Alternative router to crappy Netgear WNDR3700 ?

[css_jay99]

Hi,

I have a Netgear WNDR3700 cable Router at home and it seems to be giving so much problems at the moment with windows7/vista laptop.

While laptops shows wireless connection as strong there appears to be no internet access. They seem to just get connected to IP addresses outside of my router addresses!

In the house hold there are 1 old windows xp laptop, TV, Blackberry, Iphone, Ipad, HP Touhpad that all work flawlessly with this router => wire or wireless

But

2 windows 7/Vista laptops in the house are driving me crazy, sometimes they work sometimes they don’t!


A bit of search on internet shows that besides the normal woes of IPV6 on win 7 & vista, the newer Netgear routers can be problematic as well with the issues I am experiencing.


For piece of mind I want to burn the Netgear and move on to some better router


My only allegiance to Netgear was the easy of setting up wireless access control and NAT on most of my devices ….


So Which Manufacturer out there is reliable and has got something better to offer?.


Cheers

Css_jay99

[NickFitz]

Are you sure one of the machines on the network hasn't managed to get itself running as a DHCP server? That would explain why things are getting addresses outside the expected range.

[Fred Bloggs]

If you have a seperate modem it might be worth connecting a PC directly to the modem without the router and setting up a PPoE dial up connection to the ISP. I did this on my FTTC internet connection when I suspected a router problem, it showed me that the VDSL modem was not getting a reliable connection, thus showing me that the router was actually OK. Forgot to add that I have tried Draytek, BT, Netgear and other routers. The most reliable by a country mile has been a Belkin.

[css_jay99]

Are you sure one of the machines on the network hasn't managed to get itself running as a DHCP server? That would explain why things are getting addresses outside the expected range.

I doubt that though if the winxp laptop and hand held devices work ok, But I will check that out tonight when I get home ....

If you have a seperate modem it might be worth connecting a PC directly to the modem without the router and setting up a PPoE dial up connection to the ISP. I did this on my FTTC internet connection when I suspected a router problem, it showed me that the VDSL modem was not getting a reliable connection, thus showing me that the router was actually OK. Forgot to add that I have tried Draytek, BT, Netgear and other routers. The most reliable by a country mile has been a Belkin.

Connection to internet is fine on windows xp laptop.

Additionally I cant actually browse to my other devices such as my NAS, so I would think that connection issues will either be the router or laptops.


The reason I am convinced is the router is because My neice turned up from States last night and I granted her wireless access on my router and same issue occurrs on her laptop as well, while the misses is comfortably watching Youtube on the TV
This kinda almost means that the router is the culprit .... same thing occurs if I plug in the LAN cable.


At the moment to get round these issues I dissabled IPV6, and manually assigned the IP addresses on each windows7/vista device ...


Windows7 is a bit of a minefield for me, that why I still like simplicity of win xp

css_jay99

[Fred Bloggs]

Is there a firmware update available for the device? I must admit, Netgear is my least favourite brand of router though from personal experience, I had more hassle with Netgear than any other apart from Draytek which just wouldn't work on a poor ADSL line (having said that, Draytek were open about the issues with their kit and authorised a full refund no problem).

[Le Rosbif]

Get a router with a broadcom chip

Billion 7700N/7800N
Speedtouch 516/546/585v7/582n

all other routers are rubbish

[BolshieBastard]

Get a router with a broadcom chip

Billion 7700N/7800N
Speedtouch 516/546/585v7/582n

all other routers are rubbish

Netgear routers have broadcom chips.

TBH, most routers are either tulipe or not the problem. More often than not, its the wireless card in the laptop that is causing the issue regarding non connection.

[stek]

Have u got it doling out a limited range if ips, ie not enough for all the devices?

[css_jay99]

Have u got it doling out a limited range if ips, ie not enough for all the devices?

its a limited range but there is still enough un-used addresses.

I will reset to factory default and see if that improves things.

css_jay99

[stek]

its a limited range but there is still enough un-used addresses.

I will reset to factory default and see if that improves things.

css_jay99

Perhaps the leases hadn't expired?