Modem+Router Feedback Thread

It would be good if members can pour in some sort of a feedback about performance of their Modem/Routers.

I have shortlisted few of the parameters.

Brand + Model:

Type: Eg B/G/N

Price (With Year of Purchase):

ISP Being Used :

Coverage Area : (No of rooms/ Preferred Unit of Measurement)

Signal Strength: (Excellent/Good/Bad)

Connection Stability: (Excellent/Good/Bad)

Custom Firmware Support: (Yes/No)

USB Ports: (No Of Ports)

Ethernet Ports: (No Of Ports)

Wi-fi Enabled: (No Of Ports)

VoIP Enabled: (No Of Ports)

Crash Test: (Passed/Failed):

Rating: x/5
I believe i have covered most of the essential points.

If i have missed out on any, do let the mods know abt it so it can be added.
 
here's one from me.. Wireless N refurbished from Amazon for just 34$
Amazon.com: Cisco-Linksys WRT160N-RM Refurbished Wireless-N Router: Electronics

Brand + Model: Cisco Linksys WRT160N-RM (Refurbished) - V3
Type: N
Price: $34 - May 2010
ISP: Empty n Hell (MTNL) Triband
Coverage Area: Not measured but covers my entire house of 460sq. ft. of carpet area. atleast 2 bars when in the extreme corner of the house with 4 red brick walls in between.
Signal Strength: Excellent
Connection Stability: Excellent. but my MTNL connection sux.
Custom Firmware Support (Yes/No): Yes (Tomato & DDWRT)
USB Ports (No Of Ports): None
Ethernet Ports (No Of Ports): 4
Wi-fi Enabled (No Of Ports): Yes
VoIP Enabled (No Of Ports): ? What & how to check that
Crash Test: (Passed/Failed): will go home and try the test and update the thread
Rating: 5/5
Adding a few more parameters from my end:
Security Encryption: Yes All (WPA2, WPA, WEP etc.)
Software Support: Good
Ease of configuration(Very E/Easy/Med/Hard): Easy (thanks to the supplied software CD)
I just bought this as a gamble before leaving from US and it paid off. Although a few have been unlucky with it. see buyers comments on amazon.
 
Brand + Model: Cisco Linksys WRT610N v1

Type: Simultaneous Dual Band Wireless N

Price: $160

ISP: Airtel Broadband

Coverage Area: Haven't really measured it, but I get coverage across my entire 2BHK flat and even two floors down!! I even managed to get coverage all the way down to the parking a few times, and that's six floors down!!

Signal Strength: Excellent

Connection Stability: Excellent.

Custom Firmware Support (Yes/No): Yes (DDWRT)

USB Ports (No Of Ports): 1. Stock firmware only supports a USB Harddrive, but DD-WRT allows you to connect a printer too.

Ethernet Ports (No Of Ports): 4

Wi-fi Enabled (No Of Ports): Yes.

VoIP Enabled (No Of Ports): No VoIP ports.

Crash Test: (Passed/Failed): Passed

Rating: 5/5
 
Brand + Model: Iball N Series
Type: B/G/N
Price (With Year of Purchase): 1650 December 2009
ISP Being Used : 24 Online
Coverage Area : 3 rooms
Signal Strength: Good
Connection Stability: Good
USB Ports: 0
Ethernet Ports: 1 for wan 4 for pc
Rating: 3/5
 
Brand + Model: UTStarcom WA3002G4(Got it with BSNL broadband)
Type: B/G
Price (With Year of Purchase): Rs1600 - May-2007
ISP Being Used : Reliance broadnet
Coverage Area : My house has excellent coverage - 1730sqft and my mobile stays connected until 50 ft from the router
Signal Strength: Excellent
Connection Stability: Excellent
Custom Firmware Support: No
USB Ports: None
Ethernet Ports: 4
Wi-fi Enabled: Yes
VoIP Enabled: No
Crash Test: Passed
Rating: 5/5

Got this Modem+ Router when i took BSNL connection for just Rs1600... Initially did not use the wifi feature, but started using it from 2009 with Reliance connection and since then i never learnt 'what a connection drop is'. I have been using 1 PC + 2 Laptops and a mobile to connect to it. I have absolutely no reason to part with it, but have to move on to a N series router now to setup a HD media server.
 
