Recomendation on Pre/Draft N Router

Just ordered a Dell XPS m1210 with pre N card - can anyone recommend a "N" router/access point that would maximise this card.

I currently have a Belkin Model Pre N model FSD8230-4 router using it as an access point only. Do you all think this current router will maximise the Dell draft N card?

Also - I used mixed mode as I have children that have apple macbooks with wireless cards - is it true that when using mixed mode you can only get the fastest speed of the slowest connection mode broadcast?

 

Be warned, there have been several post on here and other fourms with the Dell 11n card. A lot have have trouble connecting to there 11n routers. The fix was to disable 11n and run 11g only. The price you pay for being a beta tester.

 

The belkin that I have is based on the airgo chipset - but I think the entire point is mute since my kids laptops are wireless G only! Bummer. I have an 8MB internet connection and don't relly transfer files much - so I guess I am OK with wireless G.

 

Good info - thank - I actually ordered a $39 intel a/b/g card just in case that happened! The intel card has 2 antenna connections on it - does the N card have the same?

 

This is the one I think I will get soon:

http://www.netgear.com/Products/Rou...axNEXTWirelessRoutersandGateways/WNR834B.aspx

It's based on the Broadcom chip which is also what the Dell draft n chip is based on.

 

That is the one on sale at Best Buy, Comp USA and Circuit City right now for $129, but unless everyone on the network is N these things are useless.

Interesting enough - my belkin pre n only have the following choices:

Using the Wireless Mode Switch
This switch allows you to set the Router's wireless modes. There are three modes.

1) 802.11g only
Setting the Router to this mode will allow only Pre-N and 802.11g-compliant devices to join the network, keeping out any slower 802.11b devices.

2) 802.11g & 802.11b
Setting the Router to this mode will let Pre-N-, 802.11g-, and 802.11b-compliant devices to join the network.

3) Off
This mode will turn OFF the Router's access point, so no wireless devices can join the network. Turning off the wireless function of your Router is a great way to secure your network when you are away from home for a long period of time, or don't want to use the wireless feature of the Router at a certain time.

This is right out of the manual - are you all sure that running in mixed mode goes to the lowest denominator - it does no look as if this is the case with the belkin router I have??

 

You all have been very helpful! So I got the Netgear preN router and set it us as an access point only go all of my computers on and it works perfectly - I have 4 laptops on it and 1 desktop. I am using MAC address filtering for now - only one issue left - I cannot get my xbox 360 (using lynksys wireless G connector) to see the network or the internet. Frustrating. I did have this working with security on the belkin.

Any hints on how to get my xbox 360 working with the netgear WNR834B? Thanks in advance

 

I was thinking that MS made it so you had to run security?????

If it will not connect to a open system using MAC filtering you probably did not enter the MAC address correctly.

Go ahead and setup the WPA, it takes less than a minute to capture the mac address of any wireless card.

 

I agree with what zx10guy said in his first post. I was thinking of getting the Dell Draft-N card for my m1210 but since replacing my Microsoft B router I have had nothing but problems with my WNR854T In theory it is the greatest router ever wired gigabit ports supports wireless B, G, Draft-N.

Two parts this makes this router horrible.

#1 The wireless drops its connection and most times will not connect. This is using a Orinoco Gold B card. In the wireless world this is known as one of the best wireless cards external antenna connection, wardriving, supports win 95 on up. Great card and I loved it till i bought my netgear router.

#2 Change= 30+ seconds and a reboot. It seems like anytime you make a config change on the router it first takes about 30 seconds or so to apply it. During this time it actually looks to power the router off and back on. It disconnects all devices and then comes back up. Now under some config changes I would understand it..but...change the router's password guess what? It reboots the router and disconnects all devices as it saves the new config. Maybe a router back in 1997 but not 2007.

Personally I would hold off on a Draft N router.