NetGear or D-Link kit?

[Paul Adams]

New country means I have an excuse to buy a whole new plethora of electronic toys as the power adapters are all different

What I am looking at is building my home LAN with component devices so I can have:
- Internet gateway via router (10Mbps WAN side)
- Gigabit LAN connectivity
- Wireless connectivity with WPA (only 802.11b required, but 802.11g works)

Being the fussy bugger I am, I'd like to get the kit from the same manufacturer, so I've found relevant boxes from NetGear and D-Link...

NetGear:
- Broadband Router RP614
- Gigabit Switch GS105
- Wireless AP WG602

D-Link:
- Broadband Router DI-604
- Gigabit Switch DGS-1005D
- Wireless AP DWL-2100AP

I am deliberately not looking for a modem with built-in router, and I want the WAP to be separate too, so I can turn it off when not in use without affecting anything.

Both the switches are 5-port gigabit, both routers have similar features, as do the wireless APs.

Anyone have any experience with any of the above kit to influence my decision?
(I'm not looking for alternatives, one of these solutions is what I will be getting, probably this week.)

While the NetGear kit looks more "sleek", I am tempted by the 802.1x supporting feature of the D-Link AP as I might run RADIUS on my web server...

[Jiff Lemon]

Having used both manufacturers, can honestly say there's probaly nothing between them. If the Dlink AP's got the addition functionality, then you've found a winner.

We did have a Net gear WG602 at work, but it's out on a client site being tested, so can't tell you much else other than it was as stable as any other wireless kit we have and had a relatively straightforward web interface.

[Paul Adams]

Thanks Jiff - yeah, I've had broadband kit from both manufacturers and not had a problem with either, but I didn't want to get kit that is known to have issues with hanging/UPnP/port forwarding or w.h.y.

Got my apartment keys now and found that the previous tenants have paid for Internet access for August so I have 10Mbps access from day 1
And the monthly cost is a smidge over £23 per month!
(24Mbps is possible if you have fiber presentation and are less than 1.2km from the exchange... but that's a massive £33 per month!).

This is a far cry from sharing a 56k Demon dial-up connection with my housemate about 7 years ago!

[Jonny M]

3com

Sorry to throw in another option, but I believe they are a step above the "home" solutions that Netgear/D-Link offer.

[nichomach]

Well, as far as LAN connectivity or broadband goes I've got no problem with D-Link or Netgear at all. However when it comes to wireless kit... One of my bigger bosses has a D-Link wireless router and the signal's absolutely appalling. Tried extending it using the AP that D-Link's own support people stated categorically would work with said router in repeater mode; just didn't work. At all. Fussiness notwithstanding, I'd say get the Linksys WAP54G as your AP - used them in multiple sites with both Linksys PCMCIA and PCI cards and also with Dell Truemobile 1300 and 1350 built-in Wireless-G modules with absolutely no issues. I mean, I can see getting the wireless cards and AP from the same manufacturer; that makes sense, but seriously, for the rest, get the best you can regardless of manufacturer. I use a combination of D-Link DSL-300T ethernet ADSL modem, 3COM router and Linksys AP (look, there are reasons OK?) on some sites with absolutely no grief whatsoever; piece of pi$$ to set up and solid as a rock.

[FordPrefect]

Personally I'd say linksys. People I know with linksys seem to have no problems. Personally I have a draytek router until I get round to replacing the damn thing. Not fond of D-Link, have heard far too many bad things about them, netgear is generally positive tho.

[Rythmic]

Got to say linksys too - love the opensource firmware on my WRT54g

[3dcandy]

I'm still a sucker for US Robotics / 3Com kit....
Don't know if that helps any, but a great deal of my kit is by the above 2 suppliers, and it works great...

[the insaan]

mate of mine works as a network engineer at salford university and he swears by Dlink, everything they use is cisco and Dlink

[Paul Adams]

Got a D-Link 604 router for the time being - only have the web server set up right now so I have time to sort out the switch and AP.
Definitely leaning towards the D-Link AP as I want to play with PEAP and certificates for secure WLANs (useful for work too, as I've had 2 cases recently to do with WPA-connected wireless networks).

Cripes, 10Mbps downstream and 2Mbps upstream is fast!
Must get my main rig set up and see what my online game pings are like...

[Apex]

Got to say rather have the D-Link kit Netgear i would not touch with a barge pole, i have had too many issues with there stuff in the past and has for support....forget it !

Must say though that some of the wireless kit can have problems if you get a bad H/W revision with bad firmware, no ammount of updating will fix a bad H/W revision.

Other than that D-link

[Apex]

BTW the D-Link stuff looks better to me then the netgear