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Buy.com has the basic but solid Linksys WRT54G 802.11g Wireless Router for $51 - $20 off $50 Google Checkout = $31 with free shipping. This is a tried and true router. [BizRate]
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I wonder what version they are shipping these days.
Go here for info and the mods.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WRT54G
Oh and by the way. Rock solid cheap @$$ router. I have an older version 2 and it's been rocking for years.
I think I had version 5 of this router and it was crap. It would lose its connection after 24 hours and you would have to restart the router. Definitely find out the version before you buy.
How? There is no version info on the box.
#3, check the serial number on the box:
WRT54G
CDF0 = WRT54G v1.0 / ADM6996L Chipset / CPU 125Mhz
CDF1 = WRT54G v1.0 / ADM6996L Chipset / CPU 125Mhz
CDF2 = WRT54G v1.1 / ADM6996L Chipset / CPU 125Mhz
CDF3 = WRT54G v1.1 / ADM6996L Chipset / CPU 125Mhz
CDF5 = WRT54G v2.0 / ADM6996L Chipset / CPU 200Mhz
CDF7 = WRT54G v2.2 / BCM5325EKQM Chipset / CPU 200Mhz
CDF8 = WRT54G v3.0 / BCM5325EKQM Chipset / CPU 200Mhz
CDF9 = WRT54G v3.1 / BCM5325EKQM Chipset / CPU 200Mhz
CDFA = WRT54G v4.0 / BCM5352E Chipset / CPU 200Mhz
CDFB = WRT54G v5.0 / BCM5352EKPB Chipset / CPU 200Mhz
CDFC = WRT54G v5.1 / BCM5352EKPB Chipset / CPU 200Mhz
CDFD = WRT54G v6.0 / BCM5352EKBG Chipset / CPU 200Mhz
how can one find the version no. when buying online?
I mean we don't have access/info of the exact box being shipped to us, do we?
I had problems with mine also it would at random drop the PPPoE connection to SBC. I tried everything thinking that it was an SBC problem but then I looked on the Linksys page and saw that there was a new version for download so I put that on and problem is gone.
Strange thing is that this same router worked 100% fine on my cable modem before I moved.
Get the GL version and you don't have to worry about getting a v5+.
WRT54GL
http://www.buy.com/prod/Linksys_WRT54GL_WirelesGBroadband_Router_with_Linux/q/loc/101/202046565.html
But, I think the buffalo products are better:
This
http://www.buy.com/prod/Buffalo_WHR_G54S_125_High_Speed_Mode_Wireless_Cable_DSL_Smart_Router/q/loc/101/201718519.html
or this
http://www.buy.com/prod/Buffalo_AirStation_G54_High_Power_Wireless_Cable_DSL_Smart_Router_WHR/q/loc/101/201718557.html
All of them can run DD-WRT. Check it out:
http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/What_is_%22DD-WRT%22%3F
I've heard a lot of good things about DD-WRT, but just have not taken that plunge yet. Maybe when Draft-N is actually finalized and there are expresscard devices that support draft-n I'll play with my wrt54g. I agree that this is a rock solid unit that meets basic wireless needs
you won't get an older version from buy.com or any other higher volume, new parts seller, you'd be stuck with the undesirable v5.
As others mentioned, get the GL, or a Buffalo as #9 linked.
As for #10, there's no "plunge", this is not a sweeping revolution and has no real bearing on waiting for n or not. Do it or don't but it does not really have anything to do with the future, only whether you want the extra functionality.
FWIW, you are better off getting the hardware NOW, not just assuming some day in the future something will be made to accomdate DD-WRT / etc, because at some point the chipsets will have become evermore integrated with onboard memory sufficient to run a smaller RTOS, not 'nix anymore, that is closed source making it unlikely you'll ever see a similar 3rd party support.
I love my Buffalo that I just purchased. I'm still reluctant on changing the firmware though. If it works, no need to bother with it
DD-WRT? No thanks. I ran that on my WRT54g v4 and I had to reboot it at least once a day, even after tweaking timeouts and stuff. I'm running HyperWRT+Thibor now and it has not frozen up at all, even with filesharing apps running pretty nonstop.
Buffalo and a diff router is still hackable and the price isn't bad. why risk getting the v5 of the linksys router
I installed tomato firmware: http://www.polarcloud.com/tomato and like it better than dd-wrt
#13, what you describe contradicts the experience of many people, including mine. Maybe the tweaking that you attempted was not of the right kind?
Agreed #16, I've one of the Buffalo HPs running DD-WRT right now.
If #13 has a ton of filesharing traffic, I wonder if he's merely overheating it since DD-WRT has more features and more potential processing requirements IF those were enabled. I slapped a heatsink on mine, and drilled a few holes in the case after I took the blue side panel off. Nice little router.
Just picked one up!