Need an Access Point with the same wireless perf as a WNDR3700

[KCComp]

I really need an access point with the same kind of great wireless performance as my Netgear WNDR3700 router.

I switched to the WNDR3700 from a D-Link DIR-825 which had rock-solid routing but lousy wireless coverage in my house. The WNDR3700 solved my wireless connectivity issues, but it needs more than weekly reboots and the firmware options are terrible. Unfortunately that also means that the WNDR3700 can't be configured as an access point

I want to go back to the DIR-825 with wireless disabled, coupled with a great access point.

The current Netgear access points are not simultaneous dual-band, and the new WNDAP350 isn't shipping yet (probably very highly priced, too).

Ideas?

thanks,

KC

 

[claykin]

Pray that DDWRT makes firmware compatible with the WNDR3700.

 

[thiggins]

I switched to the WNDR3700 from a D-Link DIR-825 which had rock-solid routing but lousy wireless coverage in my house. The WNDR3700 solved my wireless connectivity issues, but it needs more than weekly reboots and the firmware options are terrible. Unfortunately that also means that the WNDR3700 can't be configured as an access point

I don't understand why you say it can't be configured as an AP. Any router can.

 

[KCComp]

Well it's theoretically possible, but this router is missing a ton of features that Netgear support says don't belong in a "consumer" level device, even though they're present in most every other router such as D-Link.

For example, there's no way to configure an NTP server name (which is amazing after the Netgear NTP failover debacle that brought down the University of Wisconsin in 2003).

So without an explicit AP option in firmware, I don't trust for a second that it's going to turn off SSDP for example.

Unless someone's already tried this (extensively), I don't relish all of the niggling problems that will probably result.

 

[thiggins]

Follow the instructions here and you'll be fine
How To Convert a Wireless Router into an Access Point

 

[jdibber]

Tim--

Read the article (How To Convert a Wireless Router into an Access Point ) and have a question regarding funtionality of the router gone AP.

I have fios internet and TV and believe I need to keep the Verizon supplied Actiontec router/modem intact (moca). Is there any functionality lost w/ converting the wndr3700 to an AP?

If the only reason for keeping the actiontec is for TV, is there any way of bypassing the Actiontec altogether (not sure this can be done)?

thanks

 

[thiggins]

I don't think you can bypass it completely, since it's the only place where you get an Ethernet jack. But you should be able to shut off its wireless radio and use the WNDR3700 as an AP.

If you want to use the WNDR3700 as your primary router, you can just connect it in back of the Actiontec (WNDR3700 WAN port to an Actiontec LAN port). Only hassle is if you need to open ports for any LAN side servers or applications. In that case
just place the WAN address of the WNDR3700 in DMZ on the Actiontec.

 

[occamsrazor]

I'm also looking for a good Wireless-N Access point. It would be used in conjunction with an Asus WL500GPv2 running Tomato firmware - I just need to add N-Wireless to the network.
I could of course use an N-router as only an access point, but it seems an expensive way. Are there not any good N access points? Short-range throughput is more important to me than range. Thanks...

 

[thiggins]

Access points tend to be designed for business applications and so tend to be more expensive.

If you don't want to convert a router, look at an AP / Bridge like the D-Link DAP-1522.