Reply to: Broadband/router...?

[gadgetman]

Thanks.

Unfortunately mine falls into the unknown bucket but it seems to work okay.

[KevinS]

Is this the only (Netgear) model affected?

I have no idea.. Have a look at this post for your model and it will tell you what chipset the unit is using.. Some are unknown, unfortunately (Netgear are not that forthcoming about which chipset is in which unit)..

[gadgetman]

Is this the only (Netgear) model affected?

Correct.. DG834 V1 - V3 has the problem chip (although my V3 has never given me any issues), but from what I have heard, the V4 is pretty thin on the ground..

[Cyberman]

I changed to O2 three weeks ago and got a free router plus reduced fees from 19 to 7.50 pounds a month(O2 give a 5 pound discount per month on normal tariff for their mobile phone users). Line speed is amazing compared to my previous Tesco facility!!


you can check your line at: www.speedtest.net

[KevinS]

Apparently there are Mark 1 to Mark 4 versions of the DG834 available. Mark 4 is, I'm told, built on a different chipset so doesn't have the disconnect problems of the earlier boxes.

Correct.. DG834 V1 - V3 has the problem chip (although my V3 has never given me any issues), but from what I have heard, the V4 is pretty thin on the ground..

[Fred Bloggs]

Netgear have released an update to the DG834 V3 router, fixing some of the AR7 issues.. Download it here..

Apparently there are Mark 1 to Mark 4 versions of the DG834 available. Mark 4 is, I'm told, built on a different chipset so doesn't have the disconnect problems of the earlier boxes.

[gadgetman]

Well its been running fine for a year so I don't see the problem.

Is this a home network? Oh dear

[KevinS]

Netgear have released an update to the DG834 V3 router, fixing some of the AR7 issues.. Download it here..

[KevinS]

The issue with the AR7 chips is it depends on the kit that is installed in your local exchange.. Be don't seem to have an issue with Netgear kit, but only supply Speedtouch units (because, AFAIK, it is the only router that is tested with their exchange kit)..

[Fred Bloggs]

Personally I always use Netgear kit and find it very reliable. I have a Rangemax Next and several Netgear gigabit switches.

On the other hand, in the past I've experienced loads of problems with LinkSys kit. YMMV.

I had 2 years of trouble until I found that out about the AR7 chips. I swapped to a BT Voyager Router/Modem and no problems at all since. The folks who bought my Netgear stuff never had any trouble from the kit.

[ratewhore]

I have a Rangemax Next and several Netgear gigabit switches.

Is this a home network? Oh dear

[EvilWeevil]

I have had a pair of USRobotics 9113 ADSL2 Ndx routers - I got them primarily to bridge. I haven't had them long enough to conclusively say, but they seem to work fine. And their tech support guys very efficiently taught me how to bridge between them.

[snaw]

Why 802.11N? N is the latest (draft) standard ...I haven't heard or seen anything that indicates that it has been adopted. see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/802.11#802.11n

I'd personally stay away from 11N equipment.

It'' get adopted this year, and if you always waited for draft standards to get ratified you'd be consistently behind the 8 ball in networks ... anyway the guys who will give it the nod are primarily the ones rolling it out already!

[lilelvis2000]

Why 802.11N? N is the latest (draft) standard ...I haven't heard or seen anything that indicates that it has been adopted. see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/802.11#802.11n

I'd personally stay away from 11N equipment.

[gadgetman]

Personally I always use Netgear kit and find it very reliable. I have a Rangemax Next and several Netgear gigabit switches.

On the other hand, in the past I've experienced loads of problems with LinkSys kit. YMMV.