Wireless Router deal

[gaboumafou]

Hello!

This is my first post on RFD, but I'm a long-time lurker.

I am searching for a good deal on a wireless router. I really don't know a lot on the subject, but I've been told to look for "N-300" ones (does that make sense?).

I don't make an heavy use of wireless internet, it's mostly online play and download on my consoles / iPod touch. My computer would be connected by cable.

If possible, I would prefer to buy in-store, or from an online retailer with free/cheap shipping. I live in Montreal, Qc. I would also prefer to not have to deal with mail-in-rebates or things like that, but that's a given! :P

I already searching a bit in the forums, and I found prices ranging from 15$ to 100$, but I don't really know which one is a good deal, or a good-quality router.

Right now I'm looking at this one, which is around 25$ with shipping and taxes, but I don't really know if Retail Plus is a trustable brand, and if the router would suit my needs:
http://ncix.com/products/?sku=67553



Many thanks, and sorry for the long 1st post! :)

[JonJubeTube]

Before buying anything, call up your ISP and see if they will send you one for free. Many will.

[gaboumafou]

Before buying anything, call up your ISP and see if they will send you one for free. Many will.

Thanks. I e-mailed Distributel about this, but I doubt they do since I did'nt find anything about them giving wireless routers (I found out other ISPs do, but nothing for Distributel).

[dirkpitt]

I've never heard of the "Retail Plus" brand that you've suggested, and from my experience you will want to be sure that the router is reliable, secure and well supported.

The most common and reputable brands that come to my mind are D-Link, Cisco/Linksys, and ASUS.

The D-Link DIR-655 (http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX15586) is popular with many who find that it is easy to set up and provides excellent service, but it runs about $80 although can be found cheaper on occasion. It also includes 1000Mb/s LAN. Personally, I found their firmware and support severely lacking, but I have a very complex network at home--but others find the DIR-655 to be rock solid.

Another favourite is the Linksys WRT54G (for custom firmware), although it doesn't appear to be sold anymore. I believe that the Linksys E1200 (http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX33847)might be the closest comparable product. It only has 10/100 LAN though. This likely isn't an issue for most, and the $65 price tag is pretty good.

I am running an ASUS N-16 (http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX27427) as my main router at home, but I'm running customized DD-WRT firmware. Don't worry about what it is, it probably isn't for you. ASUS provides great hardware, but their firmware was lacking.

I agree with JonJubeTube; nowadays cable providers frequently include a wireless router (or built-in wireless capability) with their modems. I'm not sure about your ISP, sorry. It doesn't hurt to ask, or an even quicker check would be to check the model of your cable/DSL modem and see if it includes wireless capability. Mine does, although I am not using it.

Finally, if you do purchase, try to buy locally vs. on the Internet. Not a big issue, but when you're looking at no-name brands like "Retail Plus" you're going to want to read up on the return policy, and RMA-ing online purchases can get sticky fast.

[ds2chan]

I think before anybody can suggest a router you should tell us if you live in a home or an apartment/condo. The price will definitely be cheaper for routers with less signal strength that are meant to be used in apartments/condos.

+1 on D-Link, Ciso/Linksys, and ASUS routers. Well, for me I would lean more towards D-Link or Cisco/Linksys.


EDIT: The "N-300" that you mentioned means wireless N and 300 Mbps. I would agree to get one with those specs as well.

EDIT 2: For an apartment/condo, the D-Link DIR-615 should be sufficient -> Canada Computers (http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=27_1046_365&item_id=016021) | NCIX (http://www.ncix.com/products/?sku=26528&vpn=DIR-615&manufacture=D-Link&promoid=1211)

[gaboumafou]

I live in an appartment, and all my consoles/wireless devices would be just a few feets away from the router, so short range is not a problem for me. I just don't feel like having CAT5 cables all over the place. As long as the connection is fast enough and doesn't cut, that's okay for me!

Many thanks to those who answered. If anybody have a great deal to suggest, that would be very welcomed! :)

[gaboumafou]

The D-Link DIR-615 seems perfect for what I need. Any deal to get it for less than 40$ ? Otherwise I might get it on Amazon.ca or in-store at FutureShop for 40$.

[gaboumafou]

Would it be worth it to shell out 20$ more for something like this?

http://forums.redflagdeals.com/dell-netgear-wnr3500l-gigabit-wireless-n-300mbps-59-99-dd-wrt-tomato-compatible-1158819/?prefixid=Comp9

Or is the D-Link DIR-615 at 40$ a better deal for what I need?

Oh, and btw, I received a response from Distributel, and they don't give routers.



(sorry for the 3 posts in a row. Is this prohibited here?)

[dirkpitt]

For your current needs, the $40 unit will be just fine. So, if price is a concern save yourself $10.

On the other hand, if you're looking further down the road and expecting a more complex networking situation within the next 2-3 years (given that you'll likely replace it after that), the Netgear definitely sounds as if it's a more robust solution.

[gaboumafou]

Update:

I finally got the D-Link DIR-615 as suggested, and... I would not recommend it to anyone else. The installation disc kept crashing (not a big deal, I installed it manually), my wireless connection constantly loses the internet every few minutes (can't play more than a couple of online games on my 3DS without a connection error), I had to mess with the security settings to be able to connect my PS3 (a known bug with the router, according to a Google search)...

So yeah, I am not impressed at all, and I'm thinking of returning it...

[dirkpitt]

Sorry to hear that the D-Link didn't work out for you--I've had similar experiences, although I wasn't as quick to isolate that it was just the router, and not settings, firmware, other equipment in my network.

If it's possible, I recommend returning it. And getting something other than Delink. ;-)

[gaboumafou]

It might be the settings; I tried a few things without success, but I'm not really an expert in networking...

However, my wireless connection was working correctly with my other router before it fried, so I know it's not a modem/ISP problem.