Wireless Routers

So I got my XPS M1530 and was attempting to set it up on a wireless network. I purchased the Netgear WNR854T Wireless-N Router that Dell offers for $130; you can select it when you are customizing your laptop. This thing was the biggest POS I've ever encountered in my life. I'm not exaggerating. I tried setting it up and it was torture. After literally FOUR HOURS of fighting with it, it died. Completely lost power and would not turn on ever again.

So I called Dell and got a return, which I will promptly do. Hopefully they send it back to Netgear in pieces. I then, on the recommendation of a friend, purchased a Linksys router at Best Buy. It took me thirty minutes roundtrip to get it, ran in, grabbed it, ran out. The cashiers were laughing at me, I bet. Got home, set it up in THIRTY MINUTES, added my XPS to the network, checked it out. Perfect.

Netgear will NEVER get my business again. I don't care if their routers come with free lapdances. NEVER. YOU HEAR ME, NETGEAR?!

Anyways, anyone who purchases Netgear, that's your warning.

 

Netgear routers are perfectly fine.

 

I'm just giving people my experience and my opinion and they can decide. I've never used any wireless routers, so this may be a factor, but that's part of the issue. The ease of setting up the Linksys router was not comparable to the torture of the Netgear. Is it fair that I base my opinion of their company on my one experience? Probably not, if you want to be like that. However, that's how it goes. If you get a poor product from someone, that's going to be the impression you walk away with. I'm quite busy and don't have time to try a replacement product from them, especially when their competition just dusted them.

 

Linksys routers are well regarded so you should very happy with your new router. However, the only think I want is speed (to stream HD videos) so I got the Dlink Dir655.

Exactly what was your problem with the Netgear router and what model was it?

 

It was the Netgear WNR854T Wireless-N Router.

The issue was basically everything. When I connected the router, it failed to detect an Internet connection. Then when it did detect the Internet connection, it failed to detect my computer. I spent probably two hours re-detecting endlessly. When I got things straightened out, I couldn't add on any devices to the network. Then I was able to connect to the network but not to the Internet despite giving myself full permissions. Then the power died abruptly and the unit wouldn't work ever again.

Don't get it, my opinion.

 

You should know that people have horror stories with all three big brands. I had a nightmare with Linksys that is still not over, but is mostly resolved, at this point. I had a D-link go kaput for no reason when others of the same model are still going strong. It was replaced with a Netgear, which is still working, too. You never know. Personally, Netgear is my least favorite of the three when it comes to cheap $30 routers - their better stuff, however, seems quite good to me.

 

I use Netgear's WPN-824v2. Can't speak for their other models, but this one has been very reliable since I got it in 2006.

Sorry you had a bad experience with Netgear, but they're not all that bad. I've used my fair share, but I guess it comes down to the specific model.

Regards,
Paolo