Router Recommendation Please!

Hi Folks...

I'm looking for a router that meets the following requirements and was wondering if people knew what would do the trick:

• Cost =

I've ended up with a BTVoyager 2110..... however it doesn't tick all of your boxes:

In reply to:

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# Cost = GBP50 ish
# Single Ethernet Port (more isn't a problem but I only require one)
# No Wireless
# SNMP Monitoring of data throughput and SNR / Synch etc
# Reliable / Stable
# Good for DSLMax (of course )

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I see them for around GBP50-60 on Froogle/Kelkoo etc
It has 4 ethernet ports
It has wireless, but that wireless can be turned off via the router interface
It has SNMP which works very well from where I'm sitting
It's been up and on for 14 days (since I got it and plugged it in) and has shifted 20+G of data
It reports a slightly higher attenuation than previous routers I've used (bad, if it's true) - but also a 3dB higher noise margin (good)
It's been used on DSLMax for the 14 days I've had it with no issues.

Comparing it with the other routers I've had:

3Com 3CRWDR100A-72 - was great apart from the limited firewall (I ran out of port forwarding capacity). Support function of 3Com was good.
Netgear DG834Gv2 - great apart from very poor interoperability with Intel 2200BG-based PC. Support from Netgear absolutely dire.
Zyxel P660HW-61 - absolutely shocking wireless performance. Often dropped the line without realising it, leading to sluggish page loading while it reconnected (or more often didn't)
Origo ASR8400 - worked very well when I first got it - still in service at my old man's place with no real issues - Connexant-based so not good for Max though
SMC Barricade 7401BRA - a handy standby for when others are hit by meteorites - but Connexant based so likely to be poor for Max

Edited by hunnymonster (Tue 06-Jun-06 09:03:38)

Connexant-based so not good for Max though
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Not sure if relevant but I use a connexant PCI modem and it works ok on max, or might I get better results with something else?
usually get around 6 mb when its quiet and 4 ish at peak times

Edited by deleted (Tue 06-Jun-06 11:55:51)

Thanks for the responses so far

Anybody else???

I was looking at the Speedtouch 546 to replace my 510, which maybe worth considering.

If you are looking for something that works well with Max, then go for something based on the Broadcom 6338 or 6348 chipset (*especially* if you have a long phone line). A good bet would be the Speedtouch 516v6 at about

Another advantage with this modem is that you can use ADSLMonitor to monitor your SNR etc. and log the results and also using the DMT tool you can actually change the nominal snr and hence synch rate with the exchange.
Only thing to watch is that if you accidentally set the snr far too high it can alter your max stable rate

You might - I certainly see my noise margin drop from 15.3dB on the BT Voyager to 6-8dB on the 2 Connexant-based devices.... not a big problem for me because I've got plenty of margin, but for you it might make a couple of meg difference.....

Voyager 2110 is based around the BroadCom 6348 chipset - which as you see others recommend...

Argos seem to sell routers (including the Voyager 2110) albeit at higher prices than online, and with their 16-day moneyback guarantee..... that's almost as good as "on approval"

(Incidentally - I hate BT and all that they do - it seems that they managed to pick a winner when they picked the OEM for the Voyager 2110)

Hmmmmm.... that certainly looks to do the job...

One last Q about it - does it support IGMP/Multicast? Important question with the world cup being on

Yes.
See this link on how to do it
http://www.zensupport.co.uk/knowledgebase/article.aspx?id=10531
However haven't PlusNet stopped supporting the trial

Edited by deleted (Wed 07-Jun-06 09:20:48)

That's a sore point right now.... PUG are pushing for it to be re-enabled ASAP as it was only meant to be down "temporarily" and it's now been 3 months

"If you are looking for something that works well with Max, then go for something based on the Broadcom 6338 or 6348 chipset (*especially* if you have a long phone line). A good bet would be the Speedtouch 516v6 at about

Edited by deleted (Wed 07-Jun-06 10:17:02)

Just bought a 516 and a 546 from dslsource.
The 546 was v5 and the 516 was upgraded to a 536v6 no charge.
Difference seems to be the version of the broadcom chipset but I noticed that the 516v6 seemed to synch OK at 6.5db SNR (only tested for a couple of hours while I was setting it up for a friend) but the 546 seems to resynch at below 7db due to the large numbers of errors (I have a long line so synch is at about 2,960)

Edited by deleted (Wed 07-Jun-06 12:51:07)

Thanks - you have answered the question I was about to ask :-)

Awaiting a 516 upgraded to a 536 from dslsource and wanted to check that I was still getting the expected Broadcom chipset.

I will report back on performance compared to my Belkin F5D7632-uk4 with the Connexant chipset.

Cheers

Dave R

I was on broadbandbuyer site and no 516v6 there ( ineed multiple ethernet prots)

assumed 546 is superior am I wrong?

http://www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk/Shop/Specifications.asp?ProductID=2289

dslsource is same.

536 516 single port versions only.

546 multiple port, but worried its not as good chipset.

http://www.speedtouch.co.uk/510v6.asp

There will be a CLI manual some where on the net, prolly best to use one of the other 4.3.X cli manualls as they seem to be based on the same code.

http://www.speedtouch.co.uk/downloads/580/E-DOC-CTC-20040216-0003_v1.0_public%5BCLI%5D.pdf

thats for the 580, give it a shot might be worth it

and yes they have telnet, well my 580 does and i know my old 530 and 510 v4 did too.

Drew

Edited by Apex (Tue 13-Jun-06 14:24:29)