[dot.zen]

Both tomato and dd-wrt offer control of all wireless parameters.
If you chose to go with static IP address allocation then there is nowt wrong with dd-wrt.
Both firmwares offer wireless client mode.
dd-wrt also offers repeater mode, which can be a very easy way to extend the range of your network, but at a cost to the throughput. Most people never utilise the full bandwidth of their wireless links anyway.

dot.zen

[discobay]

Originally Posted by jgl

One other thing to try is just re-orienting your router antenna. If the PC with the connection problems is downstairs, try rotating router antenna so that it lies flat. Should take all of 1 second to do.

See the first image- hopefully this explains what I mean.

Liveport.ca - Wireless Antenna properties

Will give it a go.

[discobay]

Originally Posted by dot.zen

dd-wrt also offers repeater mode, which can be a very easy way to extend the range of your network, but at a cost to the throughput.

Would using the Linksys as a wireless bridge ensure that I get a stronger signal downstairs (by the fact that it is a/c powered, has two antennae and probably a better radio) than if I just used the usb adapter?

[discobay]

Gave it a go and found that folding the antenna to point horizontally has a slight positive effect on the signal strength downstairs. Folding it back to its original position where it pointed vertically reduced the signal. Repeating this gave consistent results. Folding the antenna to point horizontally but 90 degrees away from the best position gave a reduced signal. So some success but not enough to write home about.

[jgl]

FWIW, I just discovered that I've been using dd-wrt for the last year. No DHCP problems, and the router has been extremely stable. I prefer dd-wrt over Tomato simply for reasons of user interface aesthetics

[discobay]

Thanks. I've just flashed the WRT54G with the micro/mini v24 of dd-wrt and am walking through the steps in the wiki.

[hk.com]

I have 100 x WRT54GL available for sale at HK$300/each, new unused sealed packing. MOQ 5.

For those DD-WRT fiends, this is the 200Mhz, 16R/4F version. 4 Lan 1 WAN. Most out there are 125Mhz/ 8MB and do are more likely run out of memory when you are running BT Each peeer you have eats ram, if you don't have the ram, they get dropped from your NAT table. Any packets originating from that peer are dropped.

That is why someone mentioned things slowed down when they started to use a router. Of course if you can afford HK$5K-HK$12K buy a Cisco 2600/2800 you will never run out of ram.

[jgl]

These are the old versions with the flashable firmware? Those routers are pretty ace. I'll take 2, unless MOQ is "minimum order quantity".

I think the BT peer problem with the WRT54G can typically be fixed by changing a timeout value.

[hk.com]

Maybe I can do 2 if we can do the delivery at our next Geeks and Beers (When ever we host it), probably next week. I need to get some hefty order in first.

MOQ = Minimum Order Quenty.

Change the time out value and increase it and the entry stays in the ram longer, and run out of memory quicker. Make it too short and you drop packets.