microsoft router any good?

red-i · 09-13-03, 12:04 AM

i was reading some comments on dslreports saying the msn mn500 wireless basestation is the best when compared to netgear, linksys and dlink. any opinions? i want a good combo because my linksys router and zonet card dont seem to be working well i always gettin dropped net connection on my ax it's pissin me off

Howard2k · 09-13-03, 12:07 AM

I've heard good things about it too... No personal experience though.

deftech · 09-13-03, 12:10 AM

I have tried to avoid the MS LAN products like the plague ever since they were released. MS released their first line of networking products during my final months of working at Circuit City a while back. I saw more of the MS products come back in defective during this short time frame, than any other networking products that we'd been carrying for years. Most of the complaints were that the range was horrible, and very inconsistent after about a week's use.

They could have improved by now, but their first impression to me has given these products a horrible reputation.

Howard2k · 09-13-03, 12:12 AM

LOL, I still blame them for NetBEUI. That's my reason. :)

red-i · 09-13-03, 02:05 AM

hmmm.. ok which router to get then? howard, how's your linksys running?

either my linksys router is messed, or it's my wifi card... somethin's goin on cuz i have so much trouble connecting and maintainig a connection (even when it says connected and at 100% signal and link)

09-13-03, 02:36 AM

I went from a D-Link 704 (nonwireless) to a MS 500 (wireless) and it's been great. My major complaint is it's slow displaying the pages when you're checking/setting it up. Another is for some reason it recommends that you broadcase your SSID and that's a no no.

I get good range on it, it's located on the second floor and I get about 75-80% in my basement with my speedstread PCI card on the laptop and about 70-75 on the Axim with my WCF-12.

I've had it about 7 months now and only rebooted once when I had to reboot the cable modem. It's been a configure it and forget it.

BTW I have 2 systems hardwired directly to it, a D-Link hub in my office on the 1st floor also hardwired to it with my system and laptop coming off the hub. The laptop go's wireless with the Axim at times.

Either OfficeMax, or Staples will have it on sale this week. If you get it check MS page I picked up another $20.00 rebate when I purchased mine so my final cost was something like $29. If you don't know where to get discount coupons for OfficeMax or Staples let me know and send you links to sites that may save you another $10-$20 off the price.

deftech · 09-13-03, 02:36 AM

red-i,

Do you have the card/Axim set up to connect via Infrastructure mode? That is a common setting that can accidentally get altered, resulting in lost connections every minute or so.

Howard2k · 09-13-03, 09:25 AM

Red-i,

My linksys is running pretty well so far actually. It's working perfectly with my WMP11 (PCI Card) and seems to be working ok with my USB card too.. Though I have some slight reservations about that at the moment...

With the WCF12 I haven't seen any repeat of the streaming problems that I've been having. But early days yet. I'll be doing a bunch more testing.

So far the only problem is that the power save feature on the WCF12 seems to be incompatible with it.

Having said that, there are some well documented issues with it and I've seen some issues. Short premable for example I think was the cause for some problems with the USB card.

I'll be doing a bunch more testing over the weekend. I need to play more with the preamble and the USB and also do some more tests on the range of it vs my other Linksys router.

As it works right now I'm pretty happy with it but time will tell.

red-i · 09-13-03, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by deftech
red-i,

Do you have the card/Axim set up to connect via Infrastructure mode? That is a common setting that can accidentally get altered, resulting in lost connections every minute or so.

in the driver config on my axim for my card i have it set to 'access point' as the network type, which i'm assuming is the same as infrastructure mode. The only other option is ad hoc which is not what i want.

mounds · 09-14-03, 11:30 AM

i'm using a netgear MR814 (i've only used netgear routers since day one, never had a problem in the world...the majority of the problem's i've heard about them, is with configuration..which isn't hard..)

and i use a dlink 660w... i like the card- couldn't get the beta drivers to work, but the older ones work fine, so i have no complaints

but as far as microsoft networking stuff is concerned, it's decent technology, but it's touchy to mis-configuration. i have a friend that bought a wireless AP made by MS, and he had no trouble, til his friend thought he'd reconfigure it...so he ended up having to reflash the ROM in the unit to regain functionality

so...i dunno.. i like netgear, but that's me... i like port forwarding and stateful packet inspection.. :) just my .02