New Router without spending $$$$$

Forums › LAN (ethernet/Wifi/routers/Bluetooth) › New Router without spending $$$$$ - but need features!

BlakJak

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#103290 3-Jun-2012 08:49

Okay... so for the first time in about 5 years i'm needing to look at buying a new ADSL router. I have a Netgear DG834G at the moment, it's been quite flakey recently and i've gone so far as to borrow a WAG160N off a mate and retire the Netgear to nothing more than a switch+AP. Unfortunately the WAG160N is a) unstable and b) lacking features I want.

So what's the go these days? I'm a bit out of touch with the market.

Must:

- Allow Service Pinholing and Port Translation
- Allow me to restrict Pinholes to limited external IP's (eg, a basic firewall)
- Allow me to connect to SIP servers externally (more than one)
- Allow remote management, and for this to be limited to specific external IPs
- Have a 4 (or more) port switch inbuilt
- Support being rebooted by remote command (web ui usually)
- Offer 'some' decent management and troubleshooting features (access to the arp cache, or similar, would be nice).

The DG834 supports basically all of this, so I figure i'm not looking to move backwards. I'd also quite like an ABGN access point, and I don't want to spend horrendous amounts of money.

Many years ago I had nothing but poor experiences with Dynalink (broken NAT implementations) and whilst I had a D-Link for many years (DSL-500, which I still have as my if-all-else-fails but now crashes every time someone tries to use MSN Messenger) i'm keen to buy something decent, and D-Link used to have a reputation in some corners for being 'very residential grade'...?

Anycase interested to see what folks recommend.

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drou

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#634955 3-Jun-2012 12:01

I'm not completely sure if it will fit all your needs but you can look at a Mikrotik Routerboard, plenty of options you can basically do whatever you want with the traffic (traffic shaping, bandwidth control, routing, switching, etc), you have different models to choose but this guy here http://routerboard.com/RB751G-2HnD has a nice config, 5gbit ports (one POE) plus wireless, the problem is that does not have a built-in modem, you will an external ADSL modem preferably on bridge mode to control everything on your router. Take a look on the features that RouterOS gives you and see if that's enough for you...they're not easy to setup though but they're very reliable and cheap! you can find them on gowifi to buy...

networkn

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#634981 3-Jun-2012 13:00

Budget? Zyxel make good routers, exceptional infact, however I wouldn't term them as cheap.

Let me know if you want more details.

BlakJak

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#634986 3-Jun-2012 13:08

I've used a Mikrotik router before, a key drawback for me is that the tool used to manage them is windows-only.
I think I really want to try to remain within the realm of COTS, else i'd be hunting for a PCI DSL modem (do they still exist?) and using my linux box as a router.
So hoping for recommendations around a 'current day equivalent' to the DG834 in terms of features.

Something that can run dd-wrt might be appealing...

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BlakJak

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#636166 5-Jun-2012 16:22

Wow, no other recommendations? Am I being too demanding in my features?

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sbiddle

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#636182 5-Jun-2012 16:42

The web GUI in RouterOS now gives all the functionality of WinBox.

BlakJak

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#636185 5-Jun-2012 16:46

networkn: Budget? Zyxel make good routers, exceptional infact, however I wouldn't term them as cheap.

Let me know if you want more details.

Missed this earlier. Interested in your views on Zyxel as i've heard nothing but problems with respects to them over several years...

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eXDee

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#636306 5-Jun-2012 20:14

So what actually is the budget?
For heaps of features for your dollar i'd suggest the Netgear WNR3500L ($150) flashed with TomatoUSB firmware. Then just add a modem in bridge/half bridge mode and you're sussed.

Because you'd be running TomatoUSB, it simply comes down to the devices hardware, which in that case is all good (533mhz CPU, 128mb rom, 128mb ram, gigabit, 3 stream wireless N)

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cyril7

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#636312 5-Jun-2012 20:23

Yep as per stevebiddles comments lattest upgrade on the web interface for Mikrotik give pretty much 100% access via port 80

Cyril

BlakJak

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#636342 5-Jun-2012 20:52

I'm surprised that all these half-bridge options are being preferred over native NAT'rs.

