[TelstraClear] HOW-TO: Choose the right router for TCL Cable & Install Instructions

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BarTender

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Topic # 23445 29-Jun-2008 19:05

There has been a lot of repeated discussion on this topic about what routers will work, and which ones give you problems in this thread I hope to list all the known routers that work, and the ones that are known to give problems.

Working Routers:

Linksys WRT54GL or WRT54G Revision 2 or lower running DD-WRT. Running the stock Linksys firmware will most probably still have the problem, and upgrading the WRT54G Rev 3 or higher can be problematic. Just a few $ more for a GL when buying new!
Linksys RV042
DLink DI-655
Top Global MB6800

Routers that give you problems with dropouts:
Anything from Belkin
Apple Airport Extreme
~~DLink DIR-655~~ Only when gaming a lag has be seen as per this post no reboots or dropouts seen
...

Other common steps taken to resolve problems is to change your Internal IP Address range from 192.168.1.x to something else. You can use any private network range including 10.x.x.x or 172.16.x.x - 172.31.x.x or 192.168.x.x.

I always recommend to most people to purchase a Linksys WRT54GL. As they are good quality routers and when loaded with DD-WRT I have yet to have a problem with one of them. The steps you need to take to upgrade a WRT54GL with the stock Linksys firmware to DD-WRT:

Steps for guarenteed working "no periodic dropout" and "no need to reboot router" internet access unless there is something physically wrong with your cable modem or cable connection:

1) Buy WRT54GL from Ascent, (I don't work for them, but their prices are fair, and it's free delivery!)
2) Download the Mini and Standard versions of DD-WRT Version 2.4 from the DD-WRT site.
3) Wait for router to turn up, and unbox and plug in (don't bother with the included CD), connect from laptop / desktop to wired (not wireless) connection, have DHCP enabled on your PC, if you have a static IP address for TCL Cable, write those numbers down!
4) Browse to router at http://192.168.1.1 login with User=admin Password=admin (default for Linksys firmware) and firmware upgrade to DD-WRT with the MINI version first. This is VERY IMPORTANT that you upgrade to MINI first, as the stock linksys firmware doesn't support images larger than 3MB, and the Standard DD-WRT is 3.6MB, if you update to the Standard before MINI you will BRICK your router, and need to recover it using the TFTP.
5) Wait for router to reboot, then login to http://192.168.1.1 logging in this time with User=root Password=admin (default for DD-WRT) and upgrade from Mini to Standard firmware (since you can upgrade to 4MB images as the WRT54GL has a 4MB flash with DD-WRT loaded), also select "reset to factory defaults" as part of firmware upgrade.
6) Wait for reboot and browse to http://192.168.1.1 again and change to static IP, plug in your TCL static IP plus the Paradise DNS servers (203.96.152.4 & 203.96.152.12).
7) Change Wireless Network name, and enable WPA2 or at the very least WPA since WEP or No Encryption is asking for trouble! Otherwise disable wireless all together!!
8) And you are done, remember the days that you had random dropouts from your TCL internet connection..

Other extra things you could do:

I like turning on the Enable / Disable wireless with Quick Setup Button, this means that you can with the quick setup button on the front of the router enable or disable your wireless, good if you want to stop people snooping when you are away at work. You can also by default have the wireless turned off when you boot, then turn it on with the quick setup button. Nice feature.

I am happy to configure anyones WRT54GL if they feel uncomfortable with the steps above.

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BDFL - Memuneh
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Reply # 141304 29-Jun-2008 19:13

I have one Belkin F5D7230-4 that worked 24x7 for the last five years. Before that I had the same model without the wireless AP, again for about four years. No problems with these models.

I am currently using a Top Global MB6800 because the Belkin will slow down (but not stop) when uploading torrents at high speeds (downloading at any speed is fine).

Mauricio Freitas (Geekzone Admin, Devil's Advocate, my blog, technology disclosure)

amanzi

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Reply # 141312 29-Jun-2008 20:26

freitasm: I have one Belkin F5D7230-4 that worked 24x7 for the last five years. Before that I had the same model without the wireless AP, again for about four years. No problems with these models.