ROUTER:

Brand + Model: Asus RT-N10

Type: n(150 Mbps), also supports a/b/g

Price (With Year of Purchase): Rs 1749(2010)

ISP Being Used : YOU Telecom

Coverage Area : Coverage upto my neighbours house(around 20-30 meters)

Signal Strength: Good

Connection Stability: Good, but sometimes in middle of nowhere loses internet connection from modem

Custom Firmware Support: Supports DD-WRT & Tomato

USB Ports: No USB ports

Ethernet Ports: 1 WAN + 4 LAN

Wi-fi Enabled: Yes

VoIP Enabled: According to my knowledge no, but maybe I am wrong

Crash Test: (Passed/Failed): Passed

Rating: 3/5

MODEM:

Brand + Model: Cisco DPQ2160

Type: ADSL modem

Price (With Year of Purchase): 550(2011)

ISP Being Used : YOU Telecom

Ethernet Ports: 1 WAN

USB Ports: 1 USB port acting as WAN for connecting to computer, if computer doesn't have RJ45

Rating: 3/5
 
Brand + Model: Dlink 2750 U

Type: B, G, N

Price (With Year of Purchase):

ISP Being Used : MTNL Triband

Coverage Area : 2 BHK flat with router in corner room

Signal Strength: Excellent - Even with 20% signal, the speed is maximum

Connection Stability: Excellent - Never crashed on me

Custom Firmware Support: ( No idea)

USB Ports: 1

Ethernet Ports: 4

Wi-fi Enabled: Yes

VoIP Enabled: No

Crash Test: Passed

Rating: 4/5

True to most of my knowledge, don't understand routers much. Price - bought it for Rs. 2250 from Lamington Road on 14-01-2012.

Link

http://www.dlink.co.in/products/?pid=452
 
Brand + Model: TD-W8951ND - Welcome to TP-LINK
Type: N
Price: Rs. 2150 (incl. tax) - Dec 2011
ISP: Airtel
Coverage Area: Not measured.
Signal Strength: Excellent
Connection Stability: Excellent.
Custom Firmware Support (Yes/No): No Idea
USB Ports (No Of Ports): None
Ethernet Ports (No Of Ports): 4
Wi-fi Enabled (No Of Ports): Yes
VoIP Enabled (No Of Ports): No Idea
Crash Test: (Passed/Failed): Never tested
Rating: 4.5/5
 
Brand + Model: Asus RT-N16

Type: B, G, N

Price (With Year of Purchase): 90USD in 2011 from Amazon.com

ISP Being Used : Airtel (unlimited @750Rs)

Coverage Area : 3 BHK flat with router in one of the bedrooms

Signal Strength: Excellent(RF power is tweakable with tomato)

Connection Stability: use it 24/7 with openvpn(Running FreePBX on sheevaplug all my home telephone setup is over VOIP).

Custom Firmware Support: Tomato Shibby build AIO version(vpn+vlan+QoS+transmission+bandwidth monitoring..blah..blah)

USB Ports: 1

Ethernet Ports: 4

Wi-fi Enabled: Yes

VoIP Enabled: No idea(all my voip stuff runs on sheeva connected to RT-N16).

Crash Test: No Idea

Rating: 4.5/5

Some of my home networking stuff involves:

1) from my work place, i use openvpn client to connect to home for accessing all my personal data.

2)with openvpn client on work desktop, i use sip client(x-lite) on my PC and CSipSimple on my android phone, always connected to sheevaplug running FreePBX at home, and able to call home for free even during my internation travel.

3)when away from home, able to monitor my home entrance gate through network camera(on my android phone with "IP Cam Viewer")

4)some times I use transmission on my RT-N16 for torrent downloads.

5)At my workplace, to bypass my office proxy and to have a wi-fi for my android, i use WRT54GL with tomato vpn client for a direct tunnel to my home router for un-restricted internet access.

