Problems with Linksys router. I think it's time for a new one.

[technicks]

Hi guys.

A few months back i changed my internetspeed from 25Mbps to 50Mbps. But i only get 35Mbps max.
My network is setup like this. Modem to router then all three pc's are wired to the router and my two laptops use wireless. The router is a Linksys WRT54GL with DD-WRT firmware.
Few days back i called my ISP for some advise on this. The guy asked if i could connect my pc direct to the modem, then performed some speedtests and i got 5.6Mb download and upload.
So he advised me to buy a new router. He claimed because i have fibre internet i need a Gigabit router. So any advice for a good but not to expensive router?

Thanks.

 

[Munki]

Do you need QoS or any special functions? What is done on wireless?

 

[Mussels]

you dont need gigabit at all, but if you're using wireless it will need to be wifi N (for all devices, a single G device can slow the wireless network)

 

[technicks]

The wireless is not so important cause i only use the laptop for surfing the web and downloading a movie once a week. I just want the full 50Mbps. Thats what i pay for.

For the Gigabit part thats what he says. I don't care if i have to buy a new router but i thought my Linksys was good enough for it.

Which router should i buy then?

 

[Frick]

You don't need a gigabit router for that, it's about throughput. My old router was 100mbit/s and it handled a 100mbit Internet connection just fine. You should get more speed than that, but I don't know if DD-WRT slows it down or something.

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/lanwan/router-charts/view

Also a quote about speeds:

In the hope that someone will find these data useful, I have joined and
summarized the results of various speed tests performed by "whgpjay",
"Matthiaz" (see later in this thread), "2q2" (in the Hansenet User Forum)
and me. The firmware version used was v23 SP2. The following values
apply both to the WRT54G v3.1 and to the GL, unless specified explicitly:

Ethernet switch alone:
> 70 Mbit/s

NAT:
30 Mbit/s (GL), 21 Mbit/s (G v3.1)

PPPoE + NAT:
23Mbit/s (GL)

RP-PPPoE + NAT:
≈ 6 Mbit/s (GL)

WLAN (WPA2) :
24 Mbit/s

PPPoE + NAT + WLAN (WPA2):
16Mbit/s at least (GL, see below)

RP-PPPoE + NAT + WLAN (WPA):
4.6 Mbit/s (GL)

Notes:

- These are throughput values.

- The difference in NAT speed between the Gv3.1 and the GL is,
most likely, due to different CPU types: BCM47xx vs. BCM53xx

- "PPPoE" applies to the default (Linksys) PPPoE driver.
Note that the open-source RP-PPPoE is much slower,
because of heavy CPU usage and/or implementation flaws.

- WLAN throughput of 24 Mbit/s was the maximum value obtained
under optimum conditions. To my experience, typical values are
16...20 Mbit/s for a "good" connection running at a nominal rate of
54 Mbit/s.

- PPPoE + NAT + WLAN (WPA2):
See <http://www.hansenet-user-forum.de/viewtopic.php?p=72094>
and other posts in that forum, which confirm a speed of 16 Mbit/s
at least.

- CPU load should not differ between WPA and WPA2; I have just
indicated what was used for testing.

But yeah, could be time for a new one. How much do you want to spend? I've read nice things about Netgear WNDR4000 N750.

 

[newtekie1]

The WRT54GL is simply not fast enough to handle that fast of an internet connection, it is the reason I ditched it for an E1000 and now an E3000.

If all you are looking to do is upgrade to something that can handle your internet connection(and get the bonus of Wireless N too) then you can pick up an E1000 for $21 and it will do wonderfully. Or you can go full out and get the E3000 with Gigabit ports and Dual-Band Wireless N for $50. I use Tomato on mine, but DD-WRT also supports both the E1000 and E3000.