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geekhack Community => Off Topic => Topic started by: Trent on Sat, 04 May 2013, 21:33:09

Title: Good routers to buy?
Post by: Trent on Sat, 04 May 2013, 21:33:09: Hey all, I'm curious to see if anyone has any particular stance on solid routers to buy. I've used the same Linksys WRT54G router for ages (I think its around 7 years old?). It is the original router they designed DD-WRT to run on, and it is currently running the micro version of it.

The problem really relates to CPU usage. I live with two other people, and between the three of us, bit torrent, netflix and the fact that I host a personal site out of our home, the CPU usage is off the charts. In fact so much that simply me running Netflix with the other two girls active, causes the CPU usage to be around 70%.

I like Cisco/Linksys for routers. I have a d-link and net gear switch that I use for my own setup. I'm interested in suggestions for a newer router that supports the full version of DD-WRT (voip, the works, etc). If any of you have had any BAD experiences with routers (warranties, etc). Please let me know too!

Trent
Title: Re: Good routers to buy?
Post by: SmallFry on Sat, 04 May 2013, 21:49:04: I just suggested a Ubiquiti to my dad via a few friends that use them. Their Picostation is made to go outside, and I get signal ALL the way around my house. We had a DD-WRT router, and we were having horrible uptime with the amount of traffic we were pulling down. I'm surprised your's didn't crash. Their routers don't support DD-WRT, but they are fairly nice for what I use them for.
Title: Re: Good routers to buy?
Post by: Trent on Sat, 04 May 2013, 21:59:53: Quote from: SmallFry on Sat, 04 May 2013, 21:49:04
I'm surprised your's didn't crash. Their routers don't support DD-WRT, but they are fairly nice for what I use them for.

I'm surprised too. This thing is ANCIENT, and its had 80% constant CPU usage for most of its life. In the dd-wrt settings I can over clock the router, I'm thinking of doing this but only when I know I have a backup router ready in place when it goes BZZZZZt.

I had never heard of that router company, their products look good I'm going to have to take them into consideration.
Title: Re: Good routers to buy?
Post by: jdcarpe on Sat, 04 May 2013, 23:16:42: I've had success with a D-Link DIR-615. Not that there's a whole lot of traffic on my network, but it works great for me.
Title: Re: Good routers to buy?
Post by: SmallFry on Sat, 04 May 2013, 23:24:31: (http://www.provenwoodworking.com/images/dewalt-618pk.jpg)
Dewalt.
Title: Re: Good routers to buy?
Post by: Input Nirvana on Sat, 04 May 2013, 23:56:25: Quote from: SmallFry on Sat, 04 May 2013, 23:24:31
Show Image
(http://www.provenwoodworking.com/images/dewalt-618pk.jpg)

Dewalt.

Dude, you should seriously go on the road and do nightclubs. $20 and a 2 drink minimum. I'd go see ya.
Title: Re: Good routers to buy?
Post by: SmallFry on Sun, 05 May 2013, 01:34:38: I'm still underage though
Title: Re: Good routers to buy?
Post by: Input Nirvana on Sun, 05 May 2013, 01:56:03: The best performers of all time are well known to have snuck into smokey dive bars with hoodlums, prostitutes that took them under their wing, and notorious club owners out to make a buck, and eating ketchup to survive.

It will be one hell of a story. The Smallfry Story.

Doooo iiiiiiiiit.
Title: Re: Good routers to buy?
Post by: tp4tissue on Sun, 05 May 2013, 03:32:07: Expensive routers are never worth it.. they tack on features that you'll NEVER use.. and the "thing-that-matters" latency and thorough-put most often runs inverse to the amount of "extra-features" they implement.

If you're not running an illegal bot net.. Any $20 router will be more than enough.
Title: Re: Good routers to buy?
Post by: davkol on Sun, 05 May 2013, 03:42:38: Quote from: tp4tissue on Sun, 05 May 2013, 03:32:07
Expensive routers are never worth it.. they tack on features that you'll NEVER use.. and the "thing-that-matters" latency and thorough-put most often runs inverse to the amount of "extra-features" they implement.

Define "expensive router". I wouldn't go cheaper than TL-WR1043ND for my primary router. Stuff better than that is mostly about durability/stability for me.

Quote from: tp4tissue on Sun, 05 May 2013, 03:32:07
If you're not running an illegal bot net.. Any $20 router will be more than enough.

I've heard Teensy is extremely useful for penetration testing and simulation of DDoS attacks.
Title: Re: Good routers to buy?
Post by: Trent on Sun, 05 May 2013, 04:09:56: Quote from: davkol on Sun, 05 May 2013, 03:42:38
I've heard Teensy is extremely useful for penetration testing and simulation of DDoS attacks.

I've designed software for them. They work very good as flash drives with an embedded virus.