For all these heavy network usage, I needed a powerful router with huge Flash and RAM, at the moment RT-N16 is the best available option.

Also MR3220 with OpenWRT is my favourite, i am using this 1850Rs router for home automation stuff.

check out my blog for details on router hacking: albert-david.blogspot.com
 
Brand + Model: Belkin Play Max N600 HD Wireless N Dual-Band Modem Router

Type: B, G, N "Dual Band"

Price (With Year of Purchase): Rs.9300 on 13.3.2012

ISP Being Used : BSNL

Coverage Area : Good not Excellent

Signal Strength: Good not Excellent

Connection Stability: Using it 24/7 for BSNL and streaming media "Wifi"

Custom Firmware Support: NA
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USB Ports: 2

Ethernet Ports: 4

Wi-fi Enabled: Yes

VoIP Enabled: Yes

Crash Test: Passed

Rating: 4/5

NOTE: Runs hot in dual mode and you can see other experiences with it HERE

Brand + Model: Netgear DGND3700

Type: B, G, N "Dual Band"

Price (With Year of Purchase): Not mine but bought for Rs.12K in 2011

ISP Being Used : BSNL

Coverage Area : Excellent

Signal Strength: Excellent

Connection Stability: Using it 24/7 for BSNL and streaming media "Wifi"

Custom Firmware Support: NA
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USB Ports: 2

Ethernet Ports: 4

Wi-fi Enabled: Yes

VoIP Enabled: Don't know

Crash Test: Passed

Rating: 4.5/5

NOTE: It is 2-3K more expensive than Play Max N600 HD modem and its not worth the amount if range is not all that important. Transfer rates in 2.4Ghz WiFi-N are pretty much the same and since 5Ghz does not do well against the 2.4Ghz in terms of wall penetration both score similar points overall. But i found DGND3700 much better given the better UI and range but it also gets hot like Belkin on dual band.
 
Brand + Model: Netgear DGN 1000
http://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Wirel...8FCO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1338978825&sr=8-1
Type: Eg B/G/N: B/G/N

Price (With Year of Purchase): 2400 rupees in 2011 from staples

ISP Being Used :Tata indicom broadband & BSNL

Coverage Area : (No of rooms/ Preferred Unit of Measurement): it is capable of giving coverage only in 1 room. Sometimes i don't even get the good coverage at line of sight

Signal Strength: (Excellent/Good/Bad): Worst (It constantly loses signal only work around is to reboot the router)

Connection Stability: (Excellent/Good/Bad): Worst

Custom Firmware Support: (Yes/No): no

USB Ports: (No Of Ports):no

Ethernet Ports: (No Of Ports):4

Wi-fi Enabled: Yes

VoIP Enabled: (No Of Ports) :No

Crash Test: (Passed/Failed): Did not tested

Rating: no star/ 5

Stay away from this crappy router. It is worst of all . If you want to find out more read the amazon reviews .
 
Brand + Model:iball baton150 m

Type:

Price (With Year of Purchase):1350 inr

ISP Being Used :wave terminus

Coverage Area :120 m

Signal Strength: (Excellent

Connection Stability: (Excellent

Custom Firmware Support: (idk

USB Ports: 0

Ethernet Ports: (2

Wi-fi Enabled: 1

VoIP Enabled: ?

Crash Test: (Passed

Rating: 4.2
 
Brand: Asus DSL-N10S Modem Router
Purchased from Snapdeal @ Rs.1544
ISP: BSNL 8Mbps
Chipset: Realtek RTL 8672
Syncing delay with brief downstream hiccups on videos. Not observeable on Broadcom based modem.
Feature wise modem is full of it and the control interface panel is very smooth
Full list of features http://www.asus.com/in/Networking/DSLN10S
Liked the ability to choose between various modulation methods with options to disable Annex M or Annex L
Upnp unreliable. Virtual setup necessary for forwarding ports.
independent wireless SSID setup
Included POTS splitter + 1 telephone cable RJ11 + RJ45 lan cable
No FCC code on the back. Hinders the ability to identify the product.
Rating: 2/5
I dont really understand why a branded company like Asus used a realtek IC. Notice no shielding on the IC.
Expected a Broadcom based chipset.
 

