Draft N Router Coverage: When the "n" in 802.11n really means "not yet"
by Gary Key on August 30, 2006 5:00 AM EST- Posted in
- Networking
Linksys WRT-300N
The Linksys unit has the ability to be in either a horizontal or vertical position. There is a flat paddle antenna situated in between two swivel mounted pole antennas that is 360° adjustable. With the unit vertical we thought the antenna layout reminded us of the robot on Lost in Space. We kept expecting the paddle antenna to start spinning with the two pole antennas flopping up and down while the unit beeped, "Danger, Danger, Will Robinson".
Like the other units you cannot mount it on a wall which is actually okay as the unit's performance is very sensitive to antenna adjustments. The case design continues the trademark Linksys purple and black color scheme that is starting to age compared to the recent Belkin and NETGEAR designs. The front panel features a series of clearly labeled status lights that correspond to the rear panel connections. An additional set of lights are offered that show on-line wireless activity and security status. On top is a black button that is "reserved for future use".
The rear panel consists of the standard connections that are labeled clearly and color coded: four 10/100 LAN ports, a WAN port, 12V power jack, and a reset button.
Linksys provides the user with a very clear and concise documentation and setup package. While not as consumer friendly as the Belkin N1 documentation, the Linksys user guide is informative and lists the basic steps to install the router and associated software. The installation process is opposite of the Belkin unit as you first install the CD; the installation wizard starts and then guides you through the process of connecting the router to your DSL or Cable modem and computer.
The next process is configuring the router settings via the browser-based configuration tool. More advanced users can simply hook up the hardware and go directly to the configuration tool by entering the router's default IP address into their browser. Our neophyte network users were able to get the Linksys system up and running with minimal assistance.
We found the Linksys configuration tool slightly difficult to use as it was the least informative in our testing. It was accompanied by a PDF based user's guide that contained less information about specific settings compared to our other two products. Linksys provides a limited three year warranty along with providing excellent technical support.
The Linksys unit has the ability to be in either a horizontal or vertical position. There is a flat paddle antenna situated in between two swivel mounted pole antennas that is 360° adjustable. With the unit vertical we thought the antenna layout reminded us of the robot on Lost in Space. We kept expecting the paddle antenna to start spinning with the two pole antennas flopping up and down while the unit beeped, "Danger, Danger, Will Robinson".
Like the other units you cannot mount it on a wall which is actually okay as the unit's performance is very sensitive to antenna adjustments. The case design continues the trademark Linksys purple and black color scheme that is starting to age compared to the recent Belkin and NETGEAR designs. The front panel features a series of clearly labeled status lights that correspond to the rear panel connections. An additional set of lights are offered that show on-line wireless activity and security status. On top is a black button that is "reserved for future use".
The rear panel consists of the standard connections that are labeled clearly and color coded: four 10/100 LAN ports, a WAN port, 12V power jack, and a reset button.
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Linksys provides the user with a very clear and concise documentation and setup package. While not as consumer friendly as the Belkin N1 documentation, the Linksys user guide is informative and lists the basic steps to install the router and associated software. The installation process is opposite of the Belkin unit as you first install the CD; the installation wizard starts and then guides you through the process of connecting the router to your DSL or Cable modem and computer.
The next process is configuring the router settings via the browser-based configuration tool. More advanced users can simply hook up the hardware and go directly to the configuration tool by entering the router's default IP address into their browser. Our neophyte network users were able to get the Linksys system up and running with minimal assistance.
We found the Linksys configuration tool slightly difficult to use as it was the least informative in our testing. It was accompanied by a PDF based user's guide that contained less information about specific settings compared to our other two products. Linksys provides a limited three year warranty along with providing excellent technical support.
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nullpointerus - Wednesday, August 30, 2006 - link
It really depends on your specific situation, but personally I would not advise using WiFi for streaming media servers. Even with a Linksys WRX card in the client, we would still get occasional hiccups and be forced to pause the movie while the client's buffer refilled. And of course, I would often have to grab a USB keyboard to restart the client PC when it failed to deal with the periodic connection loss.Given the time I wasted troubleshooting that, wiring ethernet into the living room was a breeze. I simply unhooked the living room cable, taped the CAT-5e cable onto it, and used the slack to pull the CAT-5 cable down into the living room. Presto! Cable TV and CAT-5 on the same jack, and _no interference_. If you can do it, wiring for ethernet is a much better proposition than spending money on expensive MIMO wireless equipment.
LoneWolf15 - Thursday, August 31, 2006 - link
Currently, I completely agree with you. My DVR is wired in through CAT5. (Note: Have used the Linksys SRX stuff and find it has its occasional quirks as well).I think that at the point high-bandwidth Wifi becomes more prevalent though, this may be less of an issue. I also think that they'll implement some sort of memory buffer as part of the networking hardware to get around your hiccup issue. It just isn't there yet. And as long as 11.n isn't fully ratified, I don't think it will be either. That's why I'd like to see the IEEE get off their rears and get this taken care of.