Need to replace cranky router

[Blueshard]

Hello,

I have a old $40 Netgear wireless router and it has been dropping devices like mad. I have to constantly unplug the Ethernet device and let DHCP reassign an ip address when I plug it back in. I am looking for a good wireless router that has excellent stability and good configuration options. Do you have any recommendations.

I currently have a satlite, tv, xbox, wii,3 laptops, pc, printer, ps3, and 2 iphones connected to the network at any given time. Of these devices, 6 possibly 7 are wireless.

Thank you for your time.

 

[eibgrad]

Sometimes these consumer-grade routers just get old and become unreliable. The components are cheap and the constant heat from 24/7/365 usage takes its too. Still, you might be able to "revive" it a bit if it's compatible w/ third party firmware (e.g., dd-wrt). Worst case, you might be able to still use it as a wireless client/repeater.

As far as a replacement router, if you haven’t noticed already, ppl don’t like to make recommendations much, probably because wireless routers are like many other technologies (HDs in particular); no matter how many ppl swear BY a given product, just as many ppl swear AT it. And a lot of that has to do w/ environmental conditions that are beyond the control of the router. We don’t even know your budget, and considering you can spend as little as $15 and as much as $150 or more for a router, that can dramatically affect your options.

Personally, I’m waiting for prices to drop further on the ASUS RT-N16, and which I’ll then install dd-wrt/tomato. It’s not the latest/greatest router (circa 2009), and only single band (2.4GHz), but I love ASUS routers as third-party firmware platforms (virtually impossible to brick). Frankly, even the stock firmware isn’t too bad.

http://www.amazon.com/RT-N16-Wireless-N-Maximum-Performance-single/dp/B00387G6R8/

The next step up (esp., if you need dual band, 2.4GHz & 5GHz) would be the ASUS RT-N66U, pretty much king of the hill in ASUS-land, but correspondingly at a kingly price.

http://www.amazon.com/Diamond-Dual-Band-Wireless-N-Router-RT-N56U/dp/B0049YQVHE/

 

[Blueshard]

Thank you for the advice. I do not mind spending $200 for a router as long as it is worth it.

 

[Blueshard]

Best answer selected by Blueshard.