TH55 Home Network Advice

[slipdoc]

Hello -

I want to preface this message by saying that I have VERY LITTLE computer experience. (I have learned a lot from reading all the posts here - thanks for that!)

I'm waiting for my TH-55 to be delivered and I would like some advice on which router would be good for a beginner to set up a home network.

These are the features I need:

1-Compatability w/ TH-55
2-Easy set up/operation
3-Ability to keep my desktop hooked-up w/o having to buy a wireless card for it
4-lowest cost possible

I use a motorola cable modem w/windows 98.

Thanks for all your help!!!

[msurtees]

Hi, Slipdoc.

I work in IT and we, as one of our services, setup many users with this kind of thing at their homes.

Opinions vary, needless to say, but, with our experience...stay away from Linksys. They have a bad habit of posting firmware updates and then later removing them because of errors. They are inexpensive and very popular but I'm just going by experience.

D-Link we've had very good success with. They are VERY easy to setup...we haven't had an issue with a single box.

Apple Airports are also very good but pricey.

Whatever you get...be sure to implement the WEP features to make your network (somewhat) secure.

Just my thoughts.

[c0mm0n]

Dunno about prices in your region, but any wireless b wifi router would do what u want ;

[c0mm0n]

murtees : i'm stunned..how can u advice cheap and poor dlink stuff with affordable and gpl bases latest linksys products ???

Regarding non professionnal products, i'd higly adivse you to forget about dlink and go for a netgear/linksys/buffalo/smc/zyxel model ; all products from this manufacturers aren't perfect but most of the are.

For more infos from users : www.dslreports.com

A glimpse at the dlink forum will instantaly show you how costly it may be to choose this brand

[jumpyg]

how can u advice cheap and poor dlink stuff
I just ordered the DLink 624 Super G router for $53.00 after rebate from Amazon. It is a recommended product on CNet, and 80% of the hundreds of user opinions were positive. I almost went with the Netgear WGT624, but only 55% of CNet's users had positive opinions about it.

That said, you should in theory be able to get just about any router to work with the TH55. Just make sure the vendor you buy from has a decent return policy if things don't go smoothly.

I would go with 802.11g instead of b at this point. G is quite a bit faster and only a little more expensive. Super G is even faster. If you get a desktop or laptop card in the future, you can take advantage of G. The TH only supports b, so you won't see a difference if that's your only wireless device.

Most or all of the wireless routers out there will have wired ports (usually four), so you can hook up your desktop computer to it without buying a wireless card for it. Of course, that means the router needs to be pretty close to the desktop.

[c0mm0n]

Lol i've kept my DI-624 for 2 days as it's the least stable thing i've ever met, options are cheap, firmware not stable and superG all but efficient if u haven't the dlinks cards on other computers ; when used for routing it hasn't passed a full day before rebooting or worst freezing ; i had it changed but that was the same...
My very basic Zyxel p324 was far better and was quickly reinstalled as the maiun router ; i then used the di624 as a costly and still unstable ap+bridge
I got linksys wrt54g, and have now qos, vpn, syslogs, ssh, and can evenre choose between several firmwares builders and ask them for more functions...
Sorry but Cnet ain't a good indicator for me, talking about network, dslreports and personnal use may be considered as references.

I wouldn't be saying that is the dlink products were just average, i don't have any interests in other brands, but i won't advice anyone to buy this particular touter and to be warned off dlink very average products. That said, i think you have a rev C router, mine is a rev B so this may explain yours is stable and mine isn't but still isn't acceptable for me...

[msurtees]

Originally posted by c0mm0n
murtees : i'm stunned..how can u advice cheap and poor dlink stuff with affordable and gpl bases latest linksys products ???

Regarding non professionnal products, i'd higly adivse you to forget about dlink and go for a netgear/linksys/buffalo/smc/zyxel model ; all products from this manufacturers aren't perfect but most of the are.

For more infos from users : www.dslreports.com

A glimpse at the dlink forum will instantaly show you how costly it may be to choose this brand

Hi, c0mm0n.

Again...my recommendation was based on real-world experience...not forums, boards, etc.

I did purchase a Netgear wireless card once...performed great! :)

[jumpyg]

Lol i've kept my DI-624 for 2 days as it's the least stable thing i've ever met
Well, it's hard to base a buying decision on one person's horror story. There are so many factors that go into whether it works or not. You can easily find someone who had a bad experience with any given wireless router out there.

However, when 80% of 231 users on CNet say the product works for them, I'm pretty convinced. Each of those 231 users' experiences is worth no more or less than your experience.

