RTP300 w/ seperate wireless router or WRTP54G?

Posts: 31 · Vonage Forum Junior Joined: Jan 22, 2006 Posts: 31

I currently have a WRTP54G and have not been impressed. My web browsing seems to slow done quite often and I lose connection to the router. I can get a wirelessG router from Compusa for $37 (my sisters employee discount) Very Happy

So anyone with experience with both scenarios please chime in.

Posts: 2257

94SupraTT wrote:

I currently have a WRTP54G and have not been impressed. My web browsing seems to slow done quite often and I lose connection to the router. I can get a wirelessG router from Compusa for $37 (my sisters employee discount) Very Happy

So anyone with experience with both scenarios please chime in.

Go for it!

The WRTP54G is a decent wireless router, and by that I mean that it is capable of performing the functions of a wireless access point and an Internet router.

However, it lacks the stability for demanding applications, and the firmware for the device is controlled by Vonage.

So, if you're sitting on an Internet account with very high upstream bandwidth, and you don't tend to use a lot of demanding applications like BitTorrent or large FTP uploads while on a call, there's a good chance you'll be perfectly content with a WRTP54G.

If, like me, you have fairly tight upstream bandwidth and/or you tend to use your bandwidth heavily, the WRTP54G is probably going to cause you all sorts of frustration. In my case, I put a router in front of the WRTP54G... this was after a couple of months of network hell, with the WRTP54G crashing (due to some default settings on the entire Linksys router series, and most other consumer routers), and bringing my network down 2-3 times a day, and being unable to do ANYTHING while on the phone without reports of choppy audio on the other end.

Now, with my new router, my network just... works. Even my limited upstream of 256k and my constant use of BitTorrent doesn't affect my Vonage line, and my new router has never crashed on me for any reason whatsoever. Even under normal usage, the voice quality on the Vonage router has improved significantly thanks to the lowered demand on the WRTP54G (freeing up valuable memory and processor time to handle voice).

Posts: 31 · Vonage Forum Junior Joined: Jan 22, 2006 Posts: 31

NateHoy wrote:

94SupraTT wrote:

I currently have a WRTP54G and have not been impressed. My web browsing seems to slow done quite often and I lose connection to the router. I can get a wirelessG router from Compusa for $37 (my sisters employee discount) Very Happy

So anyone with experience with both scenarios please chime in.

Go for it!

The WRTP54G is a decent wireless router, and by that I mean that it is capable of performing the functions of a wireless access point and an Internet router.

However, it lacks the stability for demanding applications, and the firmware for the device is controlled by Vonage.

So, if you're sitting on an Internet account with very high upstream bandwidth, and you don't tend to use a lot of demanding applications like BitTorrent or large FTP uploads while on a call, there's a good chance you'll be perfectly content with a WRTP54G.

If, like me, you have fairly tight upstream bandwidth and/or you tend to use your bandwidth heavily, the WRTP54G is probably going to cause you all sorts of frustration. In my case, I put a router in front of the WRTP54G... this was after a couple of months of network hell, with the WRTP54G crashing (due to some default settings on the entire Linksys router series, and most other consumer routers), and bringing my network down 2-3 times a day, and being unable to do ANYTHING while on the phone without reports of choppy audio on the other end.

Now, with my new router, my network just... works. Even my limited upstream of 256k and my constant use of BitTorrent doesn't affect my Vonage line, and my new router has never crashed on me for any reason whatsoever. Even under normal usage, the voice quality on the Vonage router has improved significantly thanks to the lowered demand on the WRTP54G (freeing up valuable memory and processor time to handle voice).

I'm in the same boat as you. 768Kbps down 256Kbps up. I think I might just go ahead and buy the $37 router.

Posts: 277

94SupraTT wrote:

NateHoy wrote:

94SupraTT wrote:

I currently have a WRTP54G and have not been impressed. My web browsing seems to slow done quite often and I lose connection to the router. I can get a wirelessG router from Compusa for $37 (my sisters employee discount) Very Happy

So anyone with experience with both scenarios please chime in.

Go for it!

I'm in the same boat as you. 768Kbps down 256Kbps up. I think I might just go ahead and buy the $37 router.

I agree with Nate - go for it! The one thing that Nate didn't mention is, all wireless G routers are not created equally. You need one that performs well, and has capable enough QoS to provide the Vonage traffic the priority it needs. I have no idea what router you're looking at for $37, but I'd STRONGLY suggest finding a Linksys WRT54G (VERSION 4 or earlier!) or the new WRT54GL. With a bit of looking, you should be able to find one of these for around $50-$60, maybe less if your sister's employer carries Linksys brand. These routers are proven to work excellently, and there are lots of us here using them (Nate included,) You *may* get another brand or model that will work well for $37, or you *may* end up highly frustrated!

-Gary-

Posts: 2257 · Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2006 1:11 pm Post subject:

DallasFlier -

Side note: Tofu 13 is out. You have GOT to see the new QoS settings. They are SWEET! Tofu is a genius.

He's adjusted the default to be somewhere between LOW and MEDIUM, so you have the option to lower priority from default if you have 1-2 services you want set at the lowest, and he now has preset TCP/IP port settings for HTTP, email, etc. REALLY user friendly stuff, and the same quality Tofu usually delivers.

I've been running it all morning, and it looks good.

