A half-decent DSL modem/router?

byte

Currently, I'm using a Huawei EchoLife HG556a from Vodafone.

Sadly, it's rubbish. One would need to unplug it anywhere between once and 3 times a day. Most annoying is wifi just stopping throughput. And woe betide one would want to upload anything (all networking stops if you upload, wasn't an issue with old router) or torrent :eek:

Before I used to have an old single WAN port Zyxel DSL modem, bridged to a Linksys WRT54GL with X-WRT (a bit overkill that, pity I didn't put Tomato or DD on it). That setup seemed to work fine for the most part, however with just slower b/g wifi.

When the Vodafone router does work, the wifi is good with the N, which both phones and laptop use, so hesitant to return to a modem bridged to router with only b/g.

Hoping there's a relatively good one-box solution that won't break the bank?

Thanks

PogMoThoin

Just bridge it and add an ethernet router. There is only one router I recommend, Mikrotik, it really is the mutts nuts for the price. 1Watt wireless n, 5x gigabit ports and usb. This blows DD-WRT or Tomato away with features. It's an enterprise router, does vlans, all routing and switching protocols, virtual access points, even MPLS compatible.
http://routerboard.com/RB951G-2HnD

Thread on configuring it here: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056718566

Available here: http://www.ebay.ie/itm/MIKROTIK-Routerboard-RB951G-2HnD-WIRELESS-5xPORT-GIGABIT-ROUTER-RB-951G-2HnD-/170976792941?pt=COMP_EN_Routers&hash=item27cf02d16d

byte

Thanks.

I was hoping for an all-in-one solution, and that Mikrotik might be a bit OTT for home use... however... 1 watt of wifi? Mmmmmmmm.

Was looking at TPLink All-in-1 stuff, though very mixed reviews on that stuff. Buffalo gear was recommended, but dunno.

Maybe my old Prestige 600 bridged to that Mikrotik... mm 1 watt.

PogMoThoin

byte wrote: »

Thanks.

I was hoping for an all-in-one solution, and that Mikrotik might be a bit OTT for home use... however... 1 watt of wifi? Mmmmmmmm.

Was looking at TPLink All-in-1 stuff, though very mixed reviews on that stuff. Buffalo gear was recommended, but dunno.

Maybe my old Prestige 600 bridged to that Mikrotik... mm 1 watt.

Yeah, it's crazy powerful, I'm now covering an area that two Linksys with DD-WRT were covering with a single Mikrotik behind TV. Lucky I have no neighbours either side.

Don't be put off, You also have web login if you need it, it's just geekier to do CLI as there's much more options available :cool:

Honestly, You will not get a better router than this Mikrotik, it's got fast processor power and lots of memory, WISP's use them for a reason. I can run a heavy torrent and still browse, it just never caps out. It's also much easier to configure than it seems. It ships with a default config (standard AP router) which makes port 1 Wan Wan, ports 2-4 Lan with a basic Nat and firewall so it pretty much will work out of the box. QOS works out of the box, I can browse while uploading to Youtube for instance. It also has some neat tricks you can enable, like DNS cache that greatly speed up your browsing. You will instantly notice the difference on your home network.

I should be selling these I've recommended them so many times, but every single person has come back saying "Wow"

TPLink are cheap crap, they work, but don't expect great performance from them. Buffalo are OK, but a long way off Mikrotik

Headshot

ASUS RT-N66U is another to be looked at

byte

PogMoThoin wrote: »

Yeah, it's crazy powerful, I'm now covering an area that two Linksys with DD-WRT were covering with a single Mikrotik behind TV. Lucky I have no neighbours either side.

Don't be put off, You also have web login if you need it, it's just geekier to do CLI as there's much more options available :cool:

Honestly, You will not get a better router than this Mikrotik, it's got fast processor power and lots of memory, WISP's use them for a reason. I can run a heavy torrent and still browse, it just never caps out. It's also much easier to configure than it seems. It ships with a default config (standard AP router) which makes port 1 Wan Wan, ports 2-4 Lan with a basic Nat and firewall so it pretty much will work out of the box. QOS works out of the box, I can browse while uploading to Youtube for instance. It also has some neat tricks you can enable, like DNS cache that greatly speed up your browsing. You will instantly notice the difference on your home network.

