Post by: Gary S on August 14, 2008, 09:59:56 AM
I've been using a D-Link #Dl 604 hardwired router for years without problems but now I need a wireless
router for a notebook-a Macbook Pro running 10.5.
I'm with Charter communications and I'll be calling them soon and don't know if I'll hit a customer service
person who knows much so I thought I'd ask TS first and I can get some advice from those of you who have Mac
experience.
One question I have is can I use 2 routers...one hardwired and one wireless. I have one ethernet line that presently
runs into my D-Link router and then connects to 2 Macs and it works so great I hate to fool around with it.
My son changed his mind and is going to college here in town at U of Wisconsin Stevens Point and uses the
Macbook Pro. He's whining he needs wireless. What to do?!!
Any suggestions or comments are appreciated. TIA
Post by: Bruce_F on August 14, 2008, 10:21:16 AM
My son preferred to get the AirPort Express Base Station with 802.11n and AirTunes.
Post by: daryl66 on August 14, 2008, 11:54:40 AM
QUOTE(Gary S @ Aug 14 2008, 09:59 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I've been using a D-Link #Dl 604 hardwired router for years without problems
One question I have is can I use 2 routers...one hardwired and one wireless.
One question I have is can I use 2 routers...one hardwired and one wireless.
Gary: I have been using a D-Link Dl-524 wireless router for over 3 years and it has never once even burped. I can access it from anyplace in the house.(IPod touch and or G4 PB) It has 4 Ethernet hardwire ports in addition to the wireless, I think it cost about 60 bucks.
Don't know the answer re the 2 routers question.
Daryl
Post by: Gary S on August 14, 2008, 02:18:38 PM
Airport Extreme seems a bit of overkill for this house.
The D-Link Dl-524 wireless router sounds good. I'll look into it. I was just at Best Buy and I think They had something similar.
Do you know if it works with the Apple wireless card in the new Macbook Pros offhand ?
Thanks again.
Post by: Xairbusdriver on August 14, 2008, 03:24:02 PM
I'll admit the above is pretty much from memory, haven't used a wired router for a couple of years...
Post by: RNKIII on August 14, 2008, 05:48:08 PM
I initially had an ethernet router for connection to the web, primarily for it's built in firewall... (This being some time ago before OSx)...
Then when we went wireless, I just added the Air Port Extreme on behind the other router. But I noticed that the speed off the Air Port was down significantly. I talked to an Apple service rep. here in town and he told me to get rid of the first router, as having them connected in tandem dropped internet speeds by up to 30%.
I did that and have always had great speed through put and no firewall problems since....
My suggestion is to NOT run multiple routers in tandem... YMMV
Bob K. rnkiii
Post by: Paddy on August 14, 2008, 06:45:14 PM
Obviously, your mileage may vary - others here have had no problems using third party routers. They're certainly not difficult to configure - they just weren't reliable in my experience. I even had issues with the WIRED portion of a wireless router in the end - and that was what finally sent me 'round the bend, as my G5 is always hard-wired.
Post by: chriskleeman on August 14, 2008, 10:40:09 PM
Pretty much all Apple Base stations, all the time. Have had Netgear, Linksys, all had problems at some point, Apple Extreme has never failed me (knock on wood!). And the newer ones give you more options than the version I have.
Just one more opinion.
Chris K
Post by: Mayo on August 15, 2008, 11:17:31 AM
Post by: sandyman on August 15, 2008, 11:57:30 AM
1) I was given one free
2) It can run DD-WRT
I'm sure the Airport Extreme is a nice piece of kit but I would be hard pressed to justify paying nearly double for something which does the same job.
Sandy
Post by: Xairbusdriver on August 15, 2008, 02:02:41 PM
QUOTE
I would be hard pressed to justify paying nearly double for something which does the same job.
Sounds like we need to rush a transfusion of Apple colored blood across the seas! 
In all honesty, I suspect that "Apple" doesn't actually build these routers. They for sure design them and add certain bits of ROM to make things more compatible with their computers, But I suspect they are produced in the same foreign factories that Linksys, NetGear, etc. are also made.
The fact is, Apple does a few things to assure that the hardware works well with Apple's hardware. The others don't do that. YMMV.
Post by: RHPConsult on August 15, 2008, 02:28:04 PM
Years ago I had – courtesy of my eldest's Windoze (sob) bias –a NetGear ethernet router, to which we later added several PowerLine "repeaters" not the correct term.
It was pluperfect hell getting NetGear's South Asia tech "support" to understand I was over my head, but we finally got them working.
When wireless came along I went with the AEBS/"Yurt" and when the latest square-box w/11n appeared I got it because of the USB port. Best decision I ever made. We have the AEBS (in our office) + an Apple Express (in our 50+' distant breakfast room next to the kitchen w/microwave and wireless phone) for perfect coverage. When I leave town, I take the Express to turn hotel rooms with cable modems into a personal hotspot for greatwire;ess results.
If you're interested, I think I still have that "Yurt" (which Mayo called a Flying Saucer, take yur choice) stored around the house somewhere. You cold have it for the shipping, if you'd like. I think you'd be glad you did. Send me an e-missive.
Post by: sandyman on August 16, 2008, 10:56:00 AM
QUOTE(Xairbusdriver @ Aug 15 2008, 08:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE
I would be hard pressed to justify paying nearly double for something which does the same job.
Sounds like we need to rush a transfusion of Apple colored blood across the seas! In all honesty, I suspect that "Apple" doesn't actually build these routers. They for sure design them and add certain bits of ROM to make things more compatible with their computers, But I suspect they are produced in the same foreign factories that Linksys, NetGear, etc. are also made.
The fact is, Apple does a few things to assure that the hardware works well with Apple's hardware. The others don't do that. YMMV.
I don't think the transfusion would agree with all the pills I have to take
QUOTE
The fact is, Apple does a few things to assure that the hardware works well with Apple's hardware. The others don't do that
Unless you need Appletalk, like Mayo, or a "Wizard" style setup there's not much else that Apple can do to Tweak things.
OS X is based on FreeBSD and uses it's TCP/IP stack, indeed many of the routers out there are based on FreeBSD. So it all comes down to routing data and that is the same whichever OS is involved (lets not get into too much theory, please
)IIRC at one time even Microsoft used the FreeBSD stack as well, although they never actually admitted it
Sandy
Post by: sandbox on August 16, 2008, 02:20:44 PM
I choose to use 5.8 ghz phones so I use 2.4 ghz routers. Yes they are slower than 5.8 but with MiMo you can stream video pretty well.
I've used Netgear WGR614 from a suggestion thay Kelly made years ago 2003? the router still works perfectly today.
I have been given other routers or found them at Flee Markets or Yard Sales to test and give away through the years.
Like sandyman, I recommend Netgear to my friends and associates or people who inquire online.
They have a large variety to choose from, some with USB sockets for printer servers. FWG114P
or the WGPS606 which I happen to be using right now.
They have great range and reliability with a good software package that pretty much setup themselves and their security configurations are simple to understand.
They are competitively priced, starting at $40.00 including shipping. http://www.amazon.com/Netgear-WGR614-Wirel...r/dp/B00008SCFL
If you want a fast router or more bandwidth look at a Wireless N for $69.00
WNR2000 YOUTUBE
Post by: Gary S on August 23, 2008, 10:14:58 AM
I will digest all this and make a decision although that older Airport RHP has laying around sounds
like a good answer.