Take control of your router

[doctorcoug]

I just flashed my new router with DD-WRT and I'm VERY impressed. The options are extensive. Without having to pay the cost for a wireless repeater bridge, I purchased a router and used this firmware. Now, the other half of my house has full signal and it supplies my media center for my newly arrived slingbox.

Plus, my inner nerd is saying, "dude, you are sharing an authentication via a wireless repeater bridge and nobody will even know it because they use the same SSID."

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

Um, you are welcome to come to my house and do this for me.

[il Padrino Ute]

My Dremel tool is easy enough to control as it is.

[falafel]

This sounds like something I'd like to do. I'm just not sure why I need to or what the benefits are.

[1337coug]

I just flashed my new router with DD-WRT and I'm VERY impressed. The options are extensive. Without having to pay the cost for a wireless repeater bridge, I purchased a router and used this firmware. Now, the other half of my house has full signal and it supplies my media center for my newly arrived slingbox.

Plus, my inner nerd is saying, "dude, you are sharing an authentication via a wireless repeater bridge and nobody will even know it because they use the same SSID."

There was a post a while back on lifehacker about this, but my router was incompatible. I've got a new router now, so I'll have to give this a try.

[Uncle Ted]

Does the router you are running DD-WRT on support 802.11n? If so, which one are you using?

I was running DD-WRT on some old Linksys WRT54 routers but 802.11g is painfully slow compared to 802.11n these days.

[FN Phat]

My Dremel tool is easy enough to control as it is.

My FIL hooked me with the be Dremel multi tool for Christmas. I am excited and not sure if I need to use the firmware the good.doctor speaks of.

[doctorcoug]

Does the router you are running DD-WRT on support 802.11n? If so, which one are you using?

I was running DD-WRT on some old Linksys WRT54 routers but 802.11g is painfully slow compared to 802.11n these days.

I'm using the linksys e2000, which supports n and has dual mode for 5 ghz

Works very well.

[cougjunkie]

My FIL hooked me with the be Dremel multi tool for Christmas. I am excited and not sure if I need to use the firmware the good.doctor speaks of.

I saw those commercials nonstop for the past month. Really made me want to go out and buy one.

[FN Phat]

I saw those commercials nonstop for the past month. Really made me want to go out and buy one.

I am excited to use the bad boy. Time to finish some of the honey-dos that I have been putting off.

[cougjunkie]

I am excited to use the bad boy. Time to finish some of the honey-dos that I have been putting off.

Does it come with all of the attachments shown on the commercial?

[ERCougar]

I have a Linksys E2500 router, which it looks like is not compatible with DD-WRT. We're installing some media stuff in an area of the house where we don't get a good signal. Would a repeater solve this problem? Does this look like a decent one?
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Diamond-Multimedia-Wireless-Repeater-WR300N/dp/B005D5M136/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1318615087&sr=8-5"]Amazon.com: Diamond Multimedia 300Mbps 802.11n Wireless Repeater and Range Extender (WR300N): Electronics@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31bURiBs42L.@@AMEPARAM@@31bURiBs42L[/ame]

Also--why not just hook up a second router to the cable outlet downstairs? I actually already have one.

[NorthwestUteFan]

I have a Linksys E2500 router, which it looks like is not compatible with DD-WRT. We're installing some media stuff in an area of the house where we don't get a good signal. Would a repeater solve this problem? Does this look like a decent one?

Also--why not just hook up a second router to the cable outlet downstairs? I actually already have one.

By 'cable outlet' do you mean a data cable running from your router (computer cable) or the cable tv/internet outlet? If the latter, you will need a second modem to connect to the cable.

I'm using the linksys e2000, which supports n and has dual mode for 5 ghz

Works very well.

Doc, how is the range with your e2000? Mine is very fast but has a poor range. Are you still running dd-WRT on it? I could use a bit more flexibility on my unit.

As a bandaid fix, I actually run a second router on 802.11g that has far superior range but is slower. They are next to each other and are on widely seperated channels, but they probably interfere with one another. All my wifi peripherals can connect to either, and only the wii and Roku won't switch back and forth automatically.

What I really need to do with my second router is to use it as a range extender, a pseudo wireless repeater bridge. I can set it in the attic, run a data cable to it from my primary router, and set it up for a throughput connection. I have the instructions to do this but can't explain it very well.

[NorthwestUteFan]

I grew tired of fighting my router range issues and just picked up a Linksys r1000 range extender.
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005FDXMJS/ref=mp_s_a_1?qid=1323544386&sr=8-1"]Linksys RE1000 Wireless-N Range Extender:Amazon:Electronics@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31xYR-08WHL.@@AMEPARAM@@31xYR-08WHL[/ame]

Setup was pushbutton easy, and the repeater is seamlessly transparent. My range is now outstanding, and the Netflix stream to wii and Roku never pauses to buffer.

This solution works for me, but perhaps I would have been better off had I purchased a nicer router with a better range to begin.

Now I am looking to use dd-wrt to gain some additional features.

[FN Phat]

Does it come with all of the attachments shown on the commercial?

Yes. I finally got around to using the thing and it is awesome. I used it to trim the bottom of door jamb and casing when installing a new tile floor in the kitchen. I also used it to cut. Some drywall. It was sweet. I see alot of variations this holiday season. I just saw a Porter Cable version at Lowes for $100. Its a DIY must have.