What have I bought?

[mynnydd]

So I already have a Linksys wireless-G ADSL Gateway, model number WAG54GS.
It works fine.
BUT, I bought a new laptop with wireless N.
So on to Amazon, and I purchased a Linksys Wireless-N broadband router with storage link, model WRT160NL.
It does not connect.
Phoned support they say it is not compatable.
So what is it that I have purchased?

[Rik]

It's purely a router as far as I can tell, Mynnydd, it doesn't have a modem, so you'd need an external ethernet modem as well. The specs, particularly on Amazon, don't make it very clear, but that's the way I read it.

[Gary]

You should have got a WAG160N, but they don't get great reviews 

[dujas]

It's for cable Internet access i.e. Virgin Media.

[Bill]

so you'd need an external ethernet modem as well.

Not necessarily... turn the wireless off on the WAG and link it to the WRT with a short bit of Ethernet cable and it should work just as a modem (I think).

[Rik]

Agreed, Bill.

[MisterW]

The WAG54GS has a 'Bridge Mode Only' setting.

"This mode is used only if you are using the Gateway (WAG54GS) as a bridge, which makes the gateway (WAG54GS) act like a stand-alone modem."

[Colin Burns]

if im right in thinking n is backward compatible to b/g


so wouldnt of bothered buying the new router

[Steve]

I managed it with a DG834GT in modem only mode using an Apple Time capsule as the router (Not current set up)

Basically the adsl/router has to be configured as modem only and if I recall someone will correct me hopefully the router then connects via its WAN port to the WAN port of the modem and the connection is then configured via the router using PPPOE.

[Lance]

The 'modem' will link from it's wan port to the telephone point and from a LAN port to the wan port on the router

[mynnydd]

WOW!!!!!!!!!
It never ceases to amaze me, how willing people are to help others on this forum. THANK YOU.
I don't think it makes sense to run a router and a modem router, 2 X power supplies.
So I will return it to Amazon I think.
Is anyone running a  wireless 'n' modem/router they would recommend?

[mynnydd]

I have just been on to the Belkin site and they are listing N , N+ , N1 , N150.
Does anyone know the difference?

[Sebby]

If you're on Virgin Media, I believe it's the right choice. You'll have your Virgin modem, and then connect by ethernet from the modem to the router's WAN socket. A combined router/modem, unless specifically for cable, won't be any good.

[Rik]

Is anyone running a  wireless 'n' modem/router they would recommend?

Like many here, I use a 2-Wire 2700 (around £15 or less from eBay), and these are particularly good on longer lines. After that I'd say Netgear and Speedtouch are your best bets. Billion seems to have a good name, though I've used neither.

[dujas]

ADSL24 did a comparison of routers for highest sync speed on ADSL2+. It's a bit out of date now in terms of the latest models, but it seems Broadcom chipsets are the best.

[Dangerjunkie]

Hi,

Which laptop did you get and does it say anywhere on a sticker, in the blurb or in device manager what model the wireless inside it is? I ask as this may be important. My laptop has an Intel 4965AGN wireless. I recently visited a company that had Wireless-n and my laptop couldn't use the wireless at all (They had Cisco routers). It was definitely a compatibility problem as when I plugged in my old USB wireless stick (which doesn't do n) it worked fine with the same router. It may be worth trying to find someone with the same wireless as your laptop and see what does or doesn't work for them.


I've not invested in a wireless-n router because the speed of my wireless isn't an issue. I have 5Mb broadband and a 54Mb wireless-G router. My existing wireless is faster than the broadband so making it quicker isn't going to make the internet go quicker for me. The other reason to change might be wireless range (wireless-n gives a much better signal than the older ones). There's nowhere on my property so I want to use my laptop where it doesn't work already so I decided an upgrade wouldn't be money well spent.

Cheers,
Paul.

[Steve]

There are 2 of us at least using the Netgear DG834Nv1 although I tend to use it only in b/g mode, I also have an additional N router working in bridge mode (in my case an Apple Time machine) which provides a wireless N connection for the MacBook. The DG834N is not available new anymore the replacement is the DGN2000. The difference between g and n apart from some extended range is only seen when transferring/streaming on your LAN.

[dujas]

The Netgear DGND3300 is due out in October. I believe it has the same Broadcom chipset as the DG834N but in addition it supports dual band Wireless-N (aka 5Ghz), along with a USB port.

[mynnydd]

Hi,

Which laptop did you get and does it say anywhere on a sticker, in the blurb or in device manager what model the wireless inside it is? I ask as this may be important. My laptop has an Intel 4965AGN wireless. I recently visited a company that had Wireless-n and my laptop couldn't use the wireless at all (They had Cisco routers). It was definitely a compatibility problem as when I plugged in my old USB wireless stick (which doesn't do n) it worked fine with the same router. It may be worth trying to find someone with the same wireless as your laptop and see what does or doesn't work for them.


I've not invested in a wireless-n router because the speed of my wireless isn't an issue. I have 5Mb broadband and a 54Mb wireless-G router. My existing wireless is faster than the broadband so making it quicker isn't going to make the internet go quicker for me. The other reason to change might be wireless range (wireless-n gives a much better signal than the older ones). There's nowhere on my property so I want to use my laptop where it doesn't work already so I decided an upgrade wouldn't be money well spent.

Cheers,
Paul.

Communication  Modem : No 
Wireless LAN : Intel® Wifi 802.11a.b.g/n 
WWAN : No 
Bluetooth : Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR (Enhanced Data Rate)

Thanks. 

[talos]

I bought a Belkin G+ MIMO wireless, easy to set up and not had a moments trouble with it for the last 18 months, and of course they have a lifetime warranty, which I am told they honour without question.   The only downside I've found is the overseas help line, that is cr*p,  but most things can be resolved on line.

[Dangerjunkie]

I found their helpline shameful too...

We were having a problem that looked like duff firmware on one of our Belkins at work. I went to the support site, identified the hardware and checked the current version. The version installed was newer than the current by 10 versions and (on a 2 year old router that had never been updated) and the version it had, according to the site, didn't exist.

I rang to make sure I'd correctly identified the hardware and the version that it should have (nothing to do with the OS my computer was running.) I answered the questions (which router is it? What's the serial number? Which OS does the computer use?) As soon as I said I used Linux the woman refused to answer any questions about the product (I just wanted firmware, not for her to fix my problem) and repeatedly told me "We do not support Linux. Call to Linux company. They will help you."

Shameful... I won't be buying Belkin again.

Cheers,
Paul.

[Rik]

Their UPS, cables etc are OK, but I've always felt wary about their routers for some reason. 

[Sebby]

[MisterW]

We do not support Linux. Call to Linux company. They will help you."

That's an interesting response!. Don't their routers USE Linux as the base for their OS.