Advice on Wireless Router (Dual Band, Gigabit, Jumbo Frames Support, DD-WRT a plus)

[Pezman]

I've read through your awesome "suggest-a-router" system, but unfortunately it doesn't support a query for Gigabit & Jumbo Frames. Perhaps that is a suggestion for future users.

Here is my setup:
- Laptop (G connection)
- Maxtor Central Axis (10/100/1000)
- Netgear ReadyNAS Pro Pioneer (10/100/1000)
- Linksys WRT54GS (10/100/G)
- HTPC (G connection)

My problem:
I'm trying to transfer files from the Central Axis to the Netgear and transfer speeds are really slow (largely due to going across 100 network and then the PC making the transfer decisions is on a G connection.) Here is how I want things to go....

NETGEAR ReadyNAS (via 1000) => Router (N) => HTPC (N PCMCIA Card)
This will allow me to stream 720p movies better
Also...
Maxtor Central Axis (via 1000) => Laptop (Gigabit PCMCIA Card) => NETGEAR ReadyNAS (via 1000)

Here is my question:
What is a router that fills the following requirements?
- Gigabit wired connection (1000)
- Dual Band Broadcast (N + G) (I have an Xbox360 and PS3 that only accept G)
- Jumbo Frames Support (Because that would make all my file transfers go faster!
- Draft N
- Ideally support DD-WRT (Because that firmware is sweet! But it is the least of my requirements)

My own research has discovered this may be my solution:
Router: D-Link DGL-4500 Xtreme N Selectable Dual Band Draft 802.11n Gaming Router
PCMCIA Laptop Card: D-Link DGE-660TD 10/100/1000 Gigabit Cardbus Adapter
PCMCIA HTPC Card: Linksys WPC300N Wireless-N Notebook Adapter

Please give me advice on how to solve this problem. I've read and read, but don't seem to be able to find a router that solves my problem.

 

[thiggins]

There is no router that supports both 11 b/g and draft 11n in the 2.4GHz band. The NETGEAR WNDR3300 supports 5 GHz draft 11n and 802.11b/g, but it's not a good router.

The Router Charts have a filter for Gigabit LAN and WAN. There is no jumbo frame filter, but check the Features charts for routers of interest. Jumbo frame support is described there.

People have not been happy with the DGL-4500, so I wouldn't recommend it. You don't need dual band unless you plan to use the 5 GHz band, which it doesn't sound like you do.

The "go to" draft 11n router has been the D-Link DIR-655. You already have a G router, so just convert it to an access point and connect it to your new N router.

For fastest NAS-to-NAS transfer use the Backup features of the Pro Pioneer. That way there will be no PC involved in the transfer and you'll get better speed.

 

[kevinqian]

There is no router that supports both 11 b/g and draft 11n in the 2.4GHz band.

Can you elaborate on this? I thought all 11n routers support mixed clients of b/g and n at the same time.

 

[thiggins]

Can you elaborate on this? I thought all 11n routers support mixed clients of b/g and n at the same time.

Sorry,

There is no simultaneous dual-band router that will let you set both radios to the same band, 2.4 or 5 GHz.

So you can't assign one radio to handle B/G clients and another to handle N clients in the 2.4 GHz band. N clients have to have dual-band radios so that they can move to the 5 GHz band.