If the DLink didn't work for you, why didn't you return it?

[jherubin]

Originally posted by msurtees


Hi, c0mm0n.

Again...my recommendation was based on real-world experience...not forums, boards, etc.

I did purchase a Netgear wireless card once...performed great! :)

The problem with real world experience is that unless you get a larger sample size than 1 person it doesn't provide much. It's like for every person that says they have a Ford lemon you will find a person that had no problem with their 15 year old Ford.

Also, I think Linksys makes some of the best networking products for home use on the market. Now that they are a division of Cisco they "should" get even better. Let's just hope that they don't start passing the price of Cisco products to the Linksys line (read expensive). I too work in IT and this was also based on my real world expereince. :)

My advice to a TYPICAL home user is just to get the cheapest brand name one on the market that has a decent warranty. Bottom line...if it works it works. However, some DLink models use a very low decibel antenna. So if you have a large house placement of the access point may be a factor.

Also, it seems that you know WEP is not truly secure so to take the security to the next level users may want to do the following (all depending on how paranoid you are :D ):

1) Use WEP

2) Limit the number of wireless connections allowed

3) Use MAC filtering

4) Don't broadcast your SSID

5) Position your accesspoint on the furthest side of the house away from public access (street, sidewalk, etc...)

6) Use a program like netstumbler to sample the range of the access point and test if the signal "bleeds" out to public areas

[c0mm0n]

I mentionned it's been change by dlink with same result ; i've been discussing this issue with at least 10 owners that reported same troubles , actually the only reson i see to explain these divergent opinions is that rev C which is sold in ths us is "muche better" than rev B sold in europe...

I'm not the kind of people who gonna say my device is broken, doesn't work good all are, but it's really not the case for the products i've mentionned (zyxel dlink and linksys) ones).

Well to come back to the authoir's request, our chat may learn him chossing a router isn't something that should be made quiclky and he may check user feedback in his comparisons.

c0mm0n

[c0mm0n]

->jhrubin : are u sure it's wap ? and not wep or wpa ? :p

[jherubin]

Originally posted by c0mm0n
->jhrubin : are u sure it's wap ? and not wep or wpa ? :p

Oooppps...yeah, fixed it...thanks!!

Had a bad flashback of a programming nightmare using wap. Yikes...:)

[jumpyg]

However, some DLink models use a very low decibel antenna. So if you have a large house placement of the access point may be a factor.
Actually, this was a large factor in my decision to buy the DLink.
In CNet's lab tests, it was second only to the Netgear in range.
CNet compares wireless routers (http://reviews.cnet.com/D_Link_DI_624_AirPlus_Xtreme_G_router/4505-3319_7-20817312-4.html?tag=review)

PC magazine just gave a good rating to the DLink:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,1435739,00.asp

PCWorld was not as kind, however:
http://pcworld.com/reviews/article/0,aid,112866,pg,1,00.asp

[msurtees]

Good stuff. The more input from folks the better.

(still awaiting the TH55...drooling every day with all the pics showing up!)

Take care everyone!

[jherubin]

Originally posted by jumpyg

Actually, this was a large factor in my decision to buy the DLink.
In CNet's lab tests, it was second only to the Netgear in range.
CNet compares wireless routers (http://reviews.cnet.com/D_Link_DI_624_AirPlus_Xtreme_G_router/4505-3319_7-20817312-4.html?tag=review)


That's good to know since range can be important to a lot of people.

I did say SOME models though. DLink was one of the first to start marketing some really low cost routers. Many speculate it was the low range antenna that allowed then to cut cost on some models.

Thanks....!

[Icthus]

Netgear MR814 (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00006HYKM/ref=ase_rasputinj-20/104-0339332-2275951?v=glance&s=electronics) for a grand total of $25 (if order by 29 Feb) and less than 10 minutes to set up (from time package arrives to beign fully set up and operational). Very cheap, very easy, and it works.

[DfuzionTeK]

LOL icthus, I was reading at the bottom of your post and saw the IYAAYAS. And in the back of mind I knew I heard or seen it somewhere. As an ex A-10 avionics tech, I remembered seeing the IYAAYAS out on the flightline. Ahh those were the glory days.....

