Superhub : Modem mode + Linksys EA4500 Router highly recommended but pricey at £130

[TROTER]

Modem mode + Linksys EA4500 Router highly recommended but pricey at £130.

I have been waiting now for seven months for TP-Link TL-WR2843ND Simultaneous Dual-Band Broadband Wireless-N Router (900Mbps) but still no sign of release date so purchased the linksys instead.

The Linksys EA4500 is the E4200 version two with some small changes I believe, with a very good processor running at over 1.2 GHz.

Real easy to set up using Cisco connect software for basic users, but in my case discarded that and set up manually.

The wireless signal is good all around my home even though the router is not best placed.
All but one of my family’s many computers is Wireless N enabled so no change in speed for those, but a small Samsung notebook I have is connecting N at 150Mbps.

I have a virgin duel band dongle which I acquired with the supperhub on launch, when connected it uses both the 2.4GHz and the 5GHz bands simultaneous. 2.4 connects at 150Mbps and 5GHZ at 300Mbps giving me 450Mbps.

The most important outcome for me was how my Xbox performed; I can only confirm a wired connection with Ethernet. I spent two days changing settings on the router to find the best possible configuration for Xbox live, just like the supperhub games run much better with the routers firewall features turned off.

I can see a marked improvement to the superhubs router mode so if you’re waiting for the new superhubs firmware to improve your network I strongly recommend not to hope for the impossible and to purchase another router with better hardware.

My xbox is now in a DMZ with QOS set at high priority so gaming runs smooth even when the normal 15 devices are connected and running (apple TV, phones, computers ext).

All the features you could want with the option of tomato firmware, very pleased with my choice.

[Milambar]

EA4500 really?

Ostrich, head, sand springs to mind.

Linksys/Cisco pushed out a firmware for the EA4500 that forced you to use their "connect cloud" to administer your hardware, and if you read the original ToS of the Connect Cloud, some have said that you were granting them permission to monitor your browsing habits for targetted marketing, and to cut you off, permanently from your own router if you used it for anything they didn't approve. I can't say if thats true or not, I've not read their ToS.

Now granted, when all the tech news websites exploded with angry commentards over this, they backed down over this and gave people a way to restore the old firmware restoring the "non-cloud" administration process. They also claimed the terms of service was just standard boilerplate (yeah, right).

Even though they reverted the changes to the EA4500, that doesn't change the fact that they made the changes to begin with. Also people are pointing out that there are clauses in their new "boiletplate" terms of service that allows them to push their "cloud connect" service out again at any time.

As a result, I'd be very leery of trusting _anything_ they made now.

Have a read: http://www.computerworld.com/s/artic...ers_some_users

[General Maximus]

I am bit 50/50 on this. Firstly congrats on buying a proper router, I am a linksys man myself.

I am very disappointed though because you expect Cisco to set the gold standard is every regard and I don't understand why they would want to screw their customers over like this. It is something a company like VM would do who dont care about customers and only the stats and £££. Very disappointing.

[TROTER]

Originally Posted by Milambar

EA4500 really?

Ostrich, head, sand springs to mind.

Linksys/Cisco pushed out a firmware for the EA4500 that forced you to use their "connect cloud" to administer your hardware, and if you read the original ToS of the Connect Cloud, some have said that you were granting them permission to monitor your browsing habits for targetted marketing, and to cut you off, permanently from your own router if you used it for anything they didn't approve. I can't say if thats true or not, I've not read their ToS.

Now granted, when all the tech news websites exploded with angry commentards over this, they backed down over this and gave people a way to restore the old firmware restoring the "non-cloud" administration process. They also claimed the terms of service was just standard boilerplate (yeah, right).

Even though they reverted the changes to the EA4500, that doesn't change the fact that they made the changes to begin with. Also people are pointing out that there are clauses in their new "boiletplate" terms of service that allows them to push their "cloud connect" service out again at any time.

As a result, I'd be very leery of trusting _anything_ they made now.

Have a read: http://www.computerworld.com/s/artic...ers_some_users

That’s what I like about all you guys, always something interesting to learn. Good article and I will take the advice given to turn off firmware option to “Upgrade Automatically�.

The LAN interface allowed me to turn off this feature. Thanks.

Mathias warned against allowing automatic firmware or software upgrades.
"If someone hacks that interface, they can load any firmware they want into your router," he said. Some users complained that when they discovered the problem and tried to turn off automatic firmware updates, they couldn't. The rollback instructions posted Friday included directions for turning off that setting.

[thenry]

Originally Posted by TROTER

I have been waiting now for seven months for TP-Link TL-WR2843ND Simultaneous Dual-Band Broadband Wireless-N Router (900Mbps) but still no sign of release date so purchased the linksys instead.

that routers dead, TP link will instead release something else later on this year. did you consider Asus?

[TROTER]

Originally Posted by thenry

that routers dead, TP link will instead release something else later on this year. did you consider Asus?

No I did not consider the Asus brand, is it good?

I wanted a router with a really good processor for heavy internet traffic and this seamed to fit the bill.

I already have a Linksys router which never disappointed, although the cost of the EA4500 is quite pricey why after spending so much money on your internet connection and precious devices around the home would you want to skimp on the brains of your network?

[thenry]

I wont argue against Linksys. Theres far too many knowledgeable guys and girls who vouch for them. I mentioned Asus with a fair few members on here going for their routers recently whom are pretty happy with it. Apart from a few little bugs in the firmware theres nothing major to turn you off. Range seemed to have got the thumbs up too.

http://www.asus.com/Networks/Wireless_Routers/RTN56U/

http://www.asus.com/Networks/Wireless_Routers/RTN66U/