Netgear, I tell y’
Bless them, Netgear sent the replacement router. No base stand but that’s OK.
Plugged it in, got to working…
Slowly…
For a few hours…
… until it died.
I have absolutely no idea what the problem is but:
- It’s not the DG834N range itself – when I originally bought one it was fantastic
- It’s probably not the WN311B wireless card – that has no problem getting the neighbours routers
- It’s not the walls or interference as such – I get a low but acceptable 11-36Mb/s with the old DG834G
- It’s not me, nor a lack of skills – I’ve set up wireless networks for years for myself, friends, neighbours. I’m setting them up fine, the wireless is just terrible will later models.
- It’s not the usual variables like bluetooth devices, cordless phones, microwaves, bodies of water etc.
- It’s not power fluctuations, I use USP’s
- Drivers… ? All updated and patched.
(Update: It should be noted that I’ve commented elsewhere on this and when I took one apart, of the three antenna, one of had a corroded connection and was dead, the second was missing, never even installed during manufacture and the third one has dropped off inside the case)
DG834G
Setup up easily, first time, every time. Good wireless connection speed, flawless wired connection
DG834N
Setup up easily, first time, every time. Rotten connection speed – worse than the slower DG834G, even with a matched WN311B NIC, flawless wired connection though. First one took 18 months to die, the replacement took just 4 hours.
WNDR3300
Setup up easily, first time, every time. Virtually NO wireless connection, though wired was fine as ever. None of the Wireless N setting worked, not on any channel, just one of the settings gave me a wireless g connection. Admittedly it was a great connection, for 802.11g, but I didn’t pay £90 to downgrade my network.
Not just me seeing this either: ( http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/content/view/30415/96/ ) His conclusion was ‘Cheap, but not worth it!’
Wireless performance was, frankly, very disappointing. 5 GHz throughput vs. path loss testing showed abbreviated 5 GHz range compared to competing products and evidence of problems with the rate adjustment algorithms. Throughput with the draft 11n radio switched to the 2.4 GHz band in 20 MHz bandwidth mode was an abnormally low 12-13 Mbps. The only good news in wireless performance is that the 11g radio seemed solid.
Final analysis?
I spent a lot of time – several days actually – trawling forums and so forth and noted several reports where people had 2, 3 even 4 DG834N’s before they got a good one, or models – like mine – working great, then giving up. Several problems with the WNDR3300 too, but most of this are driver conflicts and/or brand incompatibilities and possibly faulty units :/
Just in a bad mood now, I think, but it’s rare that I can’t solve something and it winds me ups. My own feeling is there’s a flaw in the manufacture of these, probably a quality control issue. When they work, they work great. I am tempted to slag Netgear off over this, but the fact is they are confident enough in their products to offer a 2 year warranty. Besides, this modelled is replaced by version v2 now, the DG834NB
:(
Want to Buy… 5Gz/2.4Ghz Dual Band ADSL2+ Wireless N router and card !!!
Suppose I’ll have to wait until next year when 802.11n is finally ratified and manufacturers release decent next gen ADSL2+ modem routers.
In the meantime, if you read in the news that a fat, old man was found hanging from a lampost by CAT6 cabling, it probably means my wife caught me trying to run conduit from the network hub, though her kitchen to here. :0
See also: Wi-Fi Alliance (Article on 80211n draft2 (wi-fi .org/80211n-draft2.php) gone)