Need a new router
 

Hello fellow car enthusiasts,

I need a new router because the WiFi radio in my current one is dying. Problem is, I stopped caring about computer hardware a couple years ago, and every time I go to shop for a new one online, I become bored and flaccid.

Here are my requirements:
-Under $200
-DD-WRT compatible
-Fast but doesn't need to be insane.
-No D-Link or TP-Link, they don't last

That's about it. TIA for your help.

I'd suggest a Porter-Cable, but then I read "wifi" so never mind...

I would get this one: Linksys WRT1900AC, but you need to raise your $ by $50.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/promo/li...-router-119985

Main reason is that it has USB ports & eSata so you can plug an external drive into it and you have an instant wireless NAS drive.

Hey, they're still selling the wrt54gl? workhorse. Mine still works flawlessly after, geez, I don't even remember.

I'd also suggest the Linksys WRT54GL, haven't had any issues with mine for the past 3 years of ownership.

I believe that it's Tomato and DD-WRT compatible.

Sure is, bought it for that reason.

I still have a WRT54G as well.

The one I posted above is it's new big brother with beamforming (one step below phased array) technology.
And they designed it to be open source from the beginning because of the following that the WRT54GL had.

I am really surprised that it doesnt have a HDMI connector on the back.
It's a computer all by itself.

Get Stu's suggestion. Reading up on it more carefully, yeah, I'm getting one too.

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/rankers/router/view

FWIW I built my own router using a dual-core Atom bookshelf PC and installed a BSD-based router OS called pfsense on it. Then I hooked up a Tenda W1800R (AC1750) router, on which I installed Tomato, to function as an access point. Just disabled DHCP, NAT, and other routing services to turn it into a WAP. It retails for $200 but I got it on sale from Newegg for $80 a few months ago.

My setup is very fast and stable, but the way I did it was a bit expensive off the bat. I wanted something small that had built-in Intel GBe NICs as they're better supported by BSD and didn't really have any older computer hardware lying around that fit my requirements.

I also wanted to make sure my ISP was the bottleneck, not my own equipment.

Thanks, I ended up buying #1 on this list.

The old me had a dedicated machine with PF+FreeBSD on it doing all kinds of fancy stuff.

Thanks for all of the responses, everyone.

Wow, we were way off.
http://americanwoodworker.com/cfs-fi...outertable.jpg

I wasn't the only one