dsl modem+ wlan router

[Marin85]

Looong time ago, I started a thread compaining about the crappy router of mine I have running here, and I got some good pieces of advice. However, it has recently turned out that the router is not simply a router, but also a DSL modem, which is connected to a DSL splitter (which I then took for the modem /lol at me/). Hence, basically, the crap was (and still is) double... So, I am now looking for some wise advice on DSL-modems resp. on reliable combinations of router and DSL-modem or some integrated solution to replace the crappy Arcor-200 Zyxel. FYI, I have already bought a Linksys WRT54GL, but I can still return it if necessary and get another one more suitable for such combination or just use it at my parents home. Reliability is important and the setup should be also able to maintain ~2 MB/s internet connection. I have already searched google, but most results were way too inconclusive or pretty much outdated or most of the time both...

Thanks in advance for any input!

Marin

[Navck]

Buy the modem separately, the WRT54GL is a great router with great firmware choices. Getting a good modem to go along with a great router will also improve reliability (Remember, two points of replacements if one were to fail.)

[dr_st]

I am with Navck on this one - get two separate devices. No reason to limit yourself in the selection of a good router just to have a modem packed in the same box.

Here in Israel we have the DSL/cable companies provide their own modems on loan, as part of the service contract. Sometimes the offer to provide a combined modem/router, for an additional fee, or even free-of-charge. I always tell them "no thank you", and use my own trusted routers (I'm an Edimax person myself, but the WRT54GL is widely known as a great choice).

[RealBlackStuff]

Another great choice for a router would be ASUS WL-520GU, which can also run Tomato or DD-WRT firmware.
As a bonus, this unit also includes a USB2.0 print server.
Got one for my home network. Since I started using it, I never needed to even reboot it.

[Marin85]

Guys, thanks for the input! I will definitely keep the router and get a modem additionally, so the actual question still remains: what DSL-modem?

[RealBlackStuff]

I'd go for this one: http://cgi.ebay.de/ADSL2-Modem-Router-B ... 0506678934

[ajkula66]

Choice of most (serious) DSL providers in the NY has been Netopia for the longest time. Not necessarily cheap, but you don't have to get the latest one either.

Good luck.

[msb0b]

Try to switch the DSL modem from router mode to a bridged mode first, and use your choice of router with it. In my experience with DSL modems, the DSL portion is fairly robust but the router side is usually lacking in features and stability.

[BillMorrow]

FWIW...

the linksys WRT54GL is fine as long as it works..
BTW, its an access point and router not a DSL modem..
i have had several and all have gone toes-up..
i switched to netgear and i'm on my second netgear AP-router..
maybe they all have a life of 1 to 2 years..

i would always want a separate modem, router..

[ThinkRob]

I wouldn't bother with a WRT54GL.

Instead, get a WRT54GS (v.1 through v. 4). They've got more RAM/flash than the GL, and they're generally cheaper on eBay than the WRT54GL. They're also easy to flash with something like Tomato firmware -- Tomato's filled with features, far more stable than DD-WRT, and *actually* open source (unlike DD-WRT).

As for reliability: I've had several WRT54GS units for a couple years and have never had one fail. (Obviously) YMMV.

[Navck]

Open source software does not mean its better, compare professional engineering suites to the nonexistent open source market of "engineering apps."

[uberT]

so the actual question still remains: what DSL-modem?

Marin, shouldn't you be asking us Americans (for the most part) which DSL modem is going to work best on your DSL network in Germany?

I've used the WRT54G on our Wirespeed/Verizon DSL system for years with excellent reliability/stability.

[Marin85]

Guys, thanks for the great advices! For various reasons I ended up buying an integrated solution (though I completely agree that 2 different devices would have been much better, but the reasons for my decision have - unfortunately - political nature), namely Netgear DG834, which is a modem and a router in one. It should arrive tomorrow, so I will be able to do some tests. One is for certain, it can´t be worse than the status quo!

BTW, its an access point and router not a DSL modem...

I know, that´s why I was looking for a modem BTW, thanks for the netgear advice, it kind of saved my life (long story)! The Netgear DG834 seems to be really a good piece of hardware and as far as I understood, it uses a Broadcom chipset, which is supposedly another plus (I might be wrong for the last part though). Well, I guess we will see that tomorrow.

I wouldn't bother with a WRT54GL.

Instead, get a WRT54GS (v.1 through v. 4). They've got more RAM/flash than the GL, and they're generally cheaper on eBay than the WRT54GL.

Too late, I cannot return the device anymore Besides, I found a neat application for it at my parents home. And, crap, I must have got it all wrong when I was looking up the specs of the WRT54 series, because I saw/thought that the GL had more memory than the GS. I guess, too much names that all look similarly.

Marin, shouldn't you be asking us Americans (for the most part) which DSL router is going to work best on your DSL network in Germany?

No, because I had already done that in a previous thread (where BTW the prevailing opinion was WRT54GL, not GS) . And please don´t brag about optics and such, I already know that we in Germany are way behind the rest of the world in internet infrastructure and speed on the consumer level

As for the poor WRT54GL, I am either going to resell it with minimal loss (since it turned out that returning the device would cut off at least 30% of the initial purchase value due to the box having been opened, no comment here...) or it will find some neat application back at my parents home (where BTW they have optics achieving some amazing speeds of 13 MB/s download, 5-6 MB/s upload and getting more..., and all that at the lowest consumer plan, lol...). I have also tried msb0b´s advice and had the Zyxel running as a pure modem + the Linksys router, with noticeable improvement of speed and stability, though not optimal. In this setup (I think) I was also able to verify that the problems come from the Zyxel device because it happened once ot twice to lose WAN (internet connection), while still having functional LAN (via the router). I only hope the problem did not originate from the splitter...

Cheers,

Marin

[ThinkRob]

And, crap, I must have got it all wrong when I was looking up the specs of the WRT54 series, because I saw/thought that the GL had more memory than the GS. I guess, too much names that all look similarly.

Don't kick yourself -- blame Linksys instead. There are a *ton* of variants of the WRT54G and WRT54GS.

The WRT54GS has either 32 or 16 MB of RAM, so it's got either the same or twice as much RAM as the GL. Versions 1-4 (the only ones that work with Tomato) mostly have 32, except for v. 4, which has 16. As for flash memory, v 1-3 have 8MB (twice as much as the GL), and v. 4 has 4MB (same as the GL.)

Oh, but then there's the fun part where a few of the v. 4 were produced with 32MB/8MB RAM/flash...

So yeah. Blame Linksys.

That said, the GL is quite capable, and you can definitely do a lot with it even with 16MB/4MB. Tomato will work great on it IIRC...