Posts: 31 · Vonage Forum Junior Joined: Jan 22, 2006 Posts: 31

I can get this Linksys for $45.

http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?product_code=320323&pfp=SEARCH

WRT54GC

Posts: 2257 · Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2006 1:38 pm Post subject:

One man's opinion:

Spend the extra money and get a WRT54GL. The "GC" is Linksys' compact router, which will probably work a little better than the Vonage routers, but not enough to make it worth the $45. It's a "closed" router, meaning it cannot take aftermarket firmware, and contains the "P2P issue" like most consumer routers.

The WRT54GL is a solid Linux based router, and when you add aftermarket firmware like HyperWRT Tofu, it feels and works more like a professional grade router that "should" cost a couple hundred more dollars than it actually does. It competes favorably in performace with "prosumer" $300 routers, though it does max out at about 15mbps, so if you have 40mbps FiOS or some other insanely-fast Internet connection, you really should be looking at the Cisco professional series or some of the "prosumer" NetGear units. For us mere mortals looking for a rock-solid router, though, the WRT54GL paired with aftermarket firmware is really (IMHO) the best unit available in the under-$100 category.

Warning: I used to recommend the WRT54G and WRT54GS. Linksys recently made the unfortunate decision to change their WRT54G and (very recently) WRT54GS line over from Linux to a proprietary OS (VxWorks), and the new routers can't take aftermarket firmware. They threw the Linux crowd a bone, though, and remarketed the WRT54G V4 (the last Linux based model) as the "WRT54GL".

If you can find a Linux WRT54GS and get the discount on it, they are worth doing, but you have to find one with a serial number lower than "CGN7". "CGN7" is the new VxWorks unit. The "CGN6" range is good (Linux based), the "CGN5" and lower are even better (Linux based and with twice the memory).

On the WRT54G front, if you are lucky enough to happen into one with a serial number of CDFA or older, BUY IT. Those are also good units, and also Linux based. "CDFB" is the new VxWorks unit, anything earlier than that is Linux.

The serial number is printed on the outside of the box, and is the only sure way to tell the difference.

Posts: 31 · Vonage Forum Junior Joined: Jan 22, 2006 Posts: 31

NateHoy wrote:

One man's opinion:

Spend the extra money and get a WRT54GL. The "GC" is Linksys' compact router, which will probably work a little better than the Vonage routers, but not enough to make it worth the $45. It's a "closed" router, meaning it cannot take aftermarket firmware, and contains the "P2P issue" like most consumer routers.

The WRT54GL is a solid Linux based router, and when you add aftermarket firmware like HyperWRT Tofu, it feels and works more like a professional grade router that "should" cost a couple hundred more dollars than it actually does. It competes favorably in performace with "prosumer" $300 routers, though it does max out at about 15mbps, so if you have 40mbps FiOS or some other insanely-fast Internet connection, you really should be looking at the Cisco professional series or some of the "prosumer" NetGear units. For us mere mortals looking for a rock-solid router, though, the WRT54GL paired with aftermarket firmware is really (IMHO) the best unit available in the under-$100 category.

Warning: I used to recommend the WRT54G and WRT54GS. Linksys recently made the unfortunate decision to change their WRT54G and (very recently) WRT54GS line over from Linux to a proprietary OS (VxWorks), and the new routers can't take aftermarket firmware. They threw the Linux crowd a bone, though, and remarketed the WRT54G V4 (the last Linux based model) as the "WRT54GL".

If you can find a Linux WRT54GS and get the discount on it, they are worth doing, but you have to find one with a serial number lower than "CGN7". "CGN7" is the new VxWorks unit. The "CGN6" range is good (Linux based), the "CGN5" and lower are even better (Linux based and with twice the memory).

On the WRT54G front, if you are lucky enough to happen into one with a serial number of CDFA or older, BUY IT. Those are also good units, and also Linux based. "CDFB" is the new VxWorks unit, anything earlier than that is Linux.

The serial number is printed on the outside of the box, and is the only sure way to tell the difference.

Thanks for all the info. I will be looking for a WRT54GL. In the meantime I have disabled the wireles side of my current router and it seems to be working much better. Although it does seem very pointless to have a wireless router that seems to bog down when the wireless is enabled. Rolling Eyes

Posts: 2257 · Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2006 1:56 pm Post subject:

The WRTP54G is simply a wonder, in that it does everything that a regular Linksys WRT54G does, plus telephony, using the same processor and memory as the WRT54G.

Or maybe it's a wonder, in that you have to wonder how CyberTAN (the company that writes firmware for the WRTP54G) ever believed they could do so much without a slightly faster processor and an extra few megs of memory. Wink

In any case, once you get a proper router in front of that puppy and get your Internet working on all available gerbils, I suspect you'll be pretty astonished at how clear the voice is. The WRTP54G and RTP300 are, as I have said, EXCELLENT Vonage devices, as long as you stop distracting them with all that messy networking overhead. Wink

Posts: 31 · Vonage Forum Junior Joined: Jan 22, 2006 Posts: 31

NateHoy wrote:

Warning: I used to recommend the WRT54G and WRT54GS. Linksys recently made the unfortunate decision to change their WRT54G and (very recently) WRT54GS line over from Linux to a proprietary OS (VxWorks), and the new routers can't take aftermarket firmware. They threw the Linux crowd a bone, though, and remarketed the WRT54G V4 (the last Linux based model) as the "WRT54GL".

I can get a WRT54GS for $67. The retail is $89.99 at Compusa. I would have to check the version though by going in. I'm glad I asked on here. I have options now. Lol