ADSL2+ recommendation for Mac user-Linksys/Belkin/Netgear?

I am looking for a (fast) ADSL+ router for a Mac network. I have a complex network and want the modem to be fairly configurable. I do not need wireless but my review of adsl/routers indicates that most of hte latest routers have wireless. The routers I am looking at include:
Linksys WAG160N and WAG320N
Netgear DGN2200
Belkin N+ Wireless Router (not sure if this has a modem?)

I am looking for something that is fast and reliable. I have found mixed reviews of most ADSL routers which makes selection challenging.

Thanks

Tony

In reply to a post by ajd1:

I am looking for a (fast) ADSL+ router for a Mac network. I have a complex network and want the modem to be fairly configurable.

Generally if it's a router it doesn't matter whether it's for a network of Mac, Windows or other operating systems.

Otherwise depends what you mean by complex network. If you have the feeling that a general purpose consumer model does not cover it are you able to list a few of the extra bells and whistles you need? e.g.

• roughly how many computers?
• Multiple local subnets?
• Wanting to host public facing services?
• Multiple static public IPs?
• Dual WAN / load balancing / failover?
• Already have an internal server doing DNS?

Some of the Draytek Vigor specs might be suitable depending on what you want to spend. TBB published a list of router comparisons recently too though not exhaustive.

Edited by prlzx (Sat 06-Feb-10 11:52:24)

Hi,

Reason I mentioned that I use a Mac is mainly compatibility, if modem is configured via a web page I agree there is no issue. I have somewhere in the region of 12 devices on the network, one subnet. I have one static IP and operate webservers and mail servers. I have a VPN server and want to be able to get to it. I also want to be able to access my web servers from within the network (I think all newer routers will allow this?). I don't have a DNS server.

Thanks

Tony

Having looked at a few more web sites, the Linksys WAG320NDual-Band Wireless-N ADSL2+ Modem Gigabit Router (WAG320N) seems a reasonable choice. Can anyone comment on reliability and whether it lacks any obvious features.

I have not seen the web interface for Linksys, is it reasonable user friendly and flexible?

OK doesn't sound too complicated - so mainly you need port forwarding (which the vast majority of NAT routers support) and perhaps VPN passthrough.

As you want to access your web servers from inside the network using the public URL
- and don't have an internal DNS to resolve those to local IP addreeses
(and I'm guessing you wouldn't want to add entries in all those etc/hosts files)

then yes you need the router's port forwarding to be able to handle requests origniating from within the same network (not all do this bit right). Some routers may let you add custom DNS entries though.

For the VPN if you mean you are running an internal VPN server and want to connect to it from the outside, you may want to check the router spec lists VPN passthrough of the protocol you are using (PPTP, L2TP, IPSec, SSL, SSH ...). Some types of VPN only need port forwarding.

If you mean just accessing an external VPN server from a client on your internal network the router probablty doesn't need special consideration beyond allowing outgoing conections.

This might help
How fast is your broadband router? by John Hunt