Wireless Network gear question

[wdietsch]

Question for all you hardware/software gurus .... is there much differance between Linksys and D-Link gear. Getting ready to do a wireless network in my home looking at my options.

 

Thanks,

 

wes

[cj001f]

I've been pleased with my Netgear router & card.

[badvoodoo]

Last review on Tom's Hardware of the high-speed wireless hardware (802.11g) had Linksys providing high speeds but less reliable connections, and D-Link providing the reliablity but not quite matching for speed.

 

Each has their slight security flaws, each with their own workarounds or fixes (for more specific info on these, see the Bugtraq archives).

 

edit: I was thinking of Linksys vs. Netgear, not D-Link, in the above comparison.

[snoboy]

I don't know what you need, but we had major headaches here trying to run a VPN system on a wired Linksys router. Ended up having to buy a D-Link DI-624 router (wireless), and everything works smoothly now.

[iain]

I wouldn't touch NetGear or Linksys wireless products with a 10 foot pole after seeing things like this:

 

(Netgear security)

http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/365069

 

and this:

(Linksys security)

http://www.internetnews.com/infra/article.php/3362321

[badvoodoo]

Reviews with probably more info than you want:

 

Linksys

http://www.tomsnetworking.com/Reviews-142-ProdID-WRT54GS.php

 

Netgear

http://www.tomsnetworking.com/Reviews-40-ProdID-WG602.php

 

D-Link (high-end gateway)

http://www.tomsnetworking.com/Reviews-143-ProdID-2900G.php

[cj001f]

I wouldn't touch NetGear or Linksys wireless products with a 10 foot pole after seeing things like this:

I don't expect any type of security from dirt cheap hardware.

[CascadeClimber]

The problem with all this low end crap..er, gear, is that many of the listed feature simply don't work, or work unreliably.

 

Traditionally, Linksys has been a leader in the low price and really crappy reliability categories. I've seen some indication that the Cisco buyout is changing both.

 

If you are going to run your wireless network with no security (anyone in range can use it), then choose based on price. If you intend to secure it, then find a device that includes "WPA", and on which WPA actually works. You'll also need wireless cards for the PCs that support WPA.

 

WEP is fatally flawed and can be broken in minutes. To date, I don't beleive that WPA has been cracked.

 

-Loren

[jon]

http://www.apple.com/airportextreme/

[iain]

doesn't really matter what encryption you're running when hidden admin accounts are installed on the unit, and the password is publicly known (as is the case with the Netgear wireless unit). Their first "fix" was to change the admin password. Unbelievable. Companies like that tend to not get my business.

 

I have not had any issues with D-Link products. Apple's Airport products are also extremely well-made and have great software, but are a little more expensive. You get what you pay for.

[badvoodoo]

Good call on WPA, Loren. I currently have an Actiontec access point/router, and love it. Embedded Linux for the OS, WPA compatible, and uses iptables for firewalling. Even allows deferred authentication to a RADIUS server.

[wdietsch]

thanks for all the info .. appreciate the help

[wdietsch]

Good call on WPA, Loren. I currently have an Actiontec access point, and love it. Embedded Linux for the OS, WPA compatible, and uses iptables for firewalling. Even allows deferred authentication to a RADIUS server.

 

 

now you're making my head hurt

[CascadeClimber]

The Netgear boys left themselves a backdoor, eh? They haven't been the same since they went away from ZyNOS.

 

Speaking of which, I've deployed a bunch of ZyXEL gear, including a big multi-wap one at one of houses in the greek system at UW. It's worth a look. Street prices are much lower than list. Some of the ZyAIR products support 3rd party Radius, and some even include basic Radius authentication.

 

http://us.zyxel.com

 

In the interest of full disclosure, I am a ZyXEL reseller.

 

-L

[arlen]

Hmm, maybe I'm haplessly the access point for the latest terror viruses, but I've got no complaints about my $10 Belkin wireless-b router. I figure it'll deter the casual snooper and would be the same level of no use against a determined bad guy.