Solved Replacement for Old Linksys wrt54g

[TDKMate]

It's time to upgrade from my old Linksys wrt54g. My cable company upgraded my internet service to 100Mbps but I don't get any faster downloads than around 55-59 Mbps. Before calling them I researched the specs on the 54g and the only spec sheet I found says its max throughput is 54 Mbps.

I don't know anything about routers and networking, so if there's something simple like an updated version, I'd probably be OK with that but your recommendations will, of course, trump my laziness, LOL.

I run cables to the router, meaning I have no wireless devices. I can't foretell the future, so I guess wireless would be important (who knows? maybe one day I'll get a laptop or the like...). I do have a desktop in a shed, maybe one day I'd like to run updates on that but I have no idea on how to get it to talk wirelessly. (It hasn't been updated in years as I just play music and record old VHS home movies on it.)

All three of my desktops run Win 7 64; one Home and two Pro versions.

If possible, I'd love to unplug the old one, plug in the new one, and poof, everything is working.

The only thing I know is the first thing to do is change the password; I image the manual will tell how as I have no idea.

I would like to turn off the WiFi until needed. I assume the manual will show how...?

Oh, and my cable company is now offering gigabyte speeds, which I couldn't afford but it would be nice if the router supported it.

Ideas, suggestions, recommendations?
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[file3456]

Many people will recommend you get an AC capable router, but I don't think you need it. I replaced my faithful WRT54GL router that ran for some 8 years straight that was flashed with the third-party firmware DD-WRT to an Asus N66U. I bought it on eBay used flashed with the third-party firmware Asus Merlin. Unfortunately, this firmware has stopped making updates for this router just like last month. There is a fork of this firmware you can install to keep it updated, but I don't want to mess with it.

What I would do is find a good Asus router on eBay that is flashed with Asus Merlin or DD-WRT. Reason why you should have third-party firmware is because I can't tell you how many times I've see people's infected router's try to hack my website's. The hacker has effectively turned their router into a zombie to do bad things without a trace. And people wonder why they have slow Internet speed. So moral of the story: keep your router firmware updated or use third-party firmware which greatly mitigates a hacker's attempt at a breach.

This might be worth a look. ASUS RT-AC3200 2600 Mbps 4-Port Gigabit Wireless AC Router with merlin firmware 886227780914 | eBay

If you do a lot of streaming you'll want a router with a fast CPU.

 

[dg1261]

I replaced their WRT54G's for a couple customers last year in similar circumstances--their ISPs upgraded them from ~35Mbps to 100Mbps--and I can confirm that the WRT54G is a roadblock. By plugging a tower computer directly into the modem (bypassing the WRT54G) we got the full 100Mbps speed, but through the WRT54G we were only getting about 1/4 to 1/3 of that.

The 54 Mbps spec refers to the wifi speed, but through the ethernet ports the WRT54G was supposedly capable of 100Mbps. Yet that wasn't proving to be the case in these situations, where ethernet connections weren't getting anywhere near that. The WRT54G is more than a decade old, and in both cases replacing it with a more modern AC-class router unleashed the ISP's full 100Mbps potential.

As F22 Simpilot mentions, you may not need AC-class--especially if you plan to disable the wifi (AC is a wifi spec). But given how long you made that WRT54G last, I think at least a little future-proofing couldn't hurt. Who knows ... sometime in the next decade you might want to connect a smartphone to your wifi to save on data charges.

There are many suitable replacements ... I might suggest something like the Asus RT-AC66U. It's not the latest model, but is under $100, is wall-mountable (I mounted one vertically, out of the way, on the computer desk's back panel), and it's understated style doesn't make you look like some Transformers nerd who's never had a girlfriend. (Have you seen the styling on some of those new routers??!!)

Most modern routers aren't straight plug-and-play for security reasons, so a bit of minor setup is usually required. Typically, they may walk you through a setup routine to force you to change the password and set wifi encryption. (But yes, you can disable the wifi if you wish, as well.)

