Best Routers

[mentobe]

Hi there,
I am looking for a wireless router for an apartment I am going to be moving into.  In apartments I have heard since they are densly populated with people with wireless internet it may be best to have a dual band router.  Others say all I really need is a g router  I am new to all of this so I am not really sure.  I would need a router that is strong enough to support 2 laptops and Xbox live without dropping the signal.  Any help would be greatly appreciated. 

[smashed121]

I would go for g there is alot of preferance about what is best, linksys I would recommend. Right now im running 2 towers a laptop and streaming media to my 360 through my desktop and it all runs fine. Duel band would be good, I would go to either tigerdirect or newegg and just read there reviews they are very helpful.

[2x3i5x]

Check out Trendnet routers too, Trendnet is a good brand as well 

http://www.trendnet.com/downloads/category.asp?iType=25

[Aegis]

If you can find one that isn't expensive, you may as well get a router which supports the upcoming N standard as well as the current G standard.

[TechGeek]

I would recommend a Linksys Wireless N. Then put DD-WRT firmware on it and you have a great router which didn't cost you much.

[Aegis]

Why change the firmware on a new router?

[TechGeek]

Why change the firmware on a new router?

DD-WRT is commercial grade firmware which gives great functionality    Like increasing teh transmit power and getting more SSIDs from 1 router.

[Quantos]

DD-WRT is commercial grade firmware which gives great functionality    Like increasing teh transmit power and getting more SSIDs from 1 router.

NEVER upgrade the firmware just to have the latest version.  I've seen more hardware damaged that way.

Updates are intended for if you have a problem, this may fix it.  Like drivers for video and sound, if it works, then don't bloody fix it.

[Rob Pomeroy]

if it works, then don't bloody fix it.

EVERY wannabe geek should repeat this mantra at least ten times a day until it has penetrated that dense matter than some refer to as "my brain". 

[2x3i5x]

Then again, it might be okay if say, you have a linksys router and linksys provides a firmware upgrade for the router you have.

But you probably will just want to leave things alone if it was working and the upgrade doesn't benefit you any. 

[Aegis]

I'm considering trying it on a popular Linksys model which I cannot get to encrypt wireless - WEP or WPA -- I mean, how easy is WPA? -- when I set up either encryption scheme, no computers are able to access after passwords are entered.  I've been holding off, because I'm not sure upgrading firmware is really going to solve anything.

[TechGeek]

There's a very small chance you will ruin the router with a DD-WRT firmware update. It gives you so many extra features it's worth it  just try it and you'll see.