I should be selling these I've recommended them so many times, but every single person has come back saying "Wow"

TPLink are cheap crap, they work, but don't expect great performance from them. Buffalo are OK, but a long way off Mikrotik

Can I do mos "normal" things via the web UI? Not very au fait with command line stuff, though I'd not be afraid to tinker!

To get the show up and running though, like PPPoE, port forwarding, etc, I'd just like to log into the web UI and just configure it there.

With regards QOS, that seems to be something this Vodafone piece of junk lacks, even though it's enabled.

Presumably, the USB port on the Mikrotik is for either 3G dongle or sharing a HDD, depending on how you configure it?

Can firmware updates be done via webUI or must only done via CLI?

byte

Headshot wrote: »

ASUS RT-N66U is another to be looked at

INteresting piece of kit, but the Mikrotik is cheaper, unless I'm missing something?

PogMoThoin

byte wrote: »

Can I do mos "normal" things via the web UI? Not very au fait with command line stuff, though I'd not be afraid to tinker!

To get the show up and running though, like PPPoE, port forwarding, etc, I'd just like to log into the web UI and just configure it there.

With regards QOS, that seems to be something this Vodafone piece of junk lacks, even though it's enabled.

Presumably, the USB port on the Mikrotik is for either 3G dongle or sharing a HDD, depending on how you configure it?

Can firmware updates be done via webUI or must only done via CLI?

Yes, most stuff can be done by web UI, but's not really CLI (unless you ssh in), they have their own Winbox software for configuring them which is easy enough to mange and very like a Web UI in ways. http://wiki.mikrotik.com/wiki/Manual:Winbox

To add PPPoE, is simple, add PPPoE client interface, enter the username and password, enable it and then change the Nat rule to this new interface.

The usb port is what you want it to be There is a wealth of info and a huge community willing to help on their forum

Software updates are as simple as pasting the file into Winbox and rebooting. Firmware updates are one click self update.

PogMoThoin

You'll need to trust me, it's so much easier than it appears. I know you're well able for it I don't CLI in very often, Winbox has an option to open a terminal, clicking this opens a telnet connection, you paste the commands in there and they take effect instantly. Winbox is laid out like the commands, so using the command like "ip firewall nat" is the same as clicking ip, then firewall, then opening the nat tab. This makes it very easy to see what commands are doing before and after you apply them.

byte

A bit of a learning curve with it so if I need to install interfaces, etc to get it running.

I'll read that Wiki a bit further. It's a bit daunting though it seems the possibilities are near endless, however time and patience may be required - something I don't have a lot of.

PogMoThoin

Here, I've done it for you

Setup PPPoE

interface pppoe-client add name=pppoe-for-dsl user=eircom password=broadband1

or click ppp, click the + sign, add ppp client, enter username and password and go ok

Disable the original firewall rule

ip firewall nat set 0 disabled=yes

or, click ip, click firewall, click nat, select the masquerade rule and click disable

Add new Nat rule

ip firewall nat add action=masquerade chain=srcnat comment=masquerade out-interface=pppoe-for-dsl

byte

Hahaha, Jesus, you must own Mikrotik!

I'll have to wait until Monday to get it ordered off that eBay seller. I notice IrishWireless are also selling it, though it works out more expensive with €11 delivery.

Dammit, I had no intentions of having a 2-box solution... seems like I will just have to.

PogMoThoin

byte wrote: »

Hahaha, Jesus, you must own Mikrotik!

I'll have to wait until Monday to get it ordered off that eBay seller. I notice IrishWireless are also selling it, though it works out more expensive with €11 delivery.

Dammit, I had no intentions of having a 2-box solution... seems like I will just have to.

You're better off with a 2 box solution, remember the modem will not be doing anything other than bridging rj11 to rj45 so it doesn't matter which POS you use. This is why you have no settings needed for PPPoE other than username and pass. The modem is setup with these, the Mikrotik dials and keeps the connection alive. You will never need to access the modem again (other than check your stats). I have a Linksys modem and the old model RB751 Mikrotik.

PogMoThoin

You ever order this?

byte

Nah...

I ordered a Netgear modem/router from Amazon instead. And so far, so good. Just the usual once-nightly disconnects that Vodafone seem to force.

Edit: Jesus, another Closed Account...

Headshot

Thats disappointing to see Pog gone

Xantia

Come back Póg !