 

[samuria]

You don't say what sort of connection you have we need to know that to recommend a router as connections can be coax or other. It's worth getting an AC router it's no dearer and you may want to use a phone with it

 

[Earthnet]

@TDKMate -

The router that you have is a great one, but now it's time to obtain a decent router with Wireless-AC.
Shop Linksys and Netgear. The price difference for AC is very small now.

You don't need something complex, but you might need the support of these companies for setup.

Keep in mind that your computer(s) must be Wireless-AC capable.
Your internet speed should be a minimum of 100Mbps to barely appreciate it, 200 Mbps is even better!

The router will be backward compatible to work with any Wireless-N devices, so no worries there.

If you are connecting with a Ethernet cable, does your computer have a 100 Mbps Ethernet port or greater?
Otherwise, it would be a waste, IMO, since you will top out at the maximum speed of the port.

You see, several factors go into the mix.

Hope this helps!

 

[TDKMate]

Lots of good stuff above; thanks folks! And it shows I’ve got a lot to learn. F22 Simpilot, I’ll check out that link. I’ve heard good things about Asus routers, but they have a ‘gazillion’ models… I’ve heard good and bad about firmware hacks. Kind of scary for my level of experience. I’ll have to think about it.

It’s good you confirmed my router model is road block; thanks for the reassurance dg1261, and another vote for an Asus router. I gave the manual for the one you mention a very brief look. I can tell I’ll have to read a manual twice, LOL.

Samurai, I’m hooked up by the cable company’s coax to their modem, and a Cat 5(e?) connected to the router. From there all my computers are hardwired into the router. It’s been so long I don’t remember if it was Cat 5 or 5e that I ran to the different rooms.

Yes, Earthnet, lots in the mix to think about for sure. Going AC sounds like a good idea to future proof the system. I have no idea of the ratings for the built-in ports in the computers. Being mechanical, I built this system about 2 1/2 years ago with a Skylake i7 6700K and a MSI Z170A GAMING M7 motherboard. No, I’m not a ‘gamer,’ but the motherboard did have the ports I wanted (SATA and USB). My BetterHalf’s computer is a Dell I bought, oh, 5-6 years ago; it was cheaper than building one and it suits her needs just fine. The one that’s not hooked up currently is also 5-6 years old.
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[mrjimphelps]

I have a Netgear N300 router. I am very satisfied with it.

 

[TDKMate]

Thanks for the suggestion, mrjimphelps. I'll take a look a it.

 

[TDKMate]

Hi All. How fast are modern routers in WiFi speeds?

I'm trying to 'fix' a relative's laptop (I'm not a guru on that, either) and I've done all I can do so far (with help in another thread). It's a least ten years old and hasn't been updated in years. So I'm thinking of hooking it up to the internet and running all Windows Updates and see if that helps. Beside being an old and slow unit, I'm fighting a svchost problem with 88-98% CPU usage. So I'm figuring at least a whole day or more to run updates, and I figure instead of running another cable, I'd try out WiFi for the first time (with my new router I haven't bought yet, LOL).

So would that be a good idea? Or should I just run a cable to it...?

 

[file3456]

Hi All. How fast are modern routers in WiFi speeds?

Depends on what protocol you're using. 802.11 G wil hit a theoretical limit of 54 MbPS. N can go higher and so can AC.

Your SVCHOST issue more than likely won't get resolved with an update. I don't even use updates and don't have that issue. I know that issue was notorious in XP though.

 

[TDKMate]

Depends on what protocol you're using. 802.11 G wil hit a theoretical limit of 54 MbPS. N can go higher and so can AC.

Your SVCHOST issue more than likely won't get resolved with an update. I don't even use updates and don't have that issue. I know that issue was notorious in XP though.

I imagine the laptop is a very old protocol as it runs a 32 bit AMD Sempron CPU which might make it 12-13 years old. I was thinking of using the router I've yet to buy as to do a cable I'll have to get the bulk cable out of storage, find the tools/supplies to make a cable, and relearn how as it's been so long since I've made one, I've forgotten how. But then, I don't even know if the WiFi works on the laptop...

