list of best router makes?

hello,
i want to replace my bt home hub with somthing more reliable.
i will want to plug the bt home hub in to the back on the new router so i can still use the voip functions of the bt home hub.
so far ive looked at
linksys
netgear
us robotics
ZyXEL

i found this bundle
http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/ProductInfo.asp?WebProductID=463688
looks good for the price.
are ZyXEL routers good?
can i change the dns settings in the Prestige 660HW?
i just want a cheap reliable router budget is around £40 to £65 that i can change the dns settings to opendns and can setup mac address filtering.
i can do neither of these things on the bt home hub.

im just wondering what router makes people would buy from again and which ones to avoid?
thanks in advance
lodore

 

LINKSYS, cant say anything bad about em.

 

thanks Chris for your imput.
i know that the bt voyager 2110 that i installed for my neighbour works great.
wonder if i can get Bt to send me once of those to replace the home hub?
other than the fact the voyager 2110 doesnt have the voip stuff.
so maybe i can plugged the home hub in to the voyager 2110 if they give it to me and then use the internet from the voyager 2110 and plug the home hub in to it via ethernet just for phone calls.
i hope people understand thatif not please ask me what bit yoiu dont understand
lodore

 

Best cheap router is the linksys wrt54gl

This allow you to load up alternate firmware (linux) that includes so many more options and power all in the cheap router. I use the HyperWRT Thibor firmware and it is quite nice while retaining the look of the default firmware with just more options.

Also, MAC address filtering is worthless, so I don't see why you need to enable it. If you have WPA or WPA2, it won't be broken if you have a sufficiently long passphrase, and if you have WEP (don't recommend), then MAC address filtering won't add any protection since if someone can crack WEP it will cost them 5 seconds to take the mac address from one of your pcs that was broadcasted in the air and use it for their own.

Cheers,

Alphalutra1

 

ok forget about the mac address filtering then.
but i need wep since sometimes i will need to use wep just to use my ds online then go back to wpa after i finished.
and want to be able to change dns settings to open dns.
54mb wireless is fine.
how much in £ is that linksys router?
lodore

 

Well, I did not know of the top of my head, so I used google by typing in

Code:

wrt54gl united kingdom

and the first page I got was an amazon page saying the price, for 46 quid (what a rip-off, in the united states I can get one for $50, which is around 25 quid now-adays with the crappy exchange rate which is in favor of the British (2:1 unfortunately).

Cheers,

Alphalutra1

 

here you go lodore

http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/63763

same router i have, but this is actually the next model up, as mine is a bit old now (looks exactly the same... exactly) but this has the speedbooster.

46 quid ish, but use google checkout and save a tenner off that.

 

thanks chris.
i found this at ebuyer
http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/118662
£35
wireless G for £35 seems good.
there seems to be quite a few bad reviews with some routers.
like wireless cuts out etc etc.
i need reliable wireless and wired.
linksys

 

D-Link has done well for me.

 

hang on,

you a dsl user or cable modem lodore?

use the link i gave above, if your a cable modem user.

for dsl, id recommend belkin/dlink as i havnt tried linksys on an adsl connection.

 

@chris,
I forgot to say i use BT ADSL
I will look at dlink and belkin.
i have found a dlink 108mb super g router for £45
woops its only a router not a modem/router.
that would be pointless since the home hub would still be used and still drop connection alot.
lodore

 

Please don't make the mistake of getting the Linksys GS model and cheating yourself out of using Linux 3rd-party software. The "Speed Booster technology" of the GS model is a gimmick, by and large, and it's not worth the trade-off IMO.
What Alphalutra1 said, go with the WRT54GL, use Tomato/DD-WRT/Thibor Linux software and you'll have options that will make you smile.

 

thanks Coolwaterblue.
are the Tomato/DD-WRT/Thibor firmware easy to setup for my Bt adsl connection?
is the WRT54GL a router or router/modem?
I need a router/modem.
i dont really want to have to buy a modem as well so one device would be better.
i just need to find the cheapest price for one now.
so far this is the cheapest link
http://www.broadbandstuff.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=618
lodore

 

The other brand that I like and use - with DD-WRT firmware - is Buffalo Technology. As with any brand, evaluate specific model compatibility if third party firmware is an objective (it has been for me).

Blue

 

Hi Blue,
do you know if you can run any opensource firmware on this buffalo router?
Buffalo WBMR-KG54
its around £40 with bulti in adsl2 modem and a free dongle.
lodore

 

The WRT54GL is not a DSL modem, you'll need one - I thought you were just replacing a hub
Anyway, this place has one even cheaper:
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=NW-052-LS&tool=3

IMO, you'd do well to grab a cheap DSL modem and still go with the GL - the firmware upgrades are painless (less than a minute usually), and you can pick and choose which one suits you best.

Here are a few links which may be of interest in the event you do decide on the GL:
http://www.epinions.com/content_262013030020
http://www.gadgetophile.com/adsl-routing-solution-in-detail/

 

Hi,

I read someone that Linksys is slowly dropping embedded linux in some of its routers, I will try and dig the info out, but this is for existing models, only difference is a revision number. The other think Linksys has done, is reduced the amount or memory on certain models, so that you can't use the fully featured firmware like DD-WRT.

eg WRT54G - V4

http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Linksys_WRT54G/GL/GS/GX

I had over heating problems with my Linksys router, I replaced it with a Belkin which has all the features I need and has been 3 years 100% reliable now.

They are generally good, but its worth looking on http://www.dd-wrt.com because certain models and revisions are known to be problematic (like i got an infamous overheating revision).

I've had good experience of netgear and dlink routers.

 

Since it's a modem router, I'd say unlikely...

Blue

 

I used to use Linksys but switched to D-link. Never looked back since, D-link in my opinion and experience is the superior router with a much more configurable firewall. presently useing a D-link DI-604

 

thanks for the responses so far.
i will have a look at dlink,belkin and netgear.
@Coolwaterblue,
seems i worded it wrong.
i am only replacing the BT home hub.
the Bt homb hub is a combine modem.router.
the other problem is the cordless dect phone is plugged in to the back of the homehub for free evening and weekend phone calls.
is it possible to plug the home hub in to the back of the new router via ethernet?
this is so i can still use the home hub for the free evening and weekend phone calls but without the home hub supplying the internet.

how come every website has like 5 good reviews and 2 bad reviews for every single router?
lodore

 

My choice: http://www.avm.de/en/press/announcements/2006/2006_11_16.php3?linkident=mehr

 

Lodore, you would certainly be able to use your "dect phone" via ethernet connection with the WRT54GL for VoIP calls.
As far as Linksys routers overheating - not an issue with the GL, and it will accept newer versions of DD-WRT firmware (including VoIP), although Thibor's HyperWRT firmware has better features IMO.
The WRT54GL is a rare find in today's world - it's just a rock-solid, stable, highly-configurable piece of hardware with outstanding 3rd-party firmware support and a true bargain.

 

Um, iptables is a lot more configurable then whatever is in the d-link, trust me

However, we all know it doesn't match pf, but that is another story

Cheers,

Alphalutra1

 

looks nice gerardwil
i have seen it before but its £130 and i cant afford one.
if i had the cash i would buy a draytek vigor2800
but i cant afford £150 just for a router/modem lol.
http://www.draytek.co.uk/products/vigor2800.html
lodore

 

are you sure??