I just replaced our Linksys WRT54GS wireless router with a Netgear WPN824v2 RangeMax router. We ask a lot of our network…at any given time there’s all or a combination of:

• Motorola VT1005 phone adapter (Vonage)
• Apple G5 Mac (Mine, wired)
• Dell 9300 laptop (Mine, wired)
• Apple iBook G4 (Eric’s personal laptop, wireless)
• Apple Mac Mini (Kids’, wireless)
• Dell Latitude 6000 series (Eric’s work laptop, wireless)
• Cingular 8125 Phone/PDA (Mine, wireless)
• HP Deskjet 995 (connected to my PC, shared on network)

It’s a MIMO router, which if I understand correctly means that it uses multiple antennas to work traffic around interference. Let’s see, with all of the above, plus living in a townhouse community where there are no less than 8 different networks on the list at all times, no wonder interference is a factor. And yes, we have WPA security turned on at all times. Wouldn’t think otherwise when the neighborhood is this crowded.

As configurable as the WRTG54 is, it just couldn’t cut it. Far too often Eric (or the kids) would shout out to me that they couldn’t “see” the router requiring me to reset the device. I was having difficulty supporting my co-workers or my Mom because my LogMeIn connection to them would cut out for no reason, requiring me to reconnect to them. LogMeIn tech support told me that it was a router issue, and they were probably right. I’d have an error in my browser or Outlook that the connection was broken, only to have it come back a minute later. iTunes was continually getting “stuck” updating my podcasts. And phone quality was sometimes spotty.

I updated the firmware on the router, but that wasn’t helping much. I probably could have fiddled in the Linksys settings, but instead I took advantage of a sale at Circuit City on the Netgear router to get it for a decent price ($99) with no shipping charges. I debated going for the new WPN834 RangeMax 240, but in the end decided I didn’t need the extra wireless horsepower for nearly twice the price. This place isn’t that big. Besides, with the antennas in the dome on top the WPN824 is cool to look at.

So far, so good. Before, where the girls were seeing 3 bars on their wireless connection, it’s now a solid 5 bars. Download speeds haven’t changed much, but upload speed improved significantly (from around 187–200 kbps to 350–400 kbps using DSL Reports and Vonage-Forum tests).

Anyone interested in a Linksys wireless router, gently used with the most recent firmware? Cover shipping and it’s yours. Comment if you’re interested and I’ll follow up by email.