Any good Wireless Routers compatible with Vista?

By DaDude
in Microsoft (Windows)

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DaDude

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I had an old Linksys wireless router, but since it's an old router, I had some compatibility problems with it. So, I bought the Netgear WNR834B, which is Vista compatible according to Microsoft's site. Now, the problem is, the router keeps on freezing. I just read some reviews and other people have the same problem with this router. I tried researching for other better routers but people always some sort of complaint about them. I even read the reviews on the newer Linksys routers and there are a ton of complaints on them. I guess they don't make wireless routers like they used to. But, I know there has to be some good wireless routers out there that's compatible with Vista. Can anybody recommend me any?

Grand Master

+Nik Louch Subscriber²

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This is something I never understood. A router thows out a network (and Internet) connection over either a wireless or wired connection. Where does the OS come into this, as the router should be 100% independant. Surely the OS on the receiving PC needs only know how to use an Ethernet or wireless connection?

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DaDude

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Yes, but the Netgear router I bought is freezing and my connection drops. I have to reboot the router in order to get the internet to work again. I never had this problem with my old Linksys ones. But according to reviews, the newer Linksys have that freezing problem now. So my question is: does anyone know a Vista compatible wireless router that works well and doesn't hang/freeze?

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DaDude

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A vista compatible router? I think that's just marketing, really. If you're experiencing connections being dropped, it's not Vista's fault.

What is so hard to understand about my question? It isn't Vista's fault. The Netgear router is freezing! The freezing has nothing to do with Vista. The router just sucks. I am looking for a router that performs better and doesn't freeze. Any recommendations?

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DaDude

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Best router there is.. Put on DD-WRT

Linksys WRT-54GL

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16833124190

I have had mine for almost 3 years... maybe one reboot in that time?

Oh wow! That's a bit outdated, if you ask me. I was looking for something a bit faster than that.

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Brandon

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Oh wow! That's a bit outdated, if you ask me. I was looking for something a bit faster than that.

It's not outdated.

Its 802.11G.

How much faster do you actually need? If you are looking for a draft N, then your limited . Its hands-down the best 802.11G router on the market, which unless you plan on transferring gig's of data over your network, its plenty fast for the internet

Heres this 802.11n router with DD-WRT

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16833124085

Not sure on it, but DD-WRT is the best firmware to date

Rising Star

Aldur82

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There is actually such a thing as a Vista compatible router. It's due to the way Microsoft re-wrote the TCP/IP stack, and the traffic scaling it does. Some older routers have problems forwarding these packets.

What I would suggest is if your router is marked as being Vista compatible, download the latest firmware for the router from the manufacturers website and update it from a non-Vista machine. If the problem persists, then you might have a hardware fault in the router. In this case, just return it and ask for a replacement and tell them the reason you want one is that it hangs and needs a power cycle to get working again.

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DaDude

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It's not outdated.

Its 802.11G.

How much faster do you actually need? If you are looking for a draft N, then your limited . Its hands-down the best 802.11G router on the market, which unless you plan on transferring gig's of data over your network, its plenty fast for the internet

I'm not denying that it's the best router. I have a similar one. I'm not sure what model it is. When I get home, I can check. But I had a similar one and it was really good, but it wasn't Vista compatible.

Grand Master

Brandon

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I'm not denying that it's the best router. I have a similar one. I'm not sure what model it is. When I get home, I can check. But I had a similar one and it was really good, but it wasn't Vista compatible.

Theres no such thing as "vista compatible"

It works. I've used my laptop with vista at a friends that has first gen 802.11B equipment and it works just fine.

Its just marketing.

If you get DD-WRT on any router, it will handle the way MS changed the IP packets in Vista even faster

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DaDude

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There is actually such a thing as a Vista compatible router. It's due to the way Microsoft re-wrote the TCP/IP stack, and the traffic scaling it does. Some older routers have problems forwarding these packets.

Bingo!! That was the exact problem my older Linksys router was having. That is why I bought the Netgear, but now it's not a TCP/IP issue. This time, the router is just crashing.

Grand Master

Brandon

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Bingo!! That was the exact problem my older Linksys router was having. That is why I bought the Netgear, but now it's not a TCP/IP issue. This time, the router is just crashing.

