Quick recc please: Netgear 3400 or 3700?

[97tbird]

I remember recently there was some thread about someone being very happy with a certain NG router...
was it the 3400 or 3700?

right now, amazon has dropped the price of the 3700 from 132 to 89 bucks! 3400 is 79 bucks. (free s/h)

which one is the better model?
(because I know that sometimes the 'lesser' model can be better!)

or how about this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Diamond-Dual-Band-...words=asus+N66u

 

[97tbird]

Hmm...looks like the v3 of the 3700 is kinda finicky...
Might go with the 3400 or the Asus...

feedback still very welcome

 

[dparm]

The WNDR3700 has been one of Netgear's best-selling and best-performing routers. The 3400 is a lower-end model; take the 3700 if it's only $10 more. SmallNetBuilder showed very high throughput on the 3700 (v1/2). Not sure about the v3.

 

[LeakySeals]

What do you want the router to do? what is it for?

 

[LeakySeals]

From Netgear I would use WNR3500L flashed with Tomato USB. I don't care much for the factory software gimmicks, its all about performance.

 

[97tbird]

Just regular browsing plus Netflix HD streaming, Pandora streaming, some amazon HD streaming.
But mostly browsing.

we have 2 laptops, 2 iphones, and a network-connected blu ray player which does above mentioned streaming... MIGHT be a internet connected TV in the future.

 

[LeakySeals]

Some questions:

What router do you have now?
What is it not doing that you want a new one?
Think about your config ..do you really need a router with USB?
What you need is a clean pipe for streaming right?
A GB router is nice for wireless and inter-network traffic, but gives you no advantage on on the net itself. Do you need GB traffic between devices on your network?

 

[Brons2]

There's not a ton of difference between the 3400 and the 3700 other than the gigabit ports. That being said, I'd pay $10 for the gigabit.

See the product comparison chart
http://www.netgear.com/home/products/wirelessrouters/

I wouldn't get the 3500 as someone suggested above as it lacks 5Ghz. I like to put different applications on different bands, i.e., put phones on 2.4 b/g/n and put the laptops on 5ghz a/n. Others may disagree but anyway

 

[rg200amp]

I have the 3400.

I have been very happy with it. I run two desktops, two smart phones, two tablets, a Epson printer, a TV, a Xbox 360, and a laptop in a three floor Philadelphia Row house with LOTS of brick inbetween floors/rooms.

The 3400 is a sweet piece. I have yet to be able to "bog it down" But the price of the 3700 is nice and why go big when you can go REALLY big?! Either way, you'll get a very good router.

If you subscribe to a ISP that is offering you 20mbps+ download speeds, be sure you are running a good DOCSIS 3 modem!!

 

[Volvohead]

We had a 3700. It was an earlier revision. It gave us no real problems.

We still have it, but don't use it anymore.

Replaced it with an Asus N66U, which was a big upgrade on our network.

 

[Rand]

I'm using a e2000... /puke

It will be a cold day in [censored] before I purchase any consumer level linksys/cisco after this.


the whole cant change half the settings from the settings page.. must use their software.

if you change any setting from the webpage you have to reset to factory defaults to use their software again.

you cant even turn off the "guest network" without their software. and if you goto 5ghz and back to 2.4
it turns back on automatically.

oh and its 5ghz performance is good for about 20ft and 1 wall.

the asus n66u is 149$ at newegg right now until aug30

If I had a few $$$ handy I'd buy that.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Rand, why not install a third party firmware on that e2000?

 

[ToyotaNSaturn]

3700! Have it, love it!

 

[MrHorspwer]

Another 3700 user here. It's been rock solid right out of the box.

The only thing I can knock it for is the flakey built-in DLNA server. I tried setting it up a couple times and it was an effort in frustration. Just using an attached drive as a NAS device works great, but the DLNA function is terrible.

 

[Rand]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Rand, why not install a third party firmware on that e2000?


have you read the directions?

its not ez-mode like the other 5-10 I have flashed.

I am not a noob and its confusing.

http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Linksys_E2000
http://www.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=569485&highlight=#569485

if someone had a link that said exactly what to use then what to use after the initial flash

and paid me if it bricks my router ;P

I'd do it. until then it will have to wait until after I get a new router so I dont care.

oh you are also supposed to read this and incorporate it into the confusing instructions.

http://www.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=51486

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Rand
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Rand, why not install a third party firmware on that e2000?


have you read the directions?

Hmm.. this video makes it seem fairly straight forward. He's upgrading to Tomato (Toastman version). I know Shibby also has dedicated Tomato versions for E2000.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcsADfKLyoI

 

[Rand]

well not to derail this thread but I just decided to do the dd-wrt install.

installed following their directions..
now no settings will save including wireless password etc.

/wrist


I did a 30/30/30 before and after.

I think I'll try tomato.

I've put ddwrt on at least 15-20 routers but this e2000 is a pos :<

 

[Quattro Pete]

Just a guess, but have you cleared NVRAM following the reflash? You may need to do that and start configuring from scratch. Do not attempt to load a configuration file that was created in another firmware.

 

[97tbird]

Yep - clearing NVRAM was the 1st thing I did...
Right now, streaming (perhaps due to a Flash upgrade yesterday) and internet speed seems in general to have vastly improved....


speed test is giving me 17-18 MBPS right now...before tomato never really saw more than 15 MBPS..
Still checking ... will update.

I really think the best way to see if i really need a new router is to just get one and try it out and see what/if anything improves - if not, I guess I can always return it..

 

[Rand]

what modem do you have?