If I take the multi-SIP option away does that make ordinary NAT'ing routers more realistic?

(Great to hear about the Mikrotik web interface..!)

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eXDee

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#636386 5-Jun-2012 21:58

BlakJak: I'm surprised that all these half-bridge options are being preferred over native NAT'rs.

If I take the multi-SIP option away does that make ordinary NAT'ing routers more realistic?

(Great to hear about the Mikrotik web interface..!)

Half bridge is a bit of a bastardization of DHCP and is less than ideal, but its a good way to avoid double NAT which is just a pain to deal with.

Ideally we'd be running full bridge mode and then authing with PPPoE on the router but that doesn't tend to happen in NZ.

One ideal solution is Draytek Vigor 120's PPPoA to PPPoE bridge mode.

BlakJak

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#636397 5-Jun-2012 22:13

Had http://www.ascent.co.nz/productspecification.aspx?ItemID=395844 recommended. Currently looking into why I shouldn't. Being another Netgear, seems reasonable to believe it'll have a similar featureset to what I have now.

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eXDee

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#636418 5-Jun-2012 22:40

Not a bad device as far as i've seen.
Personally though i'd spend $149 on the WNR3500L i mentioned, then a cheapy modem from trademe (eg dynalink rta1320v6 in half bridge, you aren't using NAT here so no problems with nat implementations, these go for $10-20 brand new on trademe).
This gives you a far better solution, gigabit ports, 3 stream wireless N, USB, far superior firmware (TomatoUSB) which can do VPN servers, QoS, bandwidth monitoring per PC etc.

But that's just me!

cauld

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#649845 3-Jul-2012 07:26

eXDee:
BlakJak: I'm surprised that all these half-bridge options are being preferred over native NAT'rs.

If I take the multi-SIP option away does that make ordinary NAT'ing routers more realistic?

(Great to hear about the Mikrotik web interface..!)

Half bridge is a bit of a bastardization of DHCP and is less than ideal, but its a good way to avoid double NAT which is just a pain to deal with.

Ideally we'd be running full bridge mode and then authing with PPPoE on the router but that doesn't tend to happen in NZ.

One ideal solution is Draytek Vigor 120's PPPoA to PPPoE bridge mode.

So I have just moved from Wellington (luxurious Telstra Cable) to Rotorua (freaking rural ADSL

).

I have setup the following and I'm really stoked with it. Not the cheapest option by any means but gives me full power over what I want to do including multi SSID, captive portal guest wifi, eventually dual-homing but in the interim controlled routes out of two pipes.

My current inbound connectivity is Telecom (they were the best value in the end) ADSL into a Draytek Vigor 120. The Draytek is configured in PPPoA to PPPoE bridge mode and bridge to a Microtik Routerboard 450G (from GoWifi.co.nz in the end even though they were a bit more spendy). Off the router I have a ReadyNAS device (dual GB Ethernet) and then currently a single Ubiqiti UniFi Outdoor AP (from Streakwave).

Next steps are;
1. Get a better internet connection. Hoping to find somewhere on UFB (Rotorua got rolled out early) or VDSL where I can stick my Ubiqiti Powerbridge to get a better net connection.
2. Finish the WiFi setup. The Outdoor AP will move outdoors and then I'll get a UniFi Indoor LR AP for the house.
3. Bridge to the garage and the neighbours using LocoStation M5's. I'll probably stick an UniFi Indoor AP next door as well.
4. Security and surveillance using AirVision cameras and will probably grab some of the new Ubiquiti MFi gear for a play as well for door sensors and passive IR (not super impressed that the MFi sensors have to be wired vs using short range RF like Zigbee or ANT...).

But, back on topic. The Microtik router is the ducks nuts and for a very reasonable price (about $200). 680Mhz processor, plenty of RAM. The Web UI is fine for configuring it though I am primarily using Winbox.

If people want a blog post on the Vigor + Microtik setup guide let me know on DM.