On the svchost problem, I searched the Forum and found a thread on how to identify the culprit, and it is:

wuauserv - Windows Update

Now I have to read-up on how to fix it.

I found how to identify the offending svchost in Post #2 by UsernameIssues of this thread:

svchost.exe (netsvcs) consuming 25% of a quad core laptop - Windows 7 Help Forums
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[TDKMate]

Success! I went from 68Mbps to 108Mbps. That’s roughly a 60% download speed improvement. Ping and upload speeds are the same.

I’ve been having a lot of little projects lately that turned into proverbial nightmares with product/company and return issues. So I went to Best Buy and see what they had, figuring if I did get a defective product, the return wouldn’t involve an RMA and shipping and all that hassle of buying online.

I was surprised that being in basically a rural area, they had a huge selection of routers. Going down the line, one caught my eye as being a new version of my old Linksys: a WRT3200ACM.

So I picked it up and, so far, am pleased. Now to eat a lot of beans, rice, and Top Ramen for 6 months to pay for it…LOL. I initially freaked out when I opened the PDF manual and it was 877 pages! Thankfully it was only 25 page in English; the rest of it was in other languages.

Setup was pretty painless as the hardest part was thinking of good passwords. I still have to learn Wi-Fi setup, security, and procedure, though, as all I did was turn off the ‘guest’ account. And I still have no idea on how to use it (not having any Wi-Fi devices).

Thanks Everyone for your time and energy !!!

(I’m still open to any and all tips and suggestions on using Wi-Fi as I may hook up the computer out in the shed.)

 

[dg1261]

Glad to hear the speed issue is resolved.

I still have to learn Wi-Fi setup, security, and procedure, though, as all I did was turn off the ‘guest’ account. And I still have no idea on how to use it (not having any Wi-Fi devices).
[...]
(I’m still open to any and all tips and suggestions on using Wi-Fi as I may hook up the computer out in the shed.)

If you have no wifi devices, turn wifi off altogether. (Page 18 of your user guide)

Also disable WPS ("Wifi Protected Setup" - page 18). This is a low-security back door into your wifi network.

If you can find a UPnP ("Universal Plug-and-Play") option, turn it off. This will make it harder for programs on your computer or hackers on the internet to change your router settings without you knowing. I don't know if you have this setting, but if so it might be under the "Connectivity" page ("Internet Settings" or "Advanced Routing" tab) or perhaps the "Security" page ("Apps and Gaming" tab).

Guest wifi is handy if you have overnight visitors--but only turn it on temporarily when you have guests. Leave it off the rest of the time. It allows your guests to use your internet connection for their phones/laptops without giving them full network access to your own computer.

 

[mrjimphelps]

If you are going to hook up the computer in your shed, place your router as close to the shed as you can. For example, in the room of the house that is closest to the shed. If you can put it in the window rather than behind a wall, that is even better, so that the wall doesn't block the signal. If that puts the router close enough to the shed in order to give you a good signal in the shed, you're good to go.

If not, then you could try a few things:

• Powerline adapter -- if the electrical outlets in the shed are on the same house circuit as the one near your router, then you can get something called a "powerline adapter". It will use your electrical wiring to bring an Ethernet connection to your shed. You will have two modules - one plugs into an outlet in the shed, and the other plugs into an outlet near your router. You will run an Ethernet cable from the router to the powerline adapter near your router. You will then run an Ethernet cable from the powerline adapter in the shed to your computer. You may even be able to get a powerline adapter which will provide wifi in the shed.
• Wifi extender -- put this device where it will get a good signal from your router, and where it will broadcast a good signal into your shed.

Here are a powerline adapter and some wifi extenders:
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/networ...rs/pcmcat161100050044.c?id=pcmcat161100050044

I would go with the wifi extender if it will do the job. However, if the wifi extender can't get enough of a signal at your shed, then I would go with the powerline adapter. Get the device at a local store near you, and you can probably return it for your money back if it doesn't do the job for you.

