Please suggest a N Wireless Router - USB printer and 2TB NAS External Hard Drive

[TechieDub]

I am looking for a N Wireless Router with the ability to Simultaneously connect and use a USB printer and 2TB NAS External Hard Drive.

The NAS I have in mind is Freecom Network Drive XS 2TB NAS Drive with Gigabit Ethernet and USB port which seems to be the cheapest.

I already have a USB printer (Dell All in One 962) whih works fine and need to connect this to the router.

Any suggestions for a good Router which would serve my purpose? Should I go for Apple Airport Extreme?

 

[stevech]

I am looking for a N Wireless Router with the ability to Simultaneously connect and use a USB printer and 2TB NAS External Hard Drive.

The NAS I have in mind is Freecom Network Drive XS 2TB NAS Drive with Gigabit Ethernet and USB port which seems to be the cheapest.

I already have a USB printer (Dell All in One 962) whih works fine and need to connect this to the router.

Any suggestions for a good Router which would serve my purpose? Should I go for Apple Airport Extreme?

IMO: connect printer to a PC that's usually on. Share the printer on the LAN. OR, buy a cheap print server box compatible with your printer (which is an odd one).

NAS's USB would be irrelevant. Use ethernet so this has nothing to do with router choice.

Apple WiFi only if your computers are mostly or all Apple.
Else just get a $50 WiFi router. Avoid D-Link IMO.

 

[TechieDub]

IMO: connect printer to a PC that's usually on. Share the printer on the LAN. OR, buy a cheap print server box compatible with your printer (which is an odd one).

NAS's USB would be irrelevant. Use ethernet so this has nothing to do with router choice.

Apple WiFi only if your computers are mostly or all Apple.
Else just get a $50 WiFi router. Avoid D-Link IMO.

The Dell Print Server addon alone would cost me around 90 Euro. I dont think it is worth that much money on something I cannot use for any thing else. After a few years when i throw out the dell usb printer the addon purchased would be a waste.

I prefer to buy a wireless router for the same money. I would like to share the NAS drive via its ethernet port and connect the printer to its USB port.

 

[stevech]

can you share the printer via a PC to which it is connected and one that's most often "on"?
Else better to get a cheap print server for ethernet.
But that Dell printer is an oddball.

You can get a mainstream Epson or HP (or?) printer with integral ethernet for well under $100 now. Best way to go, I say.

 

[TechieDub]

The USB printer is in another floor and mostly the laptop is downstairs. I would like to keep that printer since is is ok my slight use. Also I would be connecting a wireless ip security camera to the router.

From some research i found that only very few Wireless routers would support what I need. some of them are the following:
1. D-Link DIR-855 Wireless N Quadband Router - 149 Euro
2. D-Link DIR-825 N Router -
3. Draytek Vigor2820 Dual WAN router - 240 Euro (Expensive!)
4. Draytek Vigor 2920, 2920n, 2920vn

Eventhough I have send an email to ASUS they havent come back to me whether their N16 and N13U meet my requirements.

 

[TechieDub]

Got the Dlink DIR-855 2 days back and tried it.

GOOD:
Detected the USB printer with out any problems using the Shareport utility. Even scan and fax functionalities are available.
NAS drive works fine

BAD:
Very poor wireless coverage and signal strength. The router is upstairs and I am getting very poor signal just one floor down even with 2.4 GHz. The 5 GHz is even worse. If the signal strength of a wireless router it is no good.
Web interface is bit confusing

CONCLUSION:
Going to return this and try either Netgear WNDR3700 (prefer bec of linux support) or LinkSys e3000 and forget about the USB printer connectivity for now. Not brave enough to try the Belkin Play Max which has 2 usb ports.

Question to those who use Netgear WNDR3700
Does this one have a good signal strength and coverage? Any thing else that you would suggest?