Best Wireless router on a budget?

[Rxpert83]

Before I catch a lot of flak, I know I'm not going to get a great router around that $50 range, but can anyone make some suggestions? I just moved and my internet company doesn't provide wireless routers

 

[HotRoderX]

5 dollars over your budget but its one of the best routers I have used. That is A N class router, Its also Linux based so the firmware can be modified to something like DD-WRT.

Amazon.com: TP-LINK TL-WR1043ND Ultimate Wireless N Gigabit Router: Electronics

Another outstanding choice is make sure you get the GL model its also Linux based and one of the best G Class routers on the Market. Like the above it can be modified with DD-WRT.

Amazon.com: Cisco-Linksys WRT54GL Wireless-G Broadband Router: Electronics


Don't let price fool you I see 100-200 dollar routers all the time that are not worth a crap. Most the expensive Routers are just gimmicky to get you to pay extra.

 

[kevincott]

I have a Belkin N300, I think I paid around $25.

Although this unit is widely panned, once flashed to DD-WRT it has been reliable and I forget that it is there. I see forgetting your router as a positive thing.

 

[Rxpert83]

Thanks a bunch guys. Looking over those options now

 

[Rxpert83]

Amazon.com: TP-LINK TL-WR1043ND Ultimate Wireless N Gigabit Router: Electronics

I went ahead and ordered it off of amazon, and after using my Bing! search rewards got it for $35 with free 2 day shipping!

Thanks for the help everyone!


Since I'm addicted to flashing things on my android, I'm gonna have to get the stuff you guys mentioned on it. Which one of these do I need to download?
Supported by
Description Filename Date Size
TP-Link WR1043ND v1.1/v1.4 Firmware: Special image for initial flashing factory-to-ddwrt.bin 2010-08-09 7,69 MB
TP-Link WR1043ND v1.1/v1.4 Firmware: Webflash image tl-wr1043nd-webflash.bin 2010-08-09 7,69 MB

 

[HotRoderX]

You wanna use this one

TP-Link WR1043ND v1.1/v1.4 Firmware: Special image for initial flashing factory-to-ddwrt.bin 2010-08-09 7,69 MB

That allows you to flash it to DD-WRT for the first time.

if you ever need to revert back to stock firmware you can download the file off that forum. They do require you to sign up for a free account before you can see the link.

DD-WRT Forum :: View topic - Files for reverting from DD-WRT to STOCK FIRMWARE



That unlocks everything literally they have tons of Tutorials to look thought

Tutorials - DD-WRT Wiki

Just a heads up when configuring it make sure you set it up for the proper country because it will allow you to broadcast on illegal channels.

 

[MacFett]

Amazon.com: Cisco-Linksys WRT54GL Wireless-G Broadband Router: Electronics

A lot of the reviews and such I'm reading about this and other Cicso routers is not very favorable, they updated the firmware to lock you out of your router locally forcing you to use cloud services to manage your router and also logging net usage.

I would avoid this even if there is an alternate firmware.

I have been looking for a new router myself and the first one linked I think is just what will fit my needs. And it is $48 and change today and Prime eligible.

 

[Rxpert83]

I got the first one linked as well. Should be here Friday

 

[HotRoderX]

A lot of the reviews and such I'm reading about this and other Cicso routers is not very favorable, they updated the firmware to lock you out of your router locally forcing you to use cloud services to manage your router and also logging net usage.

I would avoid this even if there is an alternate firmware.

I have been looking for a new router myself and the first one linked I think is just what will fit my needs. And it is $48 and change today and Prime eligible.

I didnt know that about the Linksys Routers wonder when they changed the firmware around on it. I have a old version 6 I used to replace my version 2 that got fried by lighting. The big pull of the GL routers was the Linux based firmware they ran.

 

[ApparitionXVII]

I'd consider the Asus RT-N53

 

[Rolo42]

I've always recommended against Linksys, even after Cicso bought them. If they don't plotz, they don't work correctly. (I've had many clients with Linksys problems.)

I've used NetGear ("poor man's Cisco") since they started. I still recommend them but I'm not so sure they are quite as on top now as they once were. I use a WNDR3700 with no issues.

I installed this for a client a few months ago and it's been solid (albiet, its not under heavy load so I can't totally attest to it) and it is ranked #1 router on Amazon:

Amazon.com: Medialink Wireless N Router - 802.11n - 150 Mbps - 2.4 Ghz - NEW Design w/ Internal Antenna: Computers & Accessories

Past good companies but no recent experience with them: D-Link, SMC, Zyxel

 

[Digital Controller]

I've always recommended against Linksys, even after Cicso bought them. If they don't plotz, they don't work correctly. (I've had many clients with Linksys problems.)

I've used NetGear ("poor man's Cisco") since they started. I still recommend them but I'm not so sure they are quite as on top now as they once were. I use a WNDR3700 with no issues.

I installed this for a client a few months ago and it's been solid (albiet, its not under heavy load so I can't totally attest to it) and it is ranked #1 router on Amazon:

Amazon.com: Medialink Wireless N Router - 802.11n - 150 Mbps - 2.4 Ghz - NEW Design w/ Internal Antenna: Computers & Accessories

Past good companies but no recent experience with them: D-Link, SMC, Zyxel

Love ASUS products.

I am currently rocking this one: Newegg.com - ASUS RT-N12/B1 SuperSpeedN Wireless Router with 2x5dBi Antenna / Open Source DDWRT Support IEEE 802.3/3u, IEEE 802.11b/g/n

And it is awesome, never had a problem with it, i love how it is really easy to use too, and port forward and such...