If its a 802.11G linksys router, put DD-WRT on there. That will solve your problem

Guest xiphi

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Oh wow! That's a bit outdated, if you ask me. I was looking for something a bit faster than that.

Lmao outdated? I don't think so. That router NEVER gives me any problems, but if you insist on something that's "faster" rather than stable, then be my guest. lol

Here's a list of "compatible" routers, and here as well.

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DaDude

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Lmao outdated? I don't think so. That router NEVER gives me any problems, but if you insist on something that's "faster" rather than stable, then be my guest. lol

Here's a list of "compatible" routers, and here as well.

Just because it's "stable," it doesn't mean it will work on every computer. My laptop from work doesn't work on my older "stable" Linksys router because the router is so old. That's another reason why I bought that junky Netgear router.

And that list is not what I was looking for. I already saw those. Many of them have bad reviews and I believe them too because I had bad experience with the Netgear one. What I'm asking for is Vista compatible routers that perform well. Does anybody here have a Vista compatible router that performs well on their computer that they can recommend? Seriously! Is my typing gibberish or what? Why is everyone misunderstanding my question?

Edited by xraffle
Grand Master

Brandon

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Just because it's "stable," it doesn't mean it will work on every computer. My laptop from work doesn't work on my older "stable" Linksys router because the router is so old. That's another reason why I bought that junky Netgear router.

And that list is not what I was looking for. I already saw those. Many of them have bad reviews and I believe them too because I had bad experience with the Netgear one. What I'm asking for is Vista compatible routers that perform well. Does anybody here have a Vista compatible router that performs well on their computer that they can recommend? Seriously! Is my typing gibberish or what? Why is everyone misunderstanding my question?

I feel like I'm taking to a brick wall :argh:

If you want a draft 802.11n, be prepared for problems here and there as there isnt a set standard yet. The linksys one I linked above got pretty good reviews and can have custom DD-WRT firmware. Almost all stability issues comes down to firmware problems.

Stop reading the damn reviews on everywhere BUT newegg. If you check the link the WRT54G router I posted had tons and tons of 5-star reviews, and as other members here have said it is the best router to date.

The WRT-54GL IS VISTA COMPATIBLE, just like pretty much every other router. (check the link above). Install the custom DD-WRT firmware on it, and your set. No worries.

Your old Linksys router may be 802.11a or something. There is no reason why your laptop should not even work on it as 802.11G is backward compatible with 802.11B and vice versa. You are falling for a marketing ploy with the "vista compatibility"

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DaDude

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Your old Linksys router may be 802.11a or something. There is no reason why your laptop should not even work on it as 802.11G is backward compatible with 802.11B and vice versa.

Well my laptop doesn't work with my older Linksys router because it doesn't work with old routers. It works with the Netgear one I got, but the router crashes, so that router is no good. This is why I believe the reviews now. Those reviews I saw about Netgear turned out to be true.

Grand Master

Brandon

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Well my laptop doesn't work with my older Linksys router because it doesn't work with old routers. It works with the Netgear one I got, but the router crashes, so that router is no good. This is why I believe the reviews now. Those reviews I saw about Netgear turned out to be true.

hahaha. Thats like saying my laptop doesn't work with USB1.1 devices

Probably because it is different technology or something, like 802.11a as I had said. THat or your setting something up wrong

many coffee shops use 802.11b and many people connect just fine with this "old" hardware.

No piece of hardware is going to have perfect reviews. Hell look at the xbox 360's. My original launch console is working just fine. No RROD or anything

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Kraftman

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This is painful to read...

Buy a WRT54GL & flash it with custom firmware (Tomato my preference over DD-WRT, as it is prettier :) )

If you want draft-N, I would suggest an Apple Airport Extreme.

No such thing as Vista compatible. Wi-Fi certified, however...

Grand Master

RangerLG

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I dual boot XP and Vista with my 54GL using Tomato firmware. No issues at all. A firmware upgrade may be all you need to get your old router working. Or, you say it won't connect. Do you have your new laptop to connect using some sort of authentication (WPA, WEP, WPA2) that your older Linksys router does not support? The 54GL will work with Vista.

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