LinkSYS or DLink

[busterdan]

Again...not a NTL specific question but I have decided to upgrade my wired network to Wireless....

I think 54G will be sufficient though I realise that both Linksys and Dlink offer their own 54G+ technologies, but to get these the cost does jump quite considerably (and I am not sure home much benefit really the extra speed will be)

I will be sharing my NTL BB connection to a laptop wirelessly and initially wired to my desktop and Xbox. In addition I have a centrino work laptop that I would want to use from time to time.

I'm not sure if it will work but I would like to have VPN pass thru too....mainly to be able to run remote desktop/access my home PC from my place of work (if I can through the proxy/server or whatever restrictions there are here)

I'm no networking guru so I'd appreciate any opinions on the following please....they seem to be basically what I need... also Dlink and Linksys appear to be amoungst the cheaper of the manufacturers....how to they compare to each other.

Linksys (Pack incl. PC Card NIC)
http://www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk/Shop/ShopDetail.asp?ShopGroupID=38&CategoryID=65&ProductID=977

Dlink
http://www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk/Shop/ShopDetail.asp?ShopGroupID=38&CategoryID=65&ProductID=770
http://www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk/Shop/ShopDetail.asp?ProductID=767

Also BroadBandBuyer seem to be a fairly competitive company...has anyone used them before.....

Many thanks

[SMHarman]

Linksys is easy to set up and is known to work well with VPN setups. I've got one and recommend it. That said the Dlink will also probably do you fine and someone will be along to recommend that soon.

Amazon do a good price on the WRT54g, you can buy it from the shop link on here and give the site some pennies, mine came from ebuyer (others say avoid like a ginger ex girlfriend), Nick Knows is also mentioned, don't know about BBB though.

[gary_580]

I've recently bought the WRT54GS and the router was dead easy to set up, HOWEVER the signal strength is VERY POOR and the wireless card kept disconnecting (the wireless game adpater was fine). The router is one side of the house and the wireless card is in a PC the other side of the house.

As you cant alter the output power level on the latest version of the firmware i had to apply a hacked version. The hacked version i used is based on the current version of the firmware with very little change other than being able to increase the signal power output. If you want to know what firmware i have, PM me and ill have a look when i get home. Apparently the signal power output used to be set to 42mW but for some reason it has been reduced to 24mW and the option to change it has been removed. With the hacked firmware that im using you can set this anywhere fro 0 to 84mW. Setting it at 42mW seemed to solve the signal strength problem for me.

[zovat]

I use the Linksys WRT54G, and it is great - no signal issues (a bit of moving the antennae, but thats all) and reliable.

It is simple to configure, and Even enabling 128bit WEP does not seem to effect the throughput greatly.

I have never personally used the D-Link kit, but I know a number of people who have (mainly work colleagues who call me for support :( ) and they appear to be pretty good as well.

From a personal perspective, Linksys is owned by Cisco, and the kit has had a number of modifications since they took over. I now look at linksys as cheap cisco kit :D

[downquark1]

Linksys firmware is abismal at the moment, they actually released one that didn't renew DCHP ip addresses.

I think Robin Walker probably is the most qualified to answer but I've not seen him on this forum recently.

[busterdan]

Thanks for the advice guys... I spent most of the afternoon looking at this (I'd be fired if work knew) :D

And for the sake of £30 or so it looks like "Super G" may be a better option....anyone got any experience of these routers... DLINK looks very well rated so I have found this two at Simply...

http://www.simply.co.uk/productinformation/46133/WW/D-LINK_108MBPS_WIRELESS_CARDBUS_ADAPTER/index.htm
http://www.simply.co.uk/productinformation/46132/WW/D-LINK_108MBPS_WIRELESS_BROADBAND_ROUTER_GATEWAY/index.htm

I will use the laptop occassionally out in the garden/shed to stream MP3's etc... thats about....30metres or so from the STB and router so I'd still want a reliable WLAN connect.... standard G seems to fluctuate a fair bit from what reviews I have seen.