 

[SUroot]

I've always recommended against Linksys, even after Cicso bought them. If they don't plotz, they don't work correctly. (I've had many clients with Linksys problems.)

I've used NetGear ("poor man's Cisco") since they started. I still recommend them but I'm not so sure they are quite as on top now as they once were. I use a WNDR3700 with no issues.

I installed this for a client a few months ago and it's been solid (albiet, its not under heavy load so I can't totally attest to it) and it is ranked #1 router on Amazon:

Amazon.com: Medialink Wireless N Router - 802.11n - 150 Mbps - 2.4 Ghz - NEW Design w/ Internal Antenna: Computers & Accessories

Past good companies but no recent experience with them: D-Link, SMC, Zyxel

Funny how opinions vary, even within the industry.

My Linksys WRT-54g is still going manic-strong. Had it from new which is a long time. Best router I've had. Had to stop using it when my provider insisted on upgrading my modem to a built in modem/router from netgear, which I've had no end of problems with.

D-link I can only recommend against.

I'm not contradicting for the sake of it. Just because I've had the opposite experience

 

[Crashdamage]

My Linksys WRT-54g is still going manic-strong. Had it from new which is a long time. Best router I've had.

Mine's still going too. Solid, dependable hardware, very configurable software. When I get Google Fiber next summer I'll finally have to retire it. It will be missed. Great router, a real classic.

 

[ScandaLeX]

Funny how opinions vary, even within the industry.

My Linksys WRT-54g is still going manic-strong. Had it from new which is a long time. Best router I've had. Had to stop using it when my provider insisted on upgrading my modem to a built in modem/router from netgear, which I've had no end of problems with.

D-link I can only recommend against.

I'm not contradicting for the sake of it. Just because I've had the opposite experience

I LOVED this router. Was using it for years then gave it to my sister. It's still going strong.
D-Link I detest their routers. Never had good luck with them.

 

[Skyroket]

i bought d-link dir-601 last month and this thing is so frustrating... i sold it on craigslist for $20. I don't know why i got d-link this time because last year i bought d-link dir-655 which was total nightmare! I guess i just fell for the price or something..

Netgear N300 WRN2000 is super easy to use no tuning or complicated settings and it's cheap i got it for $17 on amazon!

I gonna get Dual Band router next year and i will probably invest in Netgear again! (N600). Too bad N7 does not support 5Ghz otherwise i would have bought N600 instead of N300.

infested by wi-fi as far as i know non of them run 5ghz

 

[breadnatty08]

Cnet just did a Top 5 on this if you're still interested:
Top five budget routers that won't disappoint | Reviews - Peripherals - CNET Reviews

 

[Mehta23]

Newegg.com - NETGEAR WNR2000-100NAS Wireless-N Router 802.11b/g/n up to 300Mbps/ 10/100 Mbps Ethernet Port x4

Seems alright to me. Setup is fairly easy , and connection is good.

 

[DMR440]

believe it or not I have seen the Medialink wireless router sell for around $50, and it has rave reviews too.

 

[nickdalzell]

i know i am late but i have gone through three of the bloody routers of all the 'big three', LinkSYS, Netgear and Belkin. ranging in price between $35 and $65 a pop. the things will work great for at least a year then get unstable. often you will end up doing the daily reset, then it gets bad enough that you need to go into the config and make static-IP for everything (including your WAN/Internet address) then it will just assume your connection is down when it is still working fine. in the end after three of the bloody things went kaput and are now paperweights i flat-out refused to buy another, that is going to die another year later, and just turned a laptop with two NICs in it into a wifi hotspot.

i am not sure what goes wrong. none have ran that hot but most say it is overheating anyway. i have seem some wild case mods for fans that apparently never work well.

My Belkin died an odd death. it just kept refusing to hold onto a WAN IP for very long. i was browsing the logs and it would do a 'send release' and 'send discover' for a new IP almost every few seconds. then eventually time out and flash the internet icon indicating the connection is down (it wasn't, i could plug my laptop directly into the modem and it was fine). i then tried the manual setup, which seemed to work fine until my WISP caught sight of it and blacklisted it and now it's a paperweight.

 

[Dngrsone]

I have several NetGear wireless routers, and all but the oldest one (a very robust 802.11b model) have problems with overheating after a while...

 

[Speed Daemon]

Probably the best wireless "router" on the cheap can be made from an obsolete computer or laptop, with one of the several Linux or FreeBSD-based firewall-on-a-disc systems running on it. Cost: nil. Performance: much greater than any embedded appliance will ever give!

Over the years I've purchased some inexpensive but high-powered Wi-Fi radios that give top performance for little cash. Putting one of these in a computer can make a potent WAP. About the only downside is that they consume a little more power than an appliance product.

 

[Dngrsone]

I wonder if there's a way to build a Uverse modem that way...

I have a decent P4 firewall running Smoothwall Express that I would love to get running again.

 

[Speed Daemon]

I wonder if there's a way to build a Uverse modem that way...

Highly doubtful. Some DSL providers have switched to Ethernet over Cat3, but it's set up to use just 2 wires. I don't know where you'd find an Ethernet hybrid. The rest use ATM, which is a non-starter with a PC. ATM never made it as a LAN standard.

I have a decent P4 firewall running Smoothwall Express that I would love to get running again.

Smoothwall is the nicest I've found to date. :thumbup:

 

[Dngrsone]

Yeah, I couldn't get the crappy modem AT&T gave me to bridge, so the firewall is collecting dust at the moment.

I'm supposed to be seeing a 'senior repair technician' today, and I am going to try talking him into giving me a different, bridgeable modem.

If not, then I may just do this.