wi-fi

Posted by: JamieWednesday on 27 December 2009

I have had a belkin 'G' rated router for years, run faultlessly and been very happy with it, as retrospectively nothing's gone wrong at all, speeds were great and constant and I never suffered any kind of drop out that afflicts others. I guess I just picked lucky as lots of people seem unhappy with theirs.

Recently I decided to get a new one with a usb port, that way I figured I could effectively create some NAS by plugging a drive into the usb point allowing everyone access at once. As my wife's laptop can pick up 'N' speeds and I have been entirely happy with my older Belkin router I got a new Belkin one, an N+.

And it's rubbish! Everything I wanted does actually work, much of the time and the NAS theory works in practice very well. However, it occasionally just drops out and then comes back again a minute or so later, the speed to my 'G' rated laptop is much slower than the old one, typically at about 36 mbps instead of the usual 54 (my wife's is fine at way over that...) and it occasionally just loses contact with the hub that's wired into it (with printer, scanner etc. on it) needing hits of the two re-set buttons. And sometimes everything on-line just moves v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y

I've adjusted settings as available on router (single band, dual band, fixed speed - re loaded software etc. ) and my laptop (i.e. from 'best' speed to fixed rates and the like but it then drops out even more). Still bad.

Reading user reports/reviews (and ignorig the mags, they rate the Belkin one...), many people seem unhappy with their N routers. The option is to simply return to my reliable old one, but then I lose the storage aspect.

Anyone here got one they like with 'N' rating and usb port?
Posted on: 28 December 2009 by garyi
Draytek vigor 2820, apple airport extreme.

What one did you get? Did you get the cheapest one you could find? Winker
Posted on: 28 December 2009 by gone
Draytek modem, Apple TimeCapsule router/NAS. If only I could get over those niggling TimeCapsule reliability stories though....
Posted on: 28 December 2009 by Diccus62
I too would like a router/wireless connection but certainly can't afford £200 for a router, any cheaper options please Smile
Posted on: 28 December 2009 by JamieWednesday
£135 - bit more than belkin - more or less than linksys, cheaper than fritzbox

I presume it works well then..?
Posted on: 28 December 2009 by ewemon
quote:
Originally posted by Diccus62:
I too would like a router/wireless connection but certainly can't afford £200 for a router, any cheaper options please Smile


Just get yourself a G+ Belkin Router. I have had one since what seems like the dawn of time without a hiccup.
Posted on: 28 December 2009 by ewemon
quote:
Originally posted by JamieWednesday:
I have had a belkin 'G' rated router for years, run faultlessly and been very happy with it, as retrospectively nothing's gone wrong at all, speeds were great and constant and I never suffered any kind of drop out that afflicts others. I guess I just picked lucky as lots of people seem unhappy with theirs.

Recently I decided to get a new one with a usb port, that way I figured I could effectively create some NAS by plugging a drive into the usb point allowing everyone access at once. As my wife's laptop can pick up 'N' speeds and I have been entirely happy with my older Belkin router I got a new Belkin one, an N+.

And it's rubbish! Everything I wanted does actually work, much of the time and the NAS theory works in practice very well. However, it occasionally just drops out and then comes back again a minute or so later, the speed to my 'G' rated laptop is much slower than the old one, typically at about 36 mbps instead of the usual 54 (my wife's is fine at way over that...) and it occasionally just loses contact with the hub that's wired into it (with printer, scanner etc. on it) needing hits of the two re-set buttons. And sometimes everything on-line just moves v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y

I've adjusted settings as available on router (single band, dual band, fixed speed - re loaded software etc. ) and my laptop (i.e. from 'best' speed to fixed rates and the like but it then drops out even more). Still bad.

Reading user reports/reviews (and ignorig the mags, they rate the Belkin one...), many people seem unhappy with their N routers. The option is to simply return to my reliable old one, but then I lose the storage aspect.

Anyone here got one they like with 'N' rating and usb port?


Your NAS drive should have an IP address. Have you checked that the NAS drive it is not altering it.

HP all in one printers are bad for that. Sometimes when you turn on a computer they alter there IP address and also everyone elses on the network. The way to get round that is set up another printer as the Default printer.

Is the NAS drive listed in your DCHP list. If not then you might have to set it up as a Client server or allow it access through your router firewall by creating a rule for it and opening ports.

However I am sure you have tried most of these already.

Not sure what the set up is for a N+ as I use G+ router.

Without seeing the set up it is difficult to let you know what the prob is.
Posted on: 28 December 2009 by JamieWednesday
I think it's that the router is just a crappy bit of kit - like I say, most of the time it works OK and plugging in my 1tb freecom drive to the usb gives a very effective version of NAS.

As I said earlier the original belkin G router (with belkin hub, into which I have the Canon printer and Canon scanner plugged in) worked perfectly 100% of the time and if it wasn't for the want of the storage via USB and my determination not to let crappy equipment put me off I'd switch back to it permanently!

I just figure there must be a router, with usb port and N+ speeds that works as well as my G one without the usb...
Posted on: 28 December 2009 by garyi
The apple airport extreme is not a apple time capsule. If you get the airport extreme you get the usb socket to plug a harddrive in (It will then behave like a NAS)

You could use your original belkin to connect it to the web and the apple does everything else, routing and wireless.

Draytek is by far the best though, the 2820 can be had for around the 100 mark on ebay and the thing does everything on god green earth.

Incidently wireless N is only wireless N if all the wireless connecting to it are N, if one of them is G, the N network has to slow down to the speed of G. The apple Airport Extreme has twin everything inside for wireless so basically your G devices get G speed and N gets N, but both are on the same network.
Posted on: 28 December 2009 by JamieWednesday
Gary, if I read the specs right, the Draytek can connect to my broadband modem via ethernet cable yes? And the usb port can be used to hook up hardware such as the hard drive (which I want) rather then just for mobile/3G connectivity (which I don't need).

Yeah I know my G laptop won't get N speeds but my wife's does and I'm happy with my laptop speed if it goes back up to 54 mbps...
Posted on: 28 December 2009 by Diccus62
quote:
Originally posted by ewemon:
quote:
Originally posted by Diccus62:
I too would like a router/wireless connection but certainly can't afford £200 for a router, any cheaper options please Smile


Just get yourself a G+ Belkin Router. I have had one since what seems like the dawn of time without a hiccup.


Can I use it with a phone line, the last one I bought was for Cable?
Posted on: 29 December 2009 by garyi
Just make sure its and 'ADSL Modem Router'

They specifically say when they are for cable.
Posted on: 29 December 2009 by Diccus62
Cheers Gary, i'm sorted Smile
Posted on: 30 December 2009 by JamieWednesday
Got some great help from an online store who recommended a similar Draytek product for cable...It's on its way - Excellent service given, which is nice, especially from a webshop