Help with selecting new cable router for my home

Spilchy

Spilchy

New member
I need help selecting a new, inexpsensive cable router with built in firewall capabilities.



I have a Netgear and it keeps dropping my internet connection. This is happening on a basic machine that is running Windows 98 so there is no firewall software loaded like on XP.



My new computer is coming with XP Professional.



No amount of tweaking, rebooting modem / router, updating firmware, etc... does the trick.



I have heard this happens to a lot of people.



Any suggestions on another, more reliable product??



Thanks.
 
I have a Linksys WRT54G that works like a champ. I loaded an aftermarket firmware on it (it is Linux based) and haven't had a single hiccup since I got it in September 04. It does have 802.11g which you may not need, but that is easy to disable and you'll be ready for the future. I don't use the wireless much myself, it was the Linux based firmware the the ability to hack it that attracted me.



Your router isn't overheating and resetting itself is it?



A few years back when the home routers were first coming out, I had a 1 port Linksys router that I plugged in to a hub. It was very reliable as well.
 
netgear is a good router



most likely the problem is with the way your computer is configured



how are your internet settings configured?





on the router is DHCP enabled? MAC filtering? etc?
 
LouisanaJeeper said:
netgear is a good router



most likely the problem is with the way your computer is configured



how are your internet settings configured?





on the router is DHCP enabled? MAC filtering? etc?
Click to expand...



I am running DHCP on my computer. Nothing is static.



I never changed the defaults on the router except the username and password so I cant say if on the router DHCP and MAC filtering is enabled.



For the life of me, I cant remember my username and password to go in and check!
 
I just did :p



Ok...



Here are my settings: (All defaults are on)



Internet IP Address

Get Dynamically From ISP



Domain Name Server (DNS) Address

Get Automatically From ISP



Router MAC Address

Use Default MAC Address



* I can select "Use Computer MAC Address" as another option



* The following is checked: Use Router As DHCP Server
 
I noticed there was a firmware update so I successfully uploaded the update and it rebooted itself.



My connection is now flying even faster. I'll do a speed test now in a another window



HOLY CRAPOLA!!



Communications 4.3 megabits per second

Storage 521.6 kilobytes per second

1MB file download 2 seconds

Subjective rating Awesome



MY GOD! I was getting like 1.8 download speeds before!!!
 
Yeah I'd say Linksys or Belkin but Netgear's fine too. I had a netgear router but we just upgraded to a wireless router for my fiance's new centrino laptop and we bought a Netgear router for it and had to exchange it for a Belkin. The original router was fine and the wireless one was too, it just didn't have very good range so we upgraded to the Belkin.
 
GoodnClean,



Belkin Pre-N? Standard wireless g would not work in our house so we had to wait for the Pre-N to become available locally. Drastic difference, so if you bought the Pre-N instead of the a/b/g, your increased range may not be brand related.
 
Yep its the Pre-N. I wasn't saying the brand had to do with the range, what I meant was more the Belkin Pre-N had the longest range out there.
 
I just went through a similar problem, and found out my modem was the problem. I've been using the same modem for the last couple years (Toshiba) with no problems, but then about six months ago I started noticing a drop in performance and a complete drop in connection every now and then. Well, that eventually turned into connection drops 2-3 times per day. I called my cable company thinking I had a signal problem since the loss was progressive, like maybe a failing connection on the pole or something. They came out and checked everything, but could give me no definite answer. All they said was my signal was perfect, so it *had* to be my modem. I went to Best Buy and purchased a Linksys cable modem thinking it wasn't going to make a difference and boy was I wrong. I have speed now that I never knew my computer was capable of and haven't dropped a connection since. I went with Linksys because I am already using a Linksys router and switch, so I wanted to keep it all uniform, awesome products! :xyxthumbs
 
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