But anyhow, I bough the Linksys BEFW11S4 wireless router and WUSB11 wireless usb adapter kit from sams club. It cost 79.99 and it a breeze to set up and it works flawlessly. It is not the fastest on the market but it suites my need. Think about it. Unless you have an ultra high speed internet access (11Mbs+) or need to connect multiple pc's within your network for high speed purposes like gaming or intensive file transfers. You probably don't need the G. IMO

[mdlsimpson]

I've been using a D-Link Bluetooth USB adaptor for my UX50 and it is terrific to be able to sync wirelessly, but since the TH55 does not have BT, Wifi is my next option... but I don't have broadband/cable, I only have dial up.... is there a router available that would allow me to use the TH55 to not only sync but to also connect to the internet using dialup (although it is SLOW)?? And if the internet option is a no go, can I use a router just to wirelessly sync?

[c0mm0n]

you may look for wifi routers with com ports connectable to serial dialup modems ; you'll be able to sync and browse over wifi using the dialup

[jhintonh]

Good Evening-

Here's my entry into the foray. I have been successfully using two Siemens Speedstream 2624 wireless routers for six months now. I am not proficent at WiFi-ese, but this product was very simple to set up.

At my office, I was out sick one day and someone got the bright idea to allow the computer tech to install new network hardware. I guess he did not have anything else to do that day. He swapped out the trusty Speedstream 2624 with the NetGear model mentioned above (MR814) and nothing worked again until I made him put the Speedstream back into service.  Coincidentally he performed this "return to working status" service on his last day of gainful employment at my firm.

As a sidebar, these devices are notoriously tricksy, as Gollum would say. My brother has two Speedstream 2624's and both have been trouble free. However, my brother-in-law had one and he claimed it was nothing but trouble and rubbish (it should be mentioned though that he is a "fat-fingered tinkerer"). Assuming that my brother-in-law truly had issues with the hardware and not an instance of PICNIC (Problem In Chair Not In Computer), there can be lemons amongst the best hardware. Having said that, the score for Speedstream is still 4 to 1 (four good units to one bad unit). That is pretty good, nearing excellent in my book.

The bonus is that the Speedstream is very inexpensive ($25) and uses a universal antenna jack so that you can buy a nice Hawkings Antenna ($29) to boost that signal.

These are just my opinions and experiences.

-Jhintonh

P.S. If my brother-in-law is reading this, you know you have thick, clumsy hand digits, my friend. Do not deny it. :) ;)

[Tarugo]

Originally posted by jumpyg

Actually, this was a large factor in my decision to buy the DLink.
In CNet's lab tests, it was second only to the Netgear in range.
CNet compares wireless routers (http://reviews.cnet.com/D_Link_DI_624_AirPlus_Xtreme_G_router/4505-3319_7-20817312-4.html?tag=review)

PC magazine just gave a good rating to the DLink:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,1435739,00.asp

PCWorld was not as kind, however:
http://pcworld.com/reviews/article/0,aid,112866,pg,1,00.asp


Those are 2 different DI-624's reviewed there, my friend. CNET reviewed the newest one with the latest firmware (single antenna, C1 hardware, and 2.28 firmware) and PCWorld and PCMag the old one. Here's a link showing the difference between the 2:

http://reviews.cnet.com/D_Link_DI_624_AirPlus_Xtreme_G_router/4505-3319_7-20817312-2.html?tag=review

Anyway, the newest one rocks. I have setup all sorts of security and played around with it. Definitely can support VPN, WEP, WPA, VNC, MAC filters with no problem. You just have to know how to set it up. The latest one even has a setup wizard and newbies will be able to use it in minutes. A high rating from so many people who have tried this router says it all. I have had zero problems with it and it is highly customizable. Based on my opinion and very good reviews from many others, get this router and you will not be disappointed.

[jumpyg]

Those are 2 different DI-624's reviewed there, my friend.
Thanks for the clarification. Why don't they use different model numbers? That's not very confusing. ;)

[Mark29]

I appreciate this thread a lot as I'm ready to set up a WiFi network as well. Regarding the D-Link 624, supposing the unit comes with the older firmware could it be flash upgraded?

Mark

[Tarugo]

The firmware is a free download at their website. It is possible and should be done to make use of its full capabilities.

[Ras Thavas]

I also have the Dlink Di-624 super G router. It works great, have 3 pc's hard wired to it, one laptop using the wireless lan, and now my TH-55. Not a single problem. Perhaps the other poster had a defective unit?

[jumpyg]

I also just purchased the DLink DI-624. I only have my TH55 networked, but that works great. It was easy to set up once I realized that the Clie's PowerSaverMode is worthless.

[PCMaven]

I also have the DI-624 and now have the TH55 connected to it in addition to my 2 hardwired PCs, my Wife's work laptop and my laptop when I need to bring it in the house...It's really nice to check my e-mail on the TH55 when I'm in another room in the house!