Dlink Dir-825 Request for Product Review

[thiggins]

192.168.1.100 - 210

Thanks. Looks like the cause isn't an IP address conflict.

 

[geogecko]

I think I've been through just about everything. Are or were, there certain versions of the WRT54G that just couldn't do an AP? I guess it could be Tomato. I could try reinstalling the original Linksys firmware, but I'm not sure if it had AP capabilities or not.

I'm on the verge of just getting rid of the 54G and running it all on the D-Link. I know that it would be better if I could get this working, but the amount of time going into this is just crazy.

It shouldn't matter if the SSID's are different, but the encryption keys are the same, right?

 

[geogecko]

Here are my AP settings, minus the encryption key.

 

[geogecko]

Anything in here that looks odd?

 

[geogecko]

I think I finally figured it out. It was a combination of one or two things. I changed the encryption from WAP2 Only to WAP/WAP2. Secondly, I did a site survey, and found a fairly strong public school network that was on channel 1. I switched to channel 11, and so far, haven't had the dropouts that I was having before.

Back closer on track. Are there any free applications to test the throughput of a router, such as the DIR-655 to a bridge, such as the DAP-1555? I am trying to stream a show from ABC.com, and get a lot of stuttering. The PC running it is fairly decent, dual core AMD platform, with a 6600GT video card, so I do not think the PC is the limiting factor here, considering we use this PC to watch HD content all the time...

 

[Bullitt5094]

I returned my 655 and purchased an 825. I have to believe the hardware in the 825 is better and any problems will be sorted-out shortly with new updates. I updated to 1.1 immediately, did basic set-up and the 825's worked perfectly for two days now. Without anything but seat-of-the-pants usage, the 825 range and speed seems to be better than the really good 655. I'm using this in conjunction with another 615 router I have covering another part of the house. So far I'm very happy with it. Granted, I'm not a network engineer or power user, but with three laptops and five desktops and a PS3 online in the house, I guess I qualify as a high utilization user, at least!

 

[farkit55]

I live in an apartment complex with a lot of wireless noise including at least 17 wireless networks in the 2.4ghz spectrum. Thought only about 4 or 5 have above 2% signal strength. The 825 performs TERRIBLY in this setting. mostly because the damn thing constantly reboots itself. I've tried 2 different 825's and have the same problem with both.

Clients are currently a dlink DWA-160 and an airlink ap431 running in client mode but this happens with any combination of clients (rosewill rnx-g100/iphone/xbox360 and serveral others in combination and solo). Heres a copy of the log from the current 825

[INFO] Sun Nov 09 15:23:41 2008 2.4GHz Band: Wireless restart
[INFO] Sun Nov 09 14:55:30 2008 Above message repeated 6 times
[INFO] Sun Nov 09 14:45:32 2008 2.4GHz Band myssid: Wireless system with MAC address 000CF1E77649 secured and linked
[INFO] Sun Nov 09 14:45:29 2008 2.4GHz Band myssid: Wireless system with MAC address 000CF1E77649 associated
[INFO] Sun Nov 09 14:45:29 2008 Above message repeated 1 times
[INFO] Sun Nov 09 14:45:07 2008 2.4GHz Band mssid: Wireless system with MAC address 000000000000 disconnected for reason: Authentication Failed
[INFO] Sun Nov 09 14:45:00 2008 2.4GHz Band myssid: Wireless system with MAC address 000CF1E77649 associated
[INFO] Sun Nov 09 14:44:59 2008 Above message repeated 3 times
[INFO] Sun Nov 09 14:44:35 2008 2.4GHz Band: Wireless restart
[INFO] Sun Nov 09 14:44:02 2008 2.4GHz Band myssid: Wireless system with MAC address 000000000000 disconnected for reason: Authentication Failed
[INFO] Sun Nov 09 14:44:01 2008 2.4GHz Band: Wireless restart
[INFO] Sun Nov 09 14:43:56 2008 2.4GHz Band myssid: Wireless system with MAC address 000CF1E77649 associated
[INFO] Sun Nov 09 14:43:55 2008 Above message repeated 3 times
[INFO] Sun Nov 09 14:43:27 2008 2.4GHz Band: Wireless restart
[INFO] Sun Nov 09 14:32:48 2008 2.4GHz Band myssid: Wireless system with MAC address 000CF1E77649 secured and linked
[INFO] Sun Nov 09 14:32:45 2008 2.4GHz Band myssid: Wireless system with MAC address 000CF1E77649 associated
[INFO] Sun Nov 09 14:32:26 2008 Above message repeated 5 times
[INFO] Sun Nov 09 14:32:24 2008 2.4GHz Band: Wireless restart

