Are there any recommendations out there for a cheapo wireless router that would also support the latest Tomato firmware? I like open-source platforms - although I also like cheap!
Cheapo wireless router / Tomato platform?
- Thread starter RnR
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Used Linksys WRT54G?
Buffalo also makes some good routers which mostly can run that firmware IIRC.
Buffalo also makes some good routers which mostly can run that firmware IIRC.
OVERKILL
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ASUS WL-520GU
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833124190&Tpk=wrt54gl
I have had this router running tomato since march of 2008
I have had this router running tomato since march of 2008
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I also recommend any of the WRT54GXX routers. They can be had for very cheap on eBay. I have one set up with dd-wrt for my parents and it has worked flawlessly. I personally use dd-wrt on a Linksys E2000 (essentially a WRT320N) and I have had great results with this router as well.
Originally Posted By: cutlassvillager
I also recommend any of the WRT54GXX routers.
Mine has just died. Swapped it out for Asus WL-500G Premium V2. Too early to tell how it'll do though.
I also recommend any of the WRT54GXX routers.
Mine has just died. Swapped it out for Asus WL-500G Premium V2. Too early to tell how it'll do though.
I wouldn't go too cheap, and at least make sure it has Broadcom or Atheros chipset instead of Ralink chipset. When you are troubleshooting issues you would have regretted.
So what brand of router uses this nasty Ralink chipset?
I'll try to resist the desire to save too many $$$, and perhaps a timely rebate offer will come to my rescue.
Thanks for the suggestions thus far!
I'll try to resist the desire to save too many $$$, and perhaps a timely rebate offer will come to my rescue.
Thanks for the suggestions thus far!
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Originally Posted By: RnR
So what brand of router uses this nasty Ralink chipset?
I'll try to resist the desire to save too many $$$, and perhaps a timely rebate offer will come to my rescue.
Thanks for the suggestions thus far!
Many different brands. Hence the reason I gave you a specific MODEL of router, instead of just a brand.
So what brand of router uses this nasty Ralink chipset?
I'll try to resist the desire to save too many $$$, and perhaps a timely rebate offer will come to my rescue.
Thanks for the suggestions thus far!
Many different brands. Hence the reason I gave you a specific MODEL of router, instead of just a brand.
Whats the benefits of tomato over dd-wrt..
I've been using dd wrt for about 5 years now..
first on a couple linksys wrt54g's now on a asus wl-520gu
I've heard about the best you can get are a couple of the buffalo models but i forget which specific ones.
I've been using dd wrt for about 5 years now..
first on a couple linksys wrt54g's now on a asus wl-520gu
I've heard about the best you can get are a couple of the buffalo models but i forget which specific ones.
Originally Posted By: Rand
Whats the benefits of tomato over dd-wrt..
I think it's a matter of personal preference for the most part. Feature-wise they're very comparable. Some say that Tomato has a better user interface, but again, that's just personal preference.
Whats the benefits of tomato over dd-wrt..
I think it's a matter of personal preference for the most part. Feature-wise they're very comparable. Some say that Tomato has a better user interface, but again, that's just personal preference.
Originally Posted By: RnR
So what brand of router uses this nasty Ralink chipset?
I'll try to resist the desire to save too many $$$, and perhaps a timely rebate offer will come to my rescue.
Thanks for the suggestions thus far!
Every single brand out there, sometimes in the same model between different version. For example:
WRT160N v1.0, v1.1 uses Broadcom, excellent powerful amplifier, open source firmware compatible, I was so happy I bought 2 more for parents, inlaws, etc. The OEM firmware was based on VxWork and it crashes all the time but the open source firmware fixed it.
WRT160N v2.0, uses Ralink chipset, not open source firmware compatible because they couldn't obtain a driver for the ethernet switch chip (Buffalo's router using the same chip is open source firmware compatible, but would lose connection and "forgot" my MAC address every once in a while, and the amplifier is way weaker than broadcom). I was so upset with v2.0 I end up going everywhere looking for older v1.1 and "exchange" it in store.
WRT160N v3.0, uses Broadcom chipset but they cut the RAM size so much, opensource firmware won't fit. Suck less but still not very useful.
