WRT54GS V2 with the 4.70.6 firmware.
It is rock solid.
I surf with different browsers.
I regularly download large files.
No issues.
Hope it works for you.
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=328825"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

what settings are you guys using? Do you use WPA encryption and stuff? What settings did you guys change? Are you using B or G wireless cards (it shouldn't make any difference though)
--alt-presets are there for a reason! These other switches DO NOT work better than it, trust me on this.
LAME + Joint Stereo doesn't destroy 'Stereo'

Wireless Networking

Reply #35 –
I am using WPA - AES.
I have used Orinoco, Atheros, and Intel based wireless chipsets and connected successfully.
My primary card is a Linksys PCMCIA with Atheros ABG chipset.
I connect on G/54.

Edit: Corrected wording

Wireless Networking

Reply #36 –
Quote
Quote
As for Jojo's problems, well, I had similar issues with an older Linksys router. It would freak out and reboot itself for no reason. I ended up replacing it with my current WRT54GS (the one with "SpeedBooster") and it works great. No issues.
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=328744"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

what settings are you guys using? Do you use WPA encryption and stuff? What settings did you guys change? Are you using B or G wireless cards (it shouldn't make any difference though)
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=328973"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Except for enabling WPA-Shared key and a new password andSSID, it's basically set for the defaults on mine. I'm using a Linksys PCI G card on one machine, an older Linksys PCMCIA B card on a laptop, an older Cisco B card on another, and an Orinoco B card on my tablet. Took some effort to get WPA working on a couple of the older cards, but the router has no issues with those. The router is also connected wired to an old series 1 Tivo with one of the first TivoNet cards in it (a handmade adapter to a really old ethernet card, basically).

Wireless Networking

Reply #37 –
well, I don't know guys, but it doesn't work for me. Did one of you change the max allowed connections in windows from 4 to 10? Also, I just noticed that people who know my IP address (the one exposed to the internet), can gain access to my router settings. Remote Mangement is turned off, so really I don't know why it is doing that. The only thing that is turned on is  'Wireless Access Web', which I need, because I want to access and change my routers settings wirelessly...
--alt-presets are there for a reason! These other switches DO NOT work better than it, trust me on this.
LAME + Joint Stereo doesn't destroy 'Stereo'

Wireless Networking

Reply #39 –
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Jojo: Have you tried the latest firmware on that device?
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=329201"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

yes, the latest firmware is installed. Have you tried to type in your internet ip address in your browser and see what happens? It shouldn't do anything, but in my case it comes up with the login mask.
--alt-presets are there for a reason! These other switches DO NOT work better than it, trust me on this.
LAME + Joint Stereo doesn't destroy 'Stereo'

Wireless Networking

Reply #40 –
I am seeing references that recommend a factory reset prior to, and following the firmware flash.

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Power up the router. Give it a few seconds for it to boot. Now hold down the reset button shown above for 8-10 seconds. Once the DIAG LED lights up, let go of the reset button. This is to ensure the router is at factory defaults.

Wireless Networking

Reply #41 –
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yes, the latest firmware is installed. Have you tried to type in your internet ip address in your browser and see what happens? It shouldn't do anything, but in my case it comes up with the login mask.
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=329217"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Huh? If you're on the inside, the LAN side of things, then yes, it should come up with the login mask screen (unless you have port 80 forwarded elsewhere in the network).

There's actually a setting for this, although not being at home I don't recall what it was called. Basically, internal requests that use the external address of the router get redirected to internal requests. If it's not on, then you can't access internal services by using the network's WAN IP.

But this doesn't mean that people outside the LAN will see the same thing. It's a router, it treats things differently depending on where they come from. If you see it from outside your LAN, like from work or something, then that is a problem. In my case, that doesn't happen.

Wireless Networking

Reply #42 –
I have a related question, so I'll shamelessly hijack this thread.

Currently, internet access in this household works via a proxy server installed on my PC. This is highly impractical for several reasons and now to be changed in favour of a router solution.

I will be getting a WLAN compatible laptop for Christmas, so I am thinking it would make sense to buy a WLAN router now - since they (well, at least the Linksys WRT54GS, haven't bothered to look at others yet) also have standard ethernet ports that I could connect the stationary PCs to.

My question is, is there any security risk involved in running the WLAN router without actually having any WLAN clients (yet) to check the network security, or can I be sure that after enabling encryption in the router config, everything is OK? Or is it even possible to turn off the WLAN functionality completely until I need it?

Thanks for any advice.

Wireless Networking

Reply #43 –
I own a Netgear DG834G and with this:
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My question is, is there any security risk involved in running the WLAN router without actually having any WLAN clients (yet) to check the network security[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=333299"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
You can always check 'Attached Devices' to see everything connected to your network.
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can I be sure that after enabling encryption in the router config, everything is OK? [a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=333299"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
If you choose a secure password and use WPA-PSK, I don't see why not.
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Or is it even possible to turn off the WLAN functionality completely until I need it?[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=333299"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
Yes. This is possible with my router at least.
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Thanks for any advice.
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=333299"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
No problem

Wireless Networking

Reply #44 –
Get a FritzBox 7050.
It rocks,
eg. Siemens SX541 is crap from my and others experience.
 

Wireless Networking

Reply #45 –
Bringing up this old thread to point out this article I just ran across which basically makes the same sort of recommendations on security that I did. Notice the first two items in the list, saying that MAC Filtering and SSID Broadcast disabling are both worthless from a security standpoint.

http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/Ou/?p=43