Our Linksys WRT54G, circa 2005, was getting flakey. Though our home is an Apple environment, with iPads, iPhones, and an iMac, I didn’t want to drop $200 on the Apple router, so I bought the Linksys EA4500 as a refurb from the Linksys store for $65, probably what I originally paid for the 54G.
Early notes and questions:
The enclosed CD would not install its software on the iMac, so I had to download it from Linksys. It was a lousy program anyway; it wanted me to set up an account, and I reverted to accessing the router with a web browser. I was accustomed to this kind of set up from the 54G.
The default security is WPA2/WPA Mixed Personal. What is that? Keep it or switch? None of the choices mention AES, just personal or enterprise.
The router is faster than the 54G. Not a surprise, but a relief. All the Apple clients are N class. The wired iMac connection is faster, too. I never realized that the 54G would slow down a wired device.
The router runs warm. I have flipped it onto its back like a black plastic turtle to promote cooling. Does vertical or horizontal orientation play a factor in range?
The Linksys setup page includes the Ookla speed test.
I downloaded the iStumbler app to analyze the local traffic. There isn’t much, and I seem to be alone on 5Ghz. I set it to channel 161 in hopes of improving range. I left channel width in auto. I tried it in 20 and 40, but saw no real difference using Ookla on an iPad in one of my usual locations. Any thoughts on this?
I set network mode to N only in 2.4Ghz, where it seemed to make a difference, but left the 5Ghz band in mixed where it didn’t.
Thanks to Tim and everyone on SNB for the invaluable help in understanding this stuff. I don’t want to be a router geek, but I want friends who are!
Al Thumbs
Early notes and questions:
The enclosed CD would not install its software on the iMac, so I had to download it from Linksys. It was a lousy program anyway; it wanted me to set up an account, and I reverted to accessing the router with a web browser. I was accustomed to this kind of set up from the 54G.
The default security is WPA2/WPA Mixed Personal. What is that? Keep it or switch? None of the choices mention AES, just personal or enterprise.
The router is faster than the 54G. Not a surprise, but a relief. All the Apple clients are N class. The wired iMac connection is faster, too. I never realized that the 54G would slow down a wired device.
The router runs warm. I have flipped it onto its back like a black plastic turtle to promote cooling. Does vertical or horizontal orientation play a factor in range?
The Linksys setup page includes the Ookla speed test.
I downloaded the iStumbler app to analyze the local traffic. There isn’t much, and I seem to be alone on 5Ghz. I set it to channel 161 in hopes of improving range. I left channel width in auto. I tried it in 20 and 40, but saw no real difference using Ookla on an iPad in one of my usual locations. Any thoughts on this?
I set network mode to N only in 2.4Ghz, where it seemed to make a difference, but left the 5Ghz band in mixed where it didn’t.
Thanks to Tim and everyone on SNB for the invaluable help in understanding this stuff. I don’t want to be a router geek, but I want friends who are!
Al Thumbs