The rasberry pi is good for hot drops at organizations, as a backdoor (if it works). SSH access, running vuln scans through them, VPN etc.

Quote from: tp4tissue on Sun, 05 May 2013, 03:32:07
If you're not running an illegal bot net.. Any $20 router will be more than enough.

If I was to be running a bot net I'd be smart, and using a host in a foreign country with lax (or nonexistant) computer crime laws...
Title: Re: Good routers to buy?
Post by: davkol on Sun, 05 May 2013, 04:48:48: Quote from: Trent on Sun, 05 May 2013, 04:09:56
Quote from: davkol on Sun, 05 May 2013, 03:42:38
I've heard Teensy is extremely useful for penetration testing and simulation of DDoS attacks.

I've designed software for them. They work very good as flash drives with an embedded virus.

That's a completely different kind of use, though.
Title: Re: Good routers to buy?
Post by: Trent on Sun, 05 May 2013, 10:25:54: Quote from: davkol on Sun, 05 May 2013, 04:48:48
Quote from: Trent on Sun, 05 May 2013, 04:09:56
Quote from: davkol on Sun, 05 May 2013, 03:42:38
I've heard Teensy is extremely useful for penetration testing and simulation of DDoS attacks.

I've designed software for them. They work very good as flash drives with an embedded virus.

That's a completely different kind of use, though.

Let's get back on topic shall we?
Title: Re: Good routers to buy?
Post by: Malphas on Sun, 05 May 2013, 11:36:42: Get a DrayTek.
Title: Re: Good routers to buy?
Post by: The_Beast on Sun, 05 May 2013, 11:39:59: Quote from: SmallFry on Sat, 04 May 2013, 23:24:31
Show Image
(http://www.provenwoodworking.com/images/dewalt-618pk.jpg)

Dewalt.

I'm a fan of Milwaukee routers, they even have a signal strength indicator
(http://www.northerntool.com/images/product/images/m0050_lg.jpg)

Anyways, dumb jokes aside, I love my Netgear router. Plus it can be flashed with better firmware, but honestly, the default one was good enough for me so I never flashed it.
Title: Re: Good routers to buy?
Post by: bavman on Mon, 06 May 2013, 08:31:28: I have a netgear wnr3500 right now that my home network runs on, out of the box is not that great, main bad thing is that it crashes on heavy bandwhich, but with tomato its awesome and has no problems, didn't use dd-wrt because it suffers with slow wlan speeds with that firmware for some reason.

It also has a big brother (3700) if you need extra features like dual band, higher wlan speeds, etc.
Title: Re: Good routers to buy?
Post by: The_Beast on Mon, 06 May 2013, 10:33:49: Quote from: bavman on Mon, 06 May 2013, 08:31:28
I have a netgear wnr3500 right now that my home network runs on, out of the box is not that great, main bad thing is that it crashes on heavy bandwhich, but with tomato its awesome and has no problems, didn't use dd-wrt because it suffers with slow wlan speeds with that firmware for some reason.

It also has a big brother (3700) if you need extra features like dual band, higher wlan speeds, etc.

I'm pretty sure I have the 3700 with N wireless, it's a good router like I said above. Out of the box it's good enough not to flash to a new firmware
Title: Re: Good routers to buy?
Post by: bavman on Mon, 06 May 2013, 10:40:17: Mine was bad when I tried to use a torrent client. It would crash or something and the wlan/LAN would become unusable unless you reset the router. I've had nothing but pleasant experiences with tomato when I flashed it.
Title: Re: Good routers to buy?
Post by: Trent on Mon, 06 May 2013, 13:59:41: Hmm strange.

I'm thinking about this one http://www.flashrouters.com/routers/brands/cisco-linksys/cisco-linksys-e4200-ddwrt-router (http://www.flashrouters.com/routers/brands/cisco-linksys/cisco-linksys-e4200-ddwrt-router)

Although I'll buy refurb for $80 direct from Linsys/Cisco and flash dd-wrt myself.

****, I may just break down and buy an enterprise grade Cisco ASA. I have some older legacy routers I'd use but sadly they're got a billion CVEs posted for them since they're from about 1997.
Title: Re: Good routers to buy?
Post by: digi on Mon, 06 May 2013, 15:28:53: Quote from: jdcarpe on Sat, 04 May 2013, 23:16:42
I've had success with a D-Link DIR-615. Not that there's a whole lot of traffic on my network, but it works great for me.

I actually have the same router, picked it up for $20 on black Friday a few years ago. Not using the wireless on it, have a Cisco WAP for WiFi.
Title: Re: Good routers to buy?
Post by: TreeSc2 on Thu, 09 May 2013, 15:46:07: Sometimes the routers that are not priced too high are the best, as far as im concerned I think the cheaper they are the better off. I know people who spent 100's on a router and it died within the year they bought it.