What's the best Wireless Router and cable modem?

[Karmashock]

I do a lot of P2P and assorted traffic. The router and modem die on a regular basis and it's really annoying. I have a linksys WRT54G v5 router and a Terayon TJ715 modem. It could be the cabling to my house, but I the connection is very unstable when doing P2P type activity.


I'm prepared to spend upwards of 700 dollars to get this fixed... but don't want to spend more then I need to.


What do you recommend.

 

[Tmagic650]

I use a Motorola Surfboard SB-5100 Cable Modem and your Linksys WRT54G wireless router should be ok

 

[Karmashock]

is your traffic heavy? I have about 5 computers on my network half of which are wireless... network drops roughly 5 to 10 times a day.

 

[Tmagic650]

5 wired computers, 3 wireless laptops no drops

 

[Karmashock]

Well, we have similar systems. The only concrete difference appears to be our modems. Do you think my modem is at fault or do you think I might have bad cables in my area?


The issue is that the router or modem will lock up. That is the router will be unpinggable from machine on the network. Strangely, you can still often ping things like "google" or my DNS server... though the router is not pinggable once it's locked up. Most P2P programs slow down when this happens but existing communication tends to continue without a problem.

THe most noticable effect of this locking up is that webpages no longer work.

As to the modem, when it locks up you just can't get out. The router in these moments tends to be just fine but the modem won't work until it's been rebooted.



As I've said this happens roughly 5 to 10 times a day.

 

[Tmagic650]

I would definately change your modem. At least try this first, then suspect the ISP's connection to your modem for the dropping

 

[Kitch]

There is a nice little prog. that may help. Its called Network Magic, and you can download it free. It gives you 30 days free of their pro version but the pro doesnt do much, only things like auto file and printer sharing.

Anyways if you download it, you can test your internet speed, and then test your local speed and it can help diagnose problems as they arise. One of my favorite features is the network map. It shows you a picture representation of your network along with MAC, IP, CPU, RAM, windows version, etc of all the computers with network magic installed on them.

http://networkmagic.com/

 

[Karmashock]

I'll give that a try. But I'm having a hard time understanding why my router isn't being considered as a problem considering that it locks up frequently and can't be pingged when it does so...

 

[noleson]

I know this might sound like a stupid question, but have you enabled WEP or WPA encription on the router? i had a similar issue, and that helped to solve it by making it a secure connection.

 

[Karmashock]

I know this might sound like a stupid question, but have you enabled WEP or WPA encription on the router? i had a similar issue, and that helped to solve it by making it a secure connection.

Yeah, I have wpa shared key... it's funny... the wireless wouldn't even work on this router for some reason until I enabled some kind of encryption... just part of the laugh riot I've had with this piece...

 

[tipstir]

Network Magic, looks like an expensive way to go while Windows XP Pro has all of those features already..
Lot of routers go bad and some are good. Modems mostly what your Internet Cable ISP is good enough since you get it for free, but in time you pay a little each month for it.

There are good Routers and bad ones

Wired Router (DYNEX DX-E401) CABLE/DSL ROUTER) one of the best and is very inexpensive.
Wireless Router/Access Point (Buffalo WHR-HP-G54 Air Station) MIMO High Power AMP with High Gain ANT.
Don't forget the Switchs 5-8 ports more if you need it...

I run 3 wireless laptops
5 Wired Desktops
4 Wired Media MVP

12 devices in all...

 

[Samstoned]

i changed from surfboard 5100 would not reset
got a linksys runs fine
d-link wireless mimo g is fast and no disconnects on 5 machine net

 

[GameJunkie72792]

for the router, i run a linksys WRT54G, its great, it just doesnt agree with my belkin adapters all the time, i run up to 6 pcs on it no problems, network only drops about 2-3 times a day. great product! (yet im soon to upgrade to wireless n

 

[Karmashock]

what do you mean the network drops 2-3 times a day? You mean you need to reboot the router?


Sigh... I just want a router that can handle bittorrent and ed2k... as it stands I think ed2k is the bigger of the two problems... I use it mostly to find obscure files... but it KILLS my network.