Those firmware type (DDWRT or Tomato) are just the higher level user interface that glue all the stuff together. The strength of the router is the chip it uses and the drivers that these firmware uses (provided by the chip vendor). You can put lipstick on a pig, but it is still a pig.
So what brand of router uses this nasty Ralink chipset?
I'll try to resist the desire to save too many $$$, and perhaps a timely rebate offer will come to my rescue.
Thanks for the suggestions thus far!
Every single brand out there, sometimes in the same model between different version. For example:
WRT160N v1.0, v1.1 uses Broadcom, excellent powerful amplifier, open source firmware compatible, I was so happy I bought 2 more for parents, inlaws, etc. The OEM firmware was based on VxWork and it crashes all the time but the open source firmware fixed it.
WRT160N v2.0, uses Ralink chipset, not open source firmware compatible because they couldn't obtain a driver for the ethernet switch chip (Buffalo's router using the same chip is open source firmware compatible, but would lose connection and "forgot" my MAC address every once in a while, and the amplifier is way weaker than broadcom). I was so upset with v2.0 I end up going everywhere looking for older v1.1 and "exchange" it in store.
WRT160N v3.0, uses Broadcom chipset but they cut the RAM size so much, opensource firmware won't fit. Suck less but still not very useful.
Those firmware type (DDWRT or Tomato) are just the higher level user interface that glue all the stuff together. The strength of the router is the chip it uses and the drivers that these firmware uses (provided by the chip vendor). You can put lipstick on a pig, but it is still a pig.
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Originally Posted By: Rand
Whats the benefits of tomato over dd-wrt..
I've been using dd wrt for about 5 years now..
first on a couple linksys wrt54g's now on a asus wl-520gu
I've heard about the best you can get are a couple of the buffalo models but i forget which specific ones.
Most of the argument I've head is QoS (quality of service) handling.
Say if you have a roommate that uses 95% of your bandwidth, you can set the router so that all download traffic are at lowest priority without having the bandwidth go to waste when no one is browsing the web, etc.
DD-WRT isn't as reliable in this as Tomato.
Whats the benefits of tomato over dd-wrt..
I've been using dd wrt for about 5 years now..
first on a couple linksys wrt54g's now on a asus wl-520gu
I've heard about the best you can get are a couple of the buffalo models but i forget which specific ones.
Most of the argument I've head is QoS (quality of service) handling.
Say if you have a roommate that uses 95% of your bandwidth, you can set the router so that all download traffic are at lowest priority without having the bandwidth go to waste when no one is browsing the web, etc.
DD-WRT isn't as reliable in this as Tomato.
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OVERKILL
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Originally Posted By: Rand
Whats the benefits of tomato over dd-wrt..
I've been using dd wrt for about 5 years now..
first on a couple linksys wrt54g's now on a asus wl-520gu
I've heard about the best you can get are a couple of the buffalo models but i forget which specific ones.
The Buffalo models are no "better" than the ASUS ones. Some of them are essentially identical inside. (See WL-566gM).
Most consumer-grade routers with similar chipsets will offer comparable performance. We aren't dealing with Cisco or Juniper gear here.
Whats the benefits of tomato over dd-wrt..
I've been using dd wrt for about 5 years now..
first on a couple linksys wrt54g's now on a asus wl-520gu
I've heard about the best you can get are a couple of the buffalo models but i forget which specific ones.
The Buffalo models are no "better" than the ASUS ones. Some of them are essentially identical inside. (See WL-566gM).
Most consumer-grade routers with similar chipsets will offer comparable performance. We aren't dealing with Cisco or Juniper gear here.
Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
The Buffalo models are no "better" than the ASUS ones. Some of them are essentially identical inside. (See WL-566gM).
Most consumer-grade routers with similar chipsets will offer comparable performance. We aren't dealing with Cisco or Juniper gear here.
Rule of thumb in terms of consumer class chipset quality:
No name chipset from Taiwan being the worst, then Marvell and Ralink, then Broadcom (better firmware) and Atheros (better radio).
Usually:
SuperG -> Atheros, Multi-band -> Atheros, most "reliable" open source firmware (WRT54G, Buffalo WHR G54, ASUS, etc) -> Broadcom, most mid-range / high end routers -> Broadcom, most low end value G or N -> Ralink or some really old model -> Marvell.
The Buffalo models are no "better" than the ASUS ones. Some of them are essentially identical inside. (See WL-566gM).