I am currently using a Top Global MB6800 because the Belkin will slow down (but not stop) when uploading torrents at high speeds (downloading at any speed is fine).

Wow - that mobile router has an RRP of $673.88! And it doesn't have 802.11g either... Hard to justify the cost just because it's small and portable. (still needs power brick?)

BarTender: ...Routers that give you problems with dropouts:

I have an Airport Extreme and it needs a restart at least once per day and that's even after trying all the tips I've found (disabling IPV6, selecting custom channel number, picking an unusual subnet, etc...)

freitasm

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Reply # 141321 29-Jun-2008 20:48

amanzi:
freitasm: I have one Belkin F5D7230-4 that worked 24x7 for the last five years. Before that I had the same model without the wireless AP, again for about four years. No problems with these models.

I am currently using a Top Global MB6800 because the Belkin will slow down (but not stop) when uploading torrents at high speeds (downloading at any speed is fine).

Wow - that mobile router has an RRP of $673.88! And it doesn't have 802.11g either... Hard to justify the cost just because it's small and portable. (still needs power brick?)

Well, it's not just a router - as you noted it's a mobile router. You can use Telecom PC or Express cards, Vodafone PC or Express cards and USB modens for both networks.

It saved my day a few times when TelstraClear dropped for a few hours, and once when we had to wait for TelstraClear to come around and fix the pole across the street.

In other words, well worth every cent.

Mauricio Freitas (Geekzone Admin, Devil's Advocate, my blog, technology disclosure)

amanzi

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Reply # 141325 29-Jun-2008 21:04

freitasm:
amanzi:
freitasm: I have one Belkin F5D7230-4 that worked 24x7 for the last five years. Before that I had the same model without the wireless AP, again for about four years. No problems with these models.

I am currently using a Top Global MB6800 because the Belkin will slow down (but not stop) when uploading torrents at high speeds (downloading at any speed is fine).

Wow - that mobile router has an RRP of $673.88! And it doesn't have 802.11g either... Hard to justify the cost just because it's small and portable. (still needs power brick?)

Well, it's not just a router - as you noted it's a mobile router. You can use Telecom PC or Express cards, Vodafone PC or Express cards and USB modens for both networks.

It saved my day a few times when TelstraClear dropped for a few hours, and once when we had to wait for TelstraClear to come around and fix the pole across the street.

In other words, well worth every cent.

But you could achieve the same thing by creating an ad-hoc wireless network on a laptop with the 3G card plugged into it. That's what I usually do if Telstra goes down - I connect to the Vodafone 3G network on my notebook, then create an ad-hoc wireless network and then connect to it with other devices.

sbiddle

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Reply # 141326 29-Jun-2008 21:06

amanzi:
freitasm:
amanzi:
freitasm: I have one Belkin F5D7230-4 that worked 24x7 for the last five years. Before that I had the same model without the wireless AP, again for about four years. No problems with these models.

I am currently using a Top Global MB6800 because the Belkin will slow down (but not stop) when uploading torrents at high speeds (downloading at any speed is fine).

Wow - that mobile router has an RRP of $673.88! And it doesn't have 802.11g either... Hard to justify the cost just because it's small and portable. (still needs power brick?)

Well, it's not just a router - as you noted it's a mobile router. You can use Telecom PC or Express cards, Vodafone PC or Express cards and USB modens for both networks.

It saved my day a few times when TelstraClear dropped for a few hours, and once when we had to wait for TelstraClear to come around and fix the pole across the street.

In other words, well worth every cent.

But you could achieve the same thing by creating an ad-hoc wireless network on a laptop with the 3G card plugged into it. That's what I usually do if Telstra goes down - I connect to the Vodafone 3G network on my notebook, then create an ad-hoc wireless network and then connect to it with other devices.