...

[INFO] Sat Nov 08 19:08:50 2008 Above message repeated 1 times
[INFO] Sat Nov 08 19:08:43 2008 5GHz Band: Wireless link is up
[INFO] Sat Nov 08 19:08:42 2008 2.4GHz Band: Wireless link is up
[INFO] Sat Nov 08 19:08:31 2008 5GHz Band: Wireless link is down
[INFO] Sat Nov 08 19:08:31 2008 5GHz Band: Wireless restart
[INFO] Sat Nov 08 19:08:31 2008 5GHz Band: Disconnect all stations
[INFO] Sat Nov 08 19:08:31 2008 2.4GHz Band: Wireless link is down
[INFO] Sat Nov 08 19:08:31 2008 2.4GHz Band: Wireless restart
[INFO] Sat Nov 08 19:08:31 2008 2.4GHz Band: Disconnect all stations
[INFO] Sat Nov 08 19:08:31 2008 All Wireless shut down
[INFO] Sat Nov 08 19:08:29 2008 2.4GHz Band: Wireless restart

this happens with both the 1.00 and 1.01 firmware. Current clients are about 20 ft and 30ft from the router. I am also getting about 1 out of every 100 packets either lost or delayed up to 4 seconds from both clients in both 2.4ghz and 5ghz networks.

I've tried pretty much every available option for the wireless/security settings including turning either one or the other radio off and the damn thing still reboots the wireless radio that is turned on every once in a while.

I could maybe deal with the signal quality problem but it is completely pathetic that any networking device should be programmed to reboot itself like this without actually showing in the log why it is rebooting.

 

[tipstir]

I returned my 655 and purchased an 825. I have to believe the hardware in the 825 is better and any problems will be sorted-out shortly with new updates. I updated to 1.1 immediately, did basic set-up and the 825's worked perfectly for two days now. Without anything but seat-of-the-pants usage, the 825 range and speed seems to be better than the really good 655. I'm using this in conjunction with another 615 router I have covering another part of the house. So far I'm very happy with it. Granted, I'm not a network engineer or power user, but with three laptops and five desktops and a PS3 online in the house, I guess I qualify as a high utilization user, at least!

CPU is faster for one...

 

[smoothy]

hello,

i am thinking of purchasing this router, and it will be my first entry into the wifi market. i currently have a belkin 54g thingy that was supplied by my ISP. however it constantly needs rebooting as it reports no internet connection or it will stop the PS3 or xbox from getting the internet.

I have a couple of macs in various shapes and sizes, 2 of which support wireless N, and another 2 just support G. I also have a holiday let away from my main building that currently (unless you hang out of the window) is out of range.

I also live in an old english farmhouse, and the walls are 1.5meters thick! Due to this i have 2 Belkin range extenders (54g) to help extend the range round the house.

With this background in mind, i was hoping some of the gurus on here could help me with a couple of questions.

First off: Can i keep using the current range extenders i currently have?

2: Can i file share between the two different bands? Ie, whilst on my new imac (N band), i may want to access some files of the media mac mini, which would be on the G band.

3: Can i replace the current antenna for the 5ghz band with a outdoor one so i can get coverage over to the holiday let?

Thanks for any help received

 

[thiggins]

First off: Can i keep using the current range extenders i currently have?

If they don't require the use of WDS bridging/repeating, yes, they should work.

