[GTALUG] Wireless routers

Giles Orr gilesorr at gmail.com
Tue Jun 21 08:58:23 EDT 2016


On 20 June 2016 at 15:59, o1bigtenor via talk <talk at gtalug.org> wrote:
> Greetings
>
> I stock a second router so that if any garbage happens that I can
> switch in a second machine.
>
> Started this because I managed to get a second (identical router) to
> what I was using.
> Things have moved on and the ASUS RT-N16 is no longer that available
> (and one item died after 4 years of use) and is now somewhat to the
> back of the pack for performance. I am running DD-WRT and finding that
> I can, so far at least, get done what I need to do. Am looking for
> recommendations for routers available today that are what this RT-N16
> was 4 years ago without breaking the bank. Looking for wireless for a
> small business/home (area 75 m by 100 m - multiple buildings) and a 4
> port hard wire connection system. I'm not sure really even what to
> look for. Was suggested to me to stay away from Broadcom products as
> they aren't very open source friendly but am looking for suggestions
> from whomever for a good quality long term usable wireless router.
>
> TIA

You mentioned DD-WRT.  I'm a fan of OpenWRT, and would recommend their
buying guide: https://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/buyerguide .  Although to
be entirely honest it's not that great, but it may help.  I choose my
routers after finding out what Canada Computers has available, then
looking at OpenWRT's table of supported hardware and ensuring it isn't
one of the routers that requires you to crack it open to get at the
JTAG headers or anything like that - ie. the OpenWRT install is easy.
So look for the equivalent documentation for DD-WRT, do a lot of
reading, and be particularly aware that if you get a router branded
for the American market (always a possibility in Canada) that it may
have the firmware locked - although OpenWRT has apparently already
found a way around that for most routers.  Do your reading!

-- 
Giles
http://www.gilesorr.com/
gilesorr at gmail.com


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