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Brand + Model: Dlink 2750 U

Type: B, G, N

Price (With Year of Purchase):

ISP Being Used : MTNL Triband

Coverage Area : 2 BHK flat with router in corner room

Signal Strength: Excellent - Even with 20% signal, the speed is maximum

Connection Stability: Excellent - Never crashed on me

Custom Firmware Support: ( No idea)

USB Ports: 1

Ethernet Ports: 4

Wi-fi Enabled: Yes

VoIP Enabled: No

Crash Test: Passed

Rating: 4/5

True to most of my knowledge, don't understand routers much. Price - bought it for Rs. 2250 from Lamington Road on 14-01-2012.

Link

http://www.dlink.co.in/products/?pid=452


After reading this positive review, I went in for this Modem. It was an unmitigated disaster.

Somewhere in 2013 they changed the chipset for this modem from Broadcom to Realtek. It drops connection as if it's something Kareena Kapoor will come and pick it up.

2011-2013 this modem had C1 Hardware and Broadcom chipset. That's when everyone hoohaa over it.
2013-Now this modem has U1 Hardware and Realtek chipset. Now this is the worst combo if your line is poor, high SNR etc.

The firmware Dlink have released for U1 chipset are all crappy, 1.07, 1.08 for India.
1.09, 1.11 for Mid East (same model, same chipset)

1.07 is stable in ADSL connection but has issues with wifi, it fails to recognize wifi signal for no particular reason.
1.08
1.09 (ME) is stable with wifi but drops ADSL connection frequently
1.11 (ME) ditto

and firmware in Dlink India site still shows firmware for C1 hardware which they no longer sell in India.

Please stay far clear from this modem.
 
A member posted that they've switched to a Realtek chipset which isn't good : https://www.techenclave.com/community/threads/modem-router-feedback-thread.94725/#post-1988819

If space/desk clutter is not an issue, a separate modem + router will easily be much better quality.
turns out the latest dlink-2520u has also suffered the same fate, known as the Z2 variant :arghh:

No more broadcom. If you want broadcom in a modem look elsewhere or get an integrated wireless (switch it off) to have a modem with a broadcom chipset.

So what is the big deal with a broadcom in the modem anyway ?

more stable if you live 2.5km or further from the exchange. If you live closer a trendchip will sync faster though faster is meaningless when quotas are applied. How does a realtek compare, i suppose i will find out. Tweaked the SNR on the original 2502u and it seems stable so the realtek variant will sit in the box until the incumbent dies.

Just playing about the cli its totally different.

PS.
Ecommerce and online websites are not authorized D-Link resellers in India
D-Link
 
Brand + Model: D-link n300 dlr615
Type: N G B
Price: 1700 rs (april 19)
ISP: act 100 mbps
Coverage Area:covers entire 1800 sft with 40% speed drop at the periphery and 20% drop near the computer
Signal Strength: Excellent near the computer,drops to 2 points at the floor below
Connection Stability: Excellent.
Custom Firmware Support (Yes/No): Yes (DDWRT)
USB Ports (No Of Ports): None
Ethernet Ports (No Of Ports): 4
Crash Test: (Passed/Failed): passed
Rating:3/5
Adding a few more parameters from my end:
Security Encryption: Yes All (WPA2, WPA, WEP etc.)
Software Support: Good
number of devices connecting at once- 8
Ease of configuration-just plug and play


while ethernet connect directly to computer is giving me 98 mbps ,over wifi i am getting only 80 mbps,that is the problem i encountered
 
@adevilsdoctor can you tell me the max number of walls that are there from the point of modem to the farthest place in the house and what is the signal strength?
Also does the hardware of the device (eg my nexus 4) matter for catching on to the signal?
 
my router is in 3rd floor pent house ,it has a 3 walls towards the farthest point and farthest point is a floor below with 8 inch concrete roof and false ceiling and signal strength is 3 out of 5 bars and but i get only 4-6 mbps at farthest point while at closest point i get 80 mbps.
 
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