Most consumer-grade routers with similar chipsets will offer comparable performance. We aren't dealing with Cisco or Juniper gear here.
Rule of thumb in terms of consumer class chipset quality:
No name chipset from Taiwan being the worst, then Marvell and Ralink, then Broadcom (better firmware) and Atheros (better radio).
Usually:
SuperG -> Atheros, Multi-band -> Atheros, most "reliable" open source firmware (WRT54G, Buffalo WHR G54, ASUS, etc) -> Broadcom, most mid-range / high end routers -> Broadcom, most low end value G or N -> Ralink or some really old model -> Marvell.
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If I have to get a new router right now, this is going to be the one because it has very powerful range and runs open source firmware:
$73 with free shipping.
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.as...N82E16833162031
$73 with free shipping.
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.as...N82E16833162031
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
Originally Posted By: PandaBear
Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
The Buffalo models are no "better" than the ASUS ones. Some of them are essentially identical inside. (See WL-566gM).
Most consumer-grade routers with similar chipsets will offer comparable performance. We aren't dealing with Cisco or Juniper gear here.
Rule of thumb in terms of consumer class chipset quality:
No name chipset from Taiwan being the worst, then Marvell and Ralink, then Broadcom (better firmware) and Atheros (better radio).
Usually:
SuperG -> Atheros, Multi-band -> Atheros, most "reliable" open source firmware (WRT54G, Buffalo WHR G54, ASUS, etc) -> Broadcom, most mid-range / high end routers -> Broadcom, most low end value G or N -> Ralink or some really old model -> Marvell.
Exactly.
My statement was more meant to be taken as a Buffalo router with a particular Broadcom chipset wouldn't perform much, if any differently, than an ASUS or Linksys router with the same chipset.
Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
The Buffalo models are no "better" than the ASUS ones. Some of them are essentially identical inside. (See WL-566gM).
Most consumer-grade routers with similar chipsets will offer comparable performance. We aren't dealing with Cisco or Juniper gear here.
Rule of thumb in terms of consumer class chipset quality:
No name chipset from Taiwan being the worst, then Marvell and Ralink, then Broadcom (better firmware) and Atheros (better radio).
Usually:
SuperG -> Atheros, Multi-band -> Atheros, most "reliable" open source firmware (WRT54G, Buffalo WHR G54, ASUS, etc) -> Broadcom, most mid-range / high end routers -> Broadcom, most low end value G or N -> Ralink or some really old model -> Marvell.
Exactly.
My statement was more meant to be taken as a Buffalo router with a particular Broadcom chipset wouldn't perform much, if any differently, than an ASUS or Linksys router with the same chipset.
Originally Posted By: PandaBear
Originally Posted By: Rand
Whats the benefits of tomato over dd-wrt..
I've been using dd wrt for about 5 years now..
first on a couple linksys wrt54g's now on a asus wl-520gu
I've heard about the best you can get are a couple of the buffalo models but i forget which specific ones.
Most of the argument I've head is QoS (quality of service) handling.
Say if you have a roommate that uses 95% of your bandwidth, you can set the router so that all download traffic are at lowest priority without having the bandwidth go to waste when no one is browsing the web, etc.
DD-WRT isn't as reliable in this as Tomato.
I agree with this statement. I love DD-WRT, but could never get the QOS working properly. I gave up and use the bandwidth throttle on the torrent client I use instead. Other than that DD-WRT is rock solid and just plain works, so I have never tried Tomato.
Originally Posted By: Rand
Whats the benefits of tomato over dd-wrt..
I've been using dd wrt for about 5 years now..
first on a couple linksys wrt54g's now on a asus wl-520gu
I've heard about the best you can get are a couple of the buffalo models but i forget which specific ones.
Most of the argument I've head is QoS (quality of service) handling.
Say if you have a roommate that uses 95% of your bandwidth, you can set the router so that all download traffic are at lowest priority without having the bandwidth go to waste when no one is browsing the web, etc.
DD-WRT isn't as reliable in this as Tomato.
I agree with this statement. I love DD-WRT, but could never get the QOS working properly. I gave up and use the bandwidth throttle on the torrent client I use instead. Other than that DD-WRT is rock solid and just plain works, so I have never tried Tomato.
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