Mailing List os2-wireless_users@2rosenthals.com Archived Message #6513

From: "Lewis G Rosenthal" <os2-wireless_users@2rosenthals.com> Full Headers
Undecoded message
Subject: Re: [OS2Wireless] Linksys
Date: Tue, 02 Feb 2010 11:28:52 -0500
To: OS/2 Wireless Users Mailing List <os2-wireless_users@2rosenthals.com>

Hi, Jordan...

On 02/02/10 10:28 am, J R FOX thus wrote :
Lewis wrote:

  
I have seen a marked decrease in overall quality of design & manufacture of other LinkSys devices, particularly unmanaged switches.
    

  
For a while, my office was akin to a revolving door to LinkSys RMA
services. Now, I either go Cisco (which, of course, is their intention) orto D-Link (for the small stuff).
    

  
I first saw a decrease in the quality of the LinkSys firmware. The nextthing was the first generation of LinkSys hardware, post-acquisition.
    

  
So, about the only LinkSys hardware I recommend (and support) is the WRT54GL
    

Hmmm, so that fellow was on to something.  I thought that might be the case.    
Yes. I'm sure he's seen the same uptick in returns as I have the past two or three years.
Then you do have some alternatives lined up for us in this area, should that prove to be necessary ?  
For Wi-Fi, the WRT54GL is quite good. In that price range (at or just under $100), the Engenius ECB3500 is a good performing unit. If you want something which is more easily wall-mounted and will blend with decor, the Ubiquiti NanoStation2 works well (also sub-$100). Both the Engenious & the Uniquiti will run DD-WRT firmware (though I believe they may require a Pro license which adds a few $$ to the cost).

For straight routers, I haven't found anything which rivals the quality or support or feature set of the SonicWALL TZ series. That said, the TZ180's are now between $200 & $300, so it makes sense to accurately assess your needs before making the investment, as the extra cash in the budget might be more wisely spent in other areas. SonicWALL also makes a wireless TZ180, and the extra cost is minimal beyond the base unit itself.

Still, for small installations with no IPSec VPN requirement, I've found the LinkSys WRT54GL to be a best buy.
Often, as in the case of some Thinkpads, we seem to be welded to one or two options for something, due to a history of known OS/2 compatibility -- even if there are quite a few _other_ good products out there, which might be a lot better.  (I'm not sure if that's the best example, since I've heard that many if not most contemporary laptops, like Fujitsus or Toshibas, can be made to run eCS, although one might have to modify them, or give up on some item like sound support.  I've seen the odd Asus or Acer Aspire at a SCOUG meeting, and I think a Fujitsu model or two as well.)

  
Well, when we're talking about Wi-Fi, the client operating system is really irrelevant, at this point. OS/2 has full support for the latest (popular) encryption methods, and good support for a limited number of wireless network adapters (so if you should end up with a notebook with an unsupported card, it can usually be swapped for a supported one). Of course, now that wired ethernet has moved from an add-on card to the motherboard, this may pose more of a problem than the Wi-Fi, these days.

--
Lewis
-------------------------------------------------------------
Lewis G Rosenthal, CNA, CLP, CLE
Rosenthal & Rosenthal, LLC                www.2rosenthals.com
Need a managed Wi-Fi hotspot?                www.hautspot.com
visit my IT blog                www.2rosenthals.net/wordpress
-------------------------------------------------------------


Subscribe: Feed, Digest, Index.
Unsubscribe
Mail to ListMaster