Two things to consider if you go with a wifi extender:

• Set your router on one channel, rather than on auto-scan. If you put it on auto-scan, it will change channels from time to time, and this may cause the wifi extender to lose the connection. (I have seen this happen.)
• If the wifi extender won't connect with the router, make sure that there is no space in the SSID (the wireless network name). Some devices won't connect to the router if there is a space in the SSID.

 

[TDKMate]

Glad to hear the speed issue is resolved.

If you have no wifi devices, turn wifi off altogether. (Page 18 of your user guide)

Also disable WPS ("Wifi Protected Setup" - page 18). This is a low-security back door into your wifi network.

If you can find a UPnP ("Universal Plug-and-Play") option, turn it off. This will make it harder for programs on your computer or hackers on the internet to change your router settings without you knowing. I don't know if you have this setting, but if so it might be under the "Connectivity" page ("Internet Settings" or "Advanced Routing" tab) or perhaps the "Security" page ("Apps and Gaming" tab).

Guest wifi is handy if you have overnight visitors--but only turn it on temporarily when you have guests. Leave it off the rest of the time. It allows your guests to use your internet connection for their phones/laptops without giving them full network access to your own computer.

Thanks dg1261, I’m glad it’s fixed, too. The ‘funny’ thing here is even email is a lot snapper (Outlook 07). I didn’t expect that.

I forgot that I have a relative’s laptop I’m ‘fixing’ (with help in another thread) and I’ve got it cleaned up and ready for Windows Update (it hadn’t been updated in years). After defragging it as mrjimphelps suggests, I tried to connect via Wi-Fi. It found the router’s main ‘channel’ and the Guest account. I tried the Guest account first.

But it didn’t ask for the Guest password, it just spun trying to connect and timed out. So I tried the router direct and it asked me for a specific number (sorry, I forgot what the laptop called it). I tried what I thought it wanted but the laptop say it’s the wrong number (I gave it the Router Pin).

And your right: UPnP is under Connectivity > Admin. I had it turned on, as well as Guest access, when I tried the laptop.

Any ideas?

 

[TDKMate]

If you are going to hook up the computer in your shed, place your router as close to the shed as you can. For example, in the room of the house that is closest to the shed. If you can put it in the window rather than behind a wall, that is even better, so that the wall doesn't block the signal. If that puts the router close enough to the shed in order to give you a good signal in the shed, you're good to go.
...

Thanks for the tips, mrjimphelps. Lucky for me the router is in the room closest to the shed, but I can’t move it any closer to a window. The shed computer is two walls and about 25-30 feet away. The sales rep said it’s a good change the router will reach it. Sadly, the shed is not on the same circuit so it seems a Powerline adapter is out if the router doesn’t reach far enough. (The shed goes from the main power meter fuse panel direct to the circuit breaker panel in the shed.)

This is just something that would be nice to have, but with all the other projects and stuff going on, it’s a low priority item. (Years ago, the last time I updated it, I just ran a 50’ cable from the router out to the shed, so in a sense, I’m covered in a ‘must have’ situation.)

 

[dg1261]

I forgot that I have a relative’s laptop I’m ‘fixing’ (with help in another thread) and I’ve got it cleaned up and ready for Windows Update (it hadn’t been updated in years). After defragging it as mrjimphelps suggests, I tried to connect via Wi-Fi. It found the router’s main ‘channel’ and the Guest account. I tried the Guest account first.

But it didn’t ask for the Guest password, it just spun trying to connect and timed out. So I tried the router direct and it asked me for a specific number (sorry, I forgot what the laptop called it). I tried what I thought it wanted but the laptop say it’s the wrong number (I gave it the Router Pin).

When you configure the router's wifi setup, you'll specify a SSID (aka, "network name"), authentication or "security mode", and the password. If you turn on the guest network, you'll also configure a different SSID/password combination for the guest wifi.

