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Question

I need to replace an old router -- a Netgear RT314. I am looking at the D-Link DIR-655 because it has a 4 port wired gigabit plus Draft N with decent speed. I plan on using cat5e to my desktop using XP Pro. My laptop is a 10 month old Dell 1505 with Vista Business. Currently, it has an internal mini-PCI Intel 3945ABG wireless card.

Should I replace the internal card with a newer (but similar) Intel

4965AGN or get a Draft N PCI Express card? I read somewhere that my laptop may have 2 internal antenna wires and that the N cards need 3, but not needing to drag around the external card is a plus too...

Thanks, Dave

Cal Vanize · Accepted Answer

I'm not sure there is any advantage in running a Draft N card unless you're using broadband connectivity that will take advantage of the extra speed. If your broadband is 10mbs or less, what will you gain by running faster than 54mbs? Can you use more than the broadband access speed? Are you doing really big file transfers between your computers where a speed improvement will make a difference?

My suggestion if you need a replacement wireless set-up is to go with a

3Com OfficeConnect DSL/Cable router and get a separate wireless access point. The router will do whatever you need from a router, a good quality wireless access point will give you reliability. If you feel the need to upgrade wireless then you replace the access point. If you need it and if it will be an improvement in performance.

My $0,000.02 worth.

Dave Balcom · Answer

}I'm not sure there is any advantage in running a Draft N card unless }you're using broadband connectivity that will take advantage of the }extra speed.

I have a 5 meg broadband account. I was looking at faster networking (file transfers and streaming) because I use remote desktop a lot -- from inside my network (laptop to desktop) and from work to home through my router (desktop to desktop). I can always use the laptop with Ethernet (what I do now) but wanted to move around and not be tethered to one spot in the house.

}My suggestion if you need a replacement wireless set-up is to go with a }3Com OfficeConnect DSL/Cable router and get a separate wireless access }point.

OK, I will do some more research!

Thanks, Dave

Cal Vanize · Answer

If its through your router using that broadband connection, you're going to be limited by that 5meg bottleneck. You can't move data back and forth faster than the slowest link.

Inside your network, you might want to see how much bandwidth you need / currently using by checking Windows Task Manager.

CV

Adair Winter · Answer

comment about how well it works but for the same money I would buy a buffalo WHR-HP-G54 and flash it with DD-WRT ( I can almost guarantee you that you will have a better feature set.If you need gigabit buy a small gigbit switch and connect it to the buffalo for you gigabit devices to connect thru. I'd forget about all the N stuff and go with b/g. If you need speed, plug in.In my personal experiance I've found that the devices hooked to the switch and it's quality mean more than being connected at a gigabit.I went from doing 30% network utilization to 90% (on 10/100)  just by upgrading to computers that had faster hard drives and ram.Any streaming can be done over 10/100 just fine. Remote desktop takes hardly any bandwidth either so unless you plan on doing very large fire transfers all the time I wouldn't worry about it.I personally run a buffalo router with a netgear 10/100/1000 switch. my gigbit devices which are desktop, server, NAS connect to it and my internet only devices (IP...

Barb Bowman · Answer

Don't buy an all in one modem/router device. This limitsupgradeability. The DIR 655 is a great router and is backwardscompatible with "G". So you don't need to replace the wireless in itjust yet. The Intel draft N drivers seem to be causing some issuesfor others, so I'd definitely wait.

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