MicroTik wireless performance

[Fraoch]

I was about to spring for this beast:

http://routerboard.com/RB2011UAS-2HnD-IN

when I saw something that made me pause:

Also, it features powerful 1000mW dual chain 2.4Ghz 802.11bgn wireless AP

If you poke around their site, you'll see that the wireless functions in their routers are added using miniPCI cards. While these are powerful, they aren't dual band, they're dual chain, 2X2 MIMO. One radio only, 2 antennas.

I have a few 'g' clients that I can't upgrade (long story) so I'll be running a mixed network. Bad news according to Tim:

http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/showthread.php?t=2506

So if I did upgrade to this router over my ancient Linksys WRT54GL, I would see a speed decrease for all devices concerned, even my old 'g' clients?

Am I misinterpreting this?

It's too bad, this router looks to have impressive power and an unbelievable amount of settings and configuration options but the wireless isn't as advanced as a top consumer-level router like the ASUS RT-N66U.

 

[stevech]

me myself, I wouldn't go down that product road. I think that collaboration has a quasi-product and they're underfunded.

 

[Fraoch]

Interesting - this is the first negative comment I've ever heard about MicroTik. Most say that it's Cisco-level features at a consumer-level price.

Care to elaborate? I'd be quite interested.

Of course I'm considering the ASUS RT-N66U but now that I'm used to all the configuration options with DD-WRT I can't help but feel I'd lose some control and features in exchange for better wireless and more power.

 

[stevech]

Just an opinion and nothing more. Have you read about the hardware company? And the history of RouterOS? Seems to me to be a fun thing to tinker with if that's the goal.

 

[salamoon]

router OS is pretty great
not many issues with the software

but their Out door hardware has a few faults but they keep fixing them with revisions one known issues is their new outdoor antenna if u live near a windy place near the beach water+ salt can go up the Ethernet port and kill it, some people remedied this issue with using silicon

the 2011 is a solid product but if i was u id rather go with the RB951G-2HnD
it has the same cpu but much smaller im sure u dont need that many ports + touch screen also im not sure if it uses the same wireless chip

the atheros chip can handle around 260 Mbps down

i personalty wanted to buy one but after noticing how hard it was for me to configure i just abandoned the idea

im waiting for the new duel core arm9 routers from asus (merlin confirmed support for them)

im currently running tomato on my linksys e1500

 

[Fraoch]

the 2011 is a solid product but if i was u id rather go with the RB951G-2HnD
it has the same cpu but much smaller im sure u dont need that many ports + touch screen also im not sure if it uses the same wireless chip

Actually I do need that many ports.

2 wired printers (OK I can set one of them to be wireless to save a port), 2 wired PCs - one Mac with a GigE port and a Linux box with a GigE port. Add my WAN port and there's no room left!

My new ISP's modem has a GigE port, a Raspberry Pi is on its way, and I might be experimenting with VoIP.

So:

- 2 printers and Raspberry Pi on 10/100 ports, one reserved for the VoIP box, that leaves one spare

- Mac, Linux box and WAN on the GigE ports, leaving 2 spare ports

I could accomplish this with another switch but it's extra cabling and I'm running out of power outlets too.

I don't care much for the touchscreen - apparently it's not very useful anyway. I also don't like the ports on the front, it will make for a rather messy appearance, but pro gear always seems to have ports on the front.

 

[salamoon]

voip on the Pi ?
are u talking about Asterisk (PBX)

always wanted to do that but seemed too much of a hassle

also checkout http://uelastix.com/

 

[Fraoch]

voip on the Pi ?
are u talking about Asterisk (PBX)

always wanted to do that but seemed too much of a hassle

also checkout http://uelastix.com/

No, a separate VoIP box like the Obi 100.

Asterisk sounds like way too much for me. I like experimenting with Linux and all, but you have to develop EVERYTHING yourself with Asterisk, from what I can see.

 

[salamoon]

No, a separate VoIP box like the Obi 100.

Asterisk sounds like way too much for me. I like experimenting with Linux and all, but you have to develop EVERYTHING yourself with Asterisk, from what I can see.

OMG ive been trying to find something like this since FOREVER
and every single forum i asked in said "use asterisk" which pissed me off

and now i found this SUPER THANKS !!!!

EDIT: anything else like the Obi 100 ?

 

[stevech]

Re above.

Analog telephone adapter (ATA). RJ11 connects to any telephone. Ethernet to LAN. Inside the box is a SIP client and RTSP support.

Problem for me, having tried these from 3 different VoIP/Internet service providers was that the service reliability and call quality was not acceptable to the entire family.

The cable TV companies' digital phone is far better if not cheaper than VoIP/Internet. More costly recurring service fees, but still far less cost than AT&T. It's because this form of digital/VoIP doesn't put RTSP flows on the Internet last mile flows.

 

[Fraoch]

EDIT: anything else like the Obi 100 ?

The Cisco SPA112 and 122. From what I can tell, the difference between the two is a routing/automatic QoS function in the 122 which has two network ports as opposed to the 112 which has only one.

However, read this:

Though the Linksys adapters have historically been an industry standard, they are built on old technology. If you are considering buying a VoIP ATA, we recommend the new OBi ATAs. The OBi ATAs were built by the same engineers that built the PAP/SPA devices, and are sure to make an already great VoIP experience even better.

We do not recommend the new SPA112 and SPA122. Though the SPA112 and SPA122 are sold by Cisco as successors to the PAP2T and SPA2102, the new devices are not built on the same technology as the old devices and have received poor reception in the community.

 

[Fraoch]

Problem for me, having tried these from 3 different VoIP/Internet service providers was that the service reliability and call quality was not acceptable to the entire family.

That's what's holding me back. I might play around with the OBi and voip.ms because it's so cheap, but to actually abandon everything else and go to VoIP full-time...?

The cable TV companies' digital phone is far better if not cheaper than VoIP/Internet.

I have this for both my home and home office phones and I must admit I have never had any technical or sound quality issues. I can even send and receive faxes which I hear is next to impossible with VoIP, even with T38.

More costly recurring service fees, but still far less cost than AT&T.

Not true here, but welcome to Canada...home phone $39.31, office phone $76.49 last month Conventional POTS phone would be about the same though.

It's because this form of digital/VoIP doesn't put RTSP flows on the Internet last mile flows.

Yes, I have heard that. They dedicate a certain portion of their bandwidth to phone traffic and attempt to route calls over their own network as far as they can.

 

[stevech]

yes, the cable TV digital phone has provided "wireline" consistent voice quality and trouble free call completions, comparable to what we had for decades with Ma Bell and class 5 switches. And post-deregulation, the cable TV digital phone is much lower cost.

With VoIP via my cable modem itself and an ATA, and from 3 or more providers I tried, there were constant problems, such as ATAs losing SIP registration, certain calls to certain places would sometimes not complete (due to VoIP providers churning who carries their traffic), very often poor voice quality. The WAF was not even close.