Broadband Router advice

[Tommy Boomfiger]

ive been doing some research for routers over the last couple days and before i bought anything i figured id ask someone who knew more about this stuff than me. since almost everyone i know doesnt know jack about computers i turn to you :)

i need a router with good firewall and a print server. id also like at least 4 10/100mpbs ports and wireless would be nice but id like to keep the price under $100.

from my research, i like the Asanté FriendlyNET FR3004FLC (http://www.asante.com/products/routers/FR3004FLC/index.html) and the SMC Barricade SMC7004ABR (http://www.smc.com/index.cfm?sec=Products&pg=Product-Details&prod=67&site=c)

i dont know if this affects all routers with print servers, but the asante one only allows unilateral printer communication. all of my printers utilize 2way communication and it would be nice if i didnt lose that functionality.

im not limiting myself to these, i just want the best router with my requirements for under 100 bucks.

[i6s1]

SMC routers also have 1-way-only communication with the printer.

[Tommy Boomfiger]

thatnks, if 2 way isnt available i guess there isnt much i can do.

what about the router though? i would really like to get a linksys router because my whole network is entirely linksys and IMO same brand components just work better together than a mixed network. i know its not going to be a huge difference, but every bit counts. anyone know of a linksys router with a print server?

[kain9i6]

Another good one I have found is the D Link.. I have an older model and it works just fine. Built in print server as well.

DLink (http://www.dlink.com/products/broadband/di704p/)

[i6s1]

My personal opinion is that routers are all pretty much the same. Figure out what options you need (Switch/print servers/security features) and the buy the cheapest one. They all work pretty good, and if you talk to enough people you will find out that every company has someone who has had issues with said company's tech support/customer disservice

[Tommy Boomfiger]

i found one linksys router with a print server, but the only review i found said that it lacked in the routing area even compared to other linksys routers.

i have been reading up on practically networked and a few other sites. according to them not all routers are the same. and throw in wireless and print servers and it varies even more. for example some routers with wireless ports slow down by 50% or more by enabling WEP. if i get wireless, i will definately be using WEP and its a good thing to know that it will slow down so much by doing so.

ill follow your lead and avoid dlink, DF. ill probably get the Netgear FR114P ProSafe Firewall (http://www.netgear.com/products/details/FR114P.asp?view=) or one of the 2 i listed before. it seems like a lot of smc and asante hardware is the same with different firmwares. its probably going to come down to bang for the buck between these three though

[ironape]

Originally posted by Tommy Boomfiger
ill follow your lead and avoid dlink, DF.

Good choice. I know all the details to his problem with d-link and unless you want customer service to laugh at you and generally provide you with no help at all you will all steer clear of them.

Ape

[Leon]

Here's a good site with a bunch of router reviews.

http://www.timhiggins.com/index.php

I actually had the FM114P, but the transfer rate is pretty slow for that router. Kind of ticked me off because it was expensive. So I switched to the Linksys BEFSX41.


http://www.timhiggins.com/Reviews-16-ProdID-SMC7004VBR-3.php
http://www.timhiggins.com/Reviews-17-ProdID-BEFSX41-4.php
http://www.timhiggins.com/Reviews-14-ProdID-FR114P-3.php

[Tommy Boomfiger]

thanks for the links Leon, thats a pretty good site. ive decided to go with asante router. i just dont know whether to go with the older FriendlyNET FR3004LC which i can get for about $50 shipped after rebate or the newer FriendlyNET FR3004FLC which is $80+ shipped. the FLC has a much better firewall with an SPI filter which the LC does not. both use NAT and the LC uses Natural Packet filters.

on a side note, it seems that the difference between the Asanté FriendlyNET FR3004FLC and the SMC Barricade SMC7004ABR seem to be the same as the difference between a lexus es300 and a toyota camary. they look different, one has a few more features, but overall they are the same unit. in this case, the asante has a better firewall and hopefully better customer support.

[cross56]

I've got 3 computers on my network with a D-Link DI-604. I love it. I've never set up a network with router until I got ATT cable internet. But I had no problems with my Di-604. Also I don't think a router has to have a printer server to allow all networked computers to use one printer. I don't think my 604 said anything about a printer server and all my pc's use the same printer with no problems.
Like I said I didn't know anything about a router until I got this one. And I still don't know anything. I just followed the instructions in the router manual on setting up my network.
All for only $40 (router & cables)
It also has a small firewall built in but I don't usu it.
Hope this helps.
"good day"

[eSDee]

I've been setting up home networks for a couple of years now, and now whenever someone asks me to help them out I tell them to go with the SMC Barricade w/ print server. I have had the 7004ABR for over 2 years now and have never had a problem. The Linksys that I have used in the past sometimes requires resetting the router in order to get a DHCP IP assigned.

I guess I like how simple the SMC Barricade works. If you have DHCP enabled on your computers, you should be able to just plug it in to the router and be up and running.

Good luck.

[Tommy Boomfiger]

Originally posted by eSDeeLoco
I've been setting up home networks for a couple of years now, and now whenever someone asks me to help them out I tell them to go with the SMC Barricade w/ print server. I have had the 7004ABR for over 2 years now and have never had a problem. The Linksys that I have used in the past sometimes requires resetting the router in order to get a DHCP IP assigned.

I guess I like how simple the SMC Barricade works. If you have DHCP enabled on your computers, you should be able to just plug it in to the router and be up and running.

Good luck. it seems to me that smc manufactures asante hardware. i know ive read somewhere before that asante was made by someone else but i dont remember. on one of the sites ive been reading up on it says that the firmware is somewhat interchangeable (though this causes problems) between the 2 units. with that and the better firewall on the asante, ive chosen the asante one. $30 more for an SPI filter firewall seems like a better choice. i found it cheaper at ecost.com, but it looks fishy to me. thanks eSDee

[Tommy Boomfiger]

Summary: Fast router w/ built-in Win printserver & COM port for modem or ISDN WAN
Different package, but twin to SMC Barricade.
Also FR3004 (no COM or printserver) & FR3004C (no printserver) Supports use with Macs.

from practically networked (http://www.practicallynetworked.com/item.asp?pid=293)