But having auto fall-back is a lot better, especially if you have a server running behind it or a mail server.

amanzi

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Reply # 141328 29-Jun-2008 21:19

sbiddle: But having auto fall-back is a lot better, especially if you have a server running behind it or a mail server.

True, that is a nifty (though expensive) feature.

BarTender

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Reply # 141421 30-Jun-2008 11:22

amanzi:
sbiddle: But having auto fall-back is a lot better, especially if you have a server running behind it or a mail server.

True, that is a nifty (though expensive) feature.

The Linksys RV042 has a similar feature, it has two WAN RJ45 ports that you can setup with different ISP's etc and can fail over or load balance between the two WAN interfaces, so I have one for TCL, and the other connects via PPPoE to Woosh for backup. Handy, but thankfully I didn't pay for the RV042 (it was being thrown away as part of my ex-employer office move-out) so I thought... ummm thank-you-very-much!

freitasm

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Reply # 141426 30-Jun-2008 11:36

amanzi:
sbiddle: But having auto fall-back is a lot better, especially if you have a server running behind it or a mail server.

True, that is a nifty (though expensive) feature.

Expensive? It keeps my home/office on-line 24/7 regardless of the status of my primary ISP. So paying $600 for this router is well worth it.

In my books having to reset the Apple Airport every day like you have to do makes the Apple Airport a very expensive piece of innefective hardware...

Mauricio Freitas (Geekzone Admin, Devil's Advocate, my blog, technology disclosure)

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Reply # 141428 30-Jun-2008 11:45

freitasm: In my books having to reset the Apple Airport every day like you have to do makes the Apple Airport a very expensive piece of innefective hardware...

I agree - the Airport Extreme is a piece of sh1t - I was pointing it out as belonging to the "Routers that give you problems with dropouts:" group!

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Reply # 141664 30-Jun-2008 20:19

Bartender you can add Linksys WRT54G v1.1 running DD-WRT to your list.

However I also know that you can add WRT54G v5 and above to the does not work list even running DD-WRT

Not sure about those in between but looking at the spec's I think anything up to and including v4 should be ok.

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Reply # 141666 30-Jun-2008 20:30

I now run a Cisco 871 and it to seems to have fixed my connection woes - I had a Belkin before and it was terrible.

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Reply # 142544 3-Jul-2008 14:37

I'm running a Zyxel P-334 wireless router, I'd put it in the category of routers that don't work i.e. I would normally have to boot it every 1-3 days. Lately I have noticed that I don't need to kick it nearly as often - I have just looked at its uptime which is over two weeks which would have to be a first with this router.

Wondering if some of the TCL outages recently in the early hours have been aimed at reducing arp traffic which I am seeing as less frequent reboots?

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Reply # 142550 3-Jul-2008 14:52

I've just switched back to the WRT54GL that I had sitting in a drawer and have flashed it with the DD-WRT firmware as described by BarTender, above. Setup was a breeze and it's looking good. I'm going to use the Airport Extreme as a wireless-N AP with the gigabit switch in the study.

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Reply # 143079 4-Jul-2008 21:02

At the risk of being a "me too" post, I can but echo what BarTender has written. A rock solid solution in all regards. DD-WRT 2.4 has some nice extra features too, including bandwidth monitoring. While a degree of "geekiness" is required to implement this solution, it isn't too extreme. I will also echo comments about Ascent (I don't work for them either, but they have been a 100% reliable for me). Just go for it!

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Reply # 143082 4-Jul-2008 21:06

Tinshed: At the risk of being a "me too" post, I can but echo what BarTender has written. A rock solid solution in all regards. DD-WRT 2.4 has some nice extra features too, including bandwidth monitoring. While a degree of "geekiness" is required to implement this solution, it isn't too extreme. I will also echo comments about Ascent (I don't work for them either, but they have been a 100% reliable for me). Just go for it!

"Me too" :) My freshly installed DD-WRT router has been up for "1 day, 6:17" - that's the first time in months that I've gone a whole day without having to 'reboot the internet'

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