DIR-655 or Belkin N1 Router?

Having purchased the new Macbook recently I wish to be able to work on it wireless. Due to bad past experiences with wireless routers I currently have a wired router. The time has come to give wireless another try

Having done some research I am left with the D-Link Wireless N Gigabit router and the Belkin N1; both are similarly priced. Both seem to be good but I cannot find the answer to which one is better and why. Some advice would be much appreciated on which one to pick

There are not really any particular requirements as long as it runs stable, works with cable internet and easy to install/use.

Thanks!

 

The D-Link DIR-655 is the better between the two. I have just placed my order on it after research

 

Mind to elaborate? Much appreciated

 

I'll say something. I bought a Belkin N Router... It was horrrrrrrrrible. I kept dropping connection on my laptop. It kept going to limited or no connectivity.

I called Belkin many times to try and fix it, no luck. I was testing it between 2 laptops.

I moved to a linksys N router, and no more dropping connection. The router didn't work on my sister's hp for some reason though, but it worked on a 3-4yr toshiba laptop and a dv5t perfectly.

 

There are quite a few existing threads about the DIR-655. I posted in one yesterday. Check them out.

 

The DIR - 655, the Belkin will be nothing but trouble. The Dlink get good reviews.

I had my brother get the AirPort Extreme Base for his Apples, was cheaper than the Dlink with his school discount from the apple store. He was even able to set it up with little effort. He is about the worst when it comes to computer stuff in all areas. It did take some time over the phone for his WPA2 security settings, because he did not know the key, but I had it.

 

D-Link DIR-655 for sure.

Agreed, Belkin will be nothing but trouble.

The DIR-655 is an awesome router.

 

Belkin SUCKS. Hardware sucks. Interface sucks.

Go D-Link.

 

Belkin is never an option, perhaps if all the routers companies go bankruptcy.

 

^^^

In that situation, ill just go wired.

 

............

 

Buy the D-Link Belkin routers have really bad reviews just look on amazon

 

Ha!

D-Link is complete and utter krap.

I had an older DIR-615 and had no problems.

Setup was easy and quick, in minutes actually and it never, I do mean never, needed a reboot, not once, ever.

Stupid me decides to upgrade so I sold my DIR-615 to a neighbor and I
bought the DIR-825 from eBay. Complete garbage.

Took F_O_R_E_V_E_R to setup, it kept dropping my Linksys VOIP
modem and requires a reboot every hour. This router just plain suks.

If anyone here happens to like it, please PM me, I will GLADLY sell it.


This aside, can anyone recommend one that isn't Belkin or D-Link
that has dual band and gigabit ethernet ports.

I'm looking for one now...

 

The DIR-655 is an awesome router.
Is the second D-Link I have and I really like it !

 

I REALLY hope you are wrong as I have changed my order from a 655 to the DIR-825

 

Most of the new model routers have firmware problems from time to time. So I would not worry. When you get it just install the latest firmware and you should be good. Smallnetbuilder had something to say about that router, you way want to read there review.

 

I called D-Link and after a 2 hour call that should have been 30 minutes if not for the language barrier since I do not speak hindi. Their only suggestion after multiple resets was a firmware update. So far, it has *helped* but I had to list my Linksys VOIP Pap2 modem in the DMZ for it to stop dropping connection. This is a work around for me and not a viable permanent solution.

Maybe you will have better luck than I with yours.

 

I've got the DIR-655 and it is excellent. It’s been running perfectly for two months non-stop and was running a month before that perfectly as well. It’s pretty easy to set-up using either the automatic or manual tools and has some cool features like quality of service management. I think it also has gigabit ports, so if you move movies around at all it can speed that up a lot.

One of my friends living elsewhere has the DIR-655 as well and when I asked they said it’s been working perfectly for them since they got it as well.

Most D-Links are crap, but routers in general are normally terrible so you have to find the diamond from each, this is D-Link’s right now. Wireless N, MIMO, QoS, etc. I remember planning to buy a Belkin, but at the last minute switched to D-Link because every Belkin review talked about overheating and thus warrantee replacements. I didn't want to deal with that, I need my internet to work each day, every day.

 

DIR-655 is a proven router with alot of updates on the firmware already. Cant go wrong with it.

 

Because we all know that you can consider a company to be trash because of one bad product.

 

When I spent two hours on the phone with the company that made the product and they themselves could suggest nothing but a work around until a firmware update is available to address the issue and that same product wasn't free and neither is my time, you betcha I can call them krap.

And here is a few for you.

 

Then I'll call Linksys crap after:

One switch hasn't worked for me, a WRT610N hasn't worked, and a WRE54G hasn't worked.

Same with Belkin.

 

See, we CAN agree. Belkin is krap.

I have no experience with Linksys routers.

Good to know about the WRT610N, I was considering this router as a contender.

 

There is a dd-wrt version that will run on the 610N. In most cases users have found this an improvement.

 

I have a DIR655 and it works GREAT!
I can sit outside, about 70ft away from the router and the signal goes from "excellent"-5bars to "very good"=4bars. I use the N wireless and the signal distance and speed are quite a bit faster over the G wireless.
With my Dell the DIR655 was very good, but with N the distance is greater and speed is much faster.

Setup is very easy, and customizing is also quite easy. The config setup software has lots of great info to help you customize your setup if you need it. Great router.
I bought mine at Costco for $95, and w/Costco I also get their excellent return policy.

 

Zenica,

Since you bought this router from an eBay seller, have you considered the possibility that the router is damaged?

Why not buy a DIR-655 from a store with a return policy - if it works, great. If it doesn't work, take it back. The DIR-655 is a rock solid router. IMHO, it's one of the best 802.11n routers on the market.

 

For what I need a router to do, it must have Gigabit ethernet ports, dual band capable and the USB port is a nice extra.

The DIR-655 is 2.4GHz only, no 5GHz and this is a problem with my cordless phones.

 

I also have 2.4GHz phones, but I don't have problems with my router. I've never had to set the channel(s) on this router, unlike my old WRT54G that needed to be set to a certain channel to avoid interference. However, since it's an issue with you, I would steer clear and get another 825 from a store that accepts returns. The same holds true - if it works, you know your router has a hardware failure.

 

You can always keep your wired router and setup the new router as a AP. This has several advantages in that the cpu is deciated to only WPA(2) encryption since all other functions will be still handled with the old existing router.

I have a SMB class wired router as my main and using 1 other routers as AP's.

Smallnetbuilder.com has a router tables to help you decide. Belkin has a bad reputation even though they test good. So I would steer away from them.

If you buy 11n I would only by the ones shipping with v2 draft. These are expected to meet the std when finalized. But nothing is a sure bet. Currently the latest Belkin N+ is the only router to be certified.

 

The 655 has gigabit ethernet.
I haven't heard of many people having problems with the router and with their cordless phones.
And, phones are cheap to replace, having solid router function is more important to me.

I recently bought a pair of Uniden 6.0 DECT phones for about $40 with a built in digital answering machine, if you need that.