You need to make sure the laptop supports, and is trying to use, the same security mode you set the router's wifi to. Typically, that will often be WPA2/AES, but if it's a really old laptop it might only support WPA/TKIP. If that's the case, your router's setup has a drop-down box for downgrading to older protocols.

I'm assuming you're trying to connect to the correct network name when you say the laptop found the router's main channel. To connect the laptop, use the same password you setup in the router's wifi configuration for that network name. Note this is not the same as the router's admin password (for getting into the router and changing settings). Remember the password is case-sensitive.

Note that WPS ("Wifi Protected Setup") is intended to be an easier way to connect. If WPS is turned on, you press the WPS button on the router (see page 5 of your user manual), tell the laptop to automatically connect, and they're supposed to automatically find each other. When it works, it's easy and won't ask you for a password, but as I mentioned earlier, it's not a very secure method so I recommend leaving WPS disabled.

 

[mrjimphelps]

Perhaps you could use a good wifi antenna to help your reception on the computer in the shed. Here is one example:

https://www.amazon.com/Insten-33580...8&qid=1527259543&sr=1-9&keywords=wifi+antenna

Something like this would allow you to move your antenna around to get the best possible reception. You can move the antenna away from the computer (so that the signal is not blocked by the computer) and put it up high, say on a shelf, so that it will get better reception. I used an antenna once for this purpose. My customer had a computer in a bedroom; there was no way to run an Ethernet cable to the computer, so we had to use wifi to get it on the internet. But it had poor reception where it was located. I installed an antenna like the one I linked to above, and I was able to place it up and away from the computer, resulting in much better signal strength. If you already have wifi in the computer, and if there is an antenna jack on the wifi card that you can connect an antenna to, this would be an excellent way to get good reception in the shed.

Or perhaps you could put an antenna similar to this on your router - this would allow you to move the antenna to the best location, without having to move your router.

Or maybe put an antenna both on the router and on the computer in the shed.

Here is another option: Get a USB wifi adapter that is connected to a USB extension cord, so that you can move it to where you will get the best reception:

https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-N300...=1527260016&sr=1-31&keywords=usb+wifi+adapter

 

[file3456]

And here is why I said in my first post that you should use a third-party firmware or keep your router's firmware updated. FBI warns Russians hacked hundreds of thousands of routers

 

[TDKMate]

Hi All. I forgot this was the holiday weekend and we’re having out of state company over for another day or two so I’ll have to wait to ‘play’ with this some more…

When you configure the router's wifi setup, you'll specify a SSID (aka, "network name"), authentication or "security mode", and the password. If you turn on the guest network, you'll also configure a different SSID/password combination for the guest wifi.

Yes, the Guest network has a different name and password, but the laptop never asked for it. (So, that a SSID, eh? LOL)

You need to make sure the laptop supports, and is trying to use, the same security mode you set the router's wifi to. Typically, that will often be WPA2/AES, but if it's a really old laptop it might only support WPA/TKIP. If that's the case, your router's setup has a drop-down box for downgrading to older protocols.

I have no idea how to check what the laptop supports… Yes, it’s really old so I’ll assume that.

I'm assuming you're trying to connect to the correct network name when you say the laptop found the router's main channel. To connect the laptop, use the same password you setup in the router's wifi configuration for that network name. Note this is not the same as the router's admin password (for getting into the router and changing settings). Remember the password is case-sensitive.

Sorry I don’t know/use the correct terminology. But yes, that’s what I meant.

Note that WPS ("Wifi Protected Setup") is intended to be an easier way to connect. If WPS is turned on, you press the WPS button on the router (see page 5 of your user manual), tell the laptop to automatically connect, and they're supposed to automatically find each other. When it works, it's easy and won't ask you for a password, but as I mentioned earlier, it's not a very secure method so I recommend leaving WPS disabled.

Sounds like, just for this, that’s the way to go. First, if it works, I can run updates on the laptop. But, if / when the laptop connects, I can take it out to the shed and see if I get reception out there.
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