2: Can i file share between the two different bands? Ie, whilst on my new imac (N band), i may want to access some files of the media mac mini, which would be on the G band.

Yes. The file sharing protocol doesn't care about the flavor of connection used (Ethernet, powerline, wireless). As long as there is a connection, file and printer sharing will work.

3: Can i replace the current antenna for the 5ghz band with a outdoor one so i can get coverage over to the holiday let?

Doubtful. Both antennas are dual-band, so you would need to use a dual-band antenna. Not easy to find.
You would probably be better off setting up another (11g) AP specifically to do the link.

 

[smoothy]

If they don't require the use of WDS bridging/repeating, yes, they should work.


Yes. The file sharing protocol doesn't care about the flavor of connection used (Ethernet, powerline, wireless). As long as there is a connection, file and printer sharing will work.

Doubtful. Both antennas are dual-band, so you would need to use a dual-band antenna. Not easy to find.
You would probably be better off setting up another (11g) AP specifically to do the link.

Could you please explain what WDS is? All i know about my access points is that they are belkin, i had to put my SSID into the access point's web page, and tell my router the mac addresses of the access points.

The reason i asked about file sharing was the fact that the different bands had different SSIDS, which made me think they were infact completely separate sharing only the internet connection.

Having another access point could be possible, i would want the N band going over there as i do use that for a studio when things are quiet. how much significance will an access point also have on response time for online gaming? Also due to the wall thickness i may have to have another access point in the actual holiday home as well hence why an external antenna would be best. I thought the antennas were labeled on the DIR-825, why would this be the case if they were both dual band?

Thanks for your help, i appreciate it!

 

[thiggins]

WDS stands for Wireless Distribution System. From the description of what you are doing to connect everything up, i.e. entering MAC addresses, you are using WDS.

Gaming over a wireless connection can be a problem if the game requires fast response. Draft 11n especially has high throughput / latency variation and can have oeriodic 1-2 second throughput dropouts. 11g has lower throughput, but it tends to be more consistent. However, it too can suffer from the same periodic throughput dropouts.

In your situation, you certainly should use external high-gain antennas at both ends of the connection. Consider a combination AP/panel antenna like the Engenius EOC-3220. It's only 11g, but will probably provide a more reliable link than cobbling together something with draft 11n routers.

The 825's antennas are labeled 2.4 / 5 GHz, i.e. dual-band. Go look at this article for details on the DIR-825's innards.

 

[smoothy]

WDS stands for Wireless Distribution System. From the description of what you are doing to connect everything up, i.e. entering MAC addresses, you are using WDS.

Gaming over a wireless connection can be a problem if the game requires fast response. Draft 11n especially has high throughput / latency variation and can have oeriodic 1-2 second throughput dropouts. 11g has lower throughput, but it tends to be more consistent. However, it too can suffer from the same periodic throughput dropouts.

In your situation, you certainly should use external high-gain antennas at both ends of the connection. Consider a combination AP/panel antenna like the Engenius EOC-3220. It's only 11g, but will probably provide a more reliable link than cobbling together something with draft 11n routers.

The 825's antennas are labeled 2.4 / 5 GHz, i.e. dual-band. Go look at this article for details on the DIR-825's innards.

Wow that looks good, didnt even know that they made those sorts of things. Do these work just like my belkin extenders?

 

[thiggins]

Wow that looks good, didnt even know that they made those sorts of things. Do these work just like my belkin extenders?

I don't believe they use WDS. They are access points that can also be switched into acting as a client.

 

[Geraner]

Hw: B1

Have seen that the DIR-825 is been sold in Sweden now.
But is has HW: B1

Anyone tested this B1 compared to A1?
Read also that B1 is open source now. As the most Linksys routers are.

 

[jdabbs]

There's been a lot of speculation about the DIR-825 B1. I can't confidently say the B1 has open source support since neither OpenWRT nor DD-WRT have announced progress on that device (which would confirm but not negate), and I haven't seen anyone confirm that the B1 uses an Atheros or Ubicom IP7k-series CPU (which is essential).