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Michael
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Joined: 13 Jan 2005
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Location: Cary, IL
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colebert
EVDO Heavy User
Joined: 26 Jan 2007
Posts: 106
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 Posted: Thu Feb 08, 2007 5:41 pm Post subject: |
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| another disadvantage of the Linksys is that it doesn't give very detailed connection statistics or advanced tuning options. |
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tgaume
EVDO Fledgling
Joined: 12 Nov 2006
Posts: 14
Location: Melbourne, FL
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| Posted: Thu Feb 08, 2007 7:12 pm Post subject: Re: WRT54G3G-ST Review |
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| Michael wrote: | | We have completed our in-depth review of the WRT54G3G-ST |
Could I please ask you to qualify a statement that was made in this review?
"struggle with complicated and unreliable PC/Mac internet connection sharing methods."
I know you guys are avid Mac users, and I've never had a problem, nor have I had a client that has had a problem with sharing their EVDO connection via their Mac's wireleess adapter using OS X's connection sharing.
I've had a banquet room full of people using my EVDO connection via my Mac & have never found it complicated or unreliable to use. |
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Scott
EVDO Junkie
Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Posts: 530
Location: Central Coast of California
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| Posted: Thu Feb 08, 2007 7:24 pm Post subject: |
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While we agree that Macs are fundamentally easy to do things on, we speak to many folks every day who find the process of sharing their Internet connection complicated.
In fact, certain EVDO device setups add multiple items to the network device list. For some users that can be intimidating.
In other instances, the sharing requires manual configuration on connecting clients. Then there's also the need to disable sharing to get the AirPort back to normal. Some folks forget to disable and then wonder why their AirPort icon "looks funny" and why they cannot connect over AirPort. |
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Alex
Site Admin
Joined: 19 Sep 2006
Posts: 1754
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| Posted: Fri Feb 09, 2007 12:38 am Post subject: Re: WRT54G3G-ST Review |
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| tgaume wrote: |
Could I please ask you to qualify a statement that was made in this review?
"struggle with complicated and unreliable PC/Mac internet connection sharing methods."
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i'll be more specific, since that line in the review was from me. we have had calls from people who were using a mac as a router, and had client/connected macs that were unable to retrieve email from what are best described as 'overly sensitive networks' that were not using standard SMTP ports as well as complicated VPN clients.
a mac as a router, is simply not going to do as good a job accommodating complex 'routing' as a true router does, day in and day out.
can most people expect to be able to share their EVDO connection by using their operating system's internet sharing tactics? yes, they can.
should *everyone* expect those same computers to operate as well as a true router, under all situations? nope.
a true router is always going to be better suited to handle serious routing chores than any mainstream client OS like XP or OSX.
lastly... lets look at cost effectiveness.
how much did your laptop cost you?
was it less than my router?
doubt it! 
Last edited by Alex on Fri Feb 09, 2007 7:30 am; edited 1 time in total |
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jackrodgers
EVDO Addict
Joined: 23 Mar 2006
Posts: 1046
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| Posted: Fri Feb 09, 2007 7:10 am Post subject: Re: WRT54G3G-ST Review |
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No where in the Mac help for Airport do I find the term 'router'. Apple calls it computer to computer. Nor does Apple state that you can share an internet connection with other computers. This is on a MacBook Pro with 10.4.
Computer to computer sharing is simple to set up using Airport. And it works nicely. Connecting another Mac is quite simple also. All of this is handled by the wifi icon on the menu bar. If people are having trouble doing this, they probably have problems buttering toast.
What router can work on an 125 meg picture file, run complex Filemaker scripts, pickup email and load 25 tabs in Safari while playing iTunes in the background?
Apple's wifi card definitely does not compare with a router and its built in firewall and 338 four letter compatibilities nor does Apple make any claims that it does.
Nor does Apple introduce the user to any of the complex capabilities of the wifi card as I found out when they first came out and I had to call Apple about my base station. I was having trouble buttering toast at that time. |
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Alex
Site Admin
Joined: 19 Sep 2006
Posts: 1754
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| Posted: Fri Feb 09, 2007 7:27 am Post subject: Re: WRT54G3G-ST Review |
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| jackrodgers wrote: |
Computer to computer sharing is simple to set up using Airport...
If people are having trouble doing this, they probably have problems buttering toast....
I found out when they first came out and I had to call Apple about my base station.
I was having trouble buttering toast at that time. |
I never meant to imply that it was difficult to get an airport-equipped mac, to be able to share its connection. i explain how to do that every day, to people with butter all over their hands and face.
its not setting it up that can be complex and unreliable, its what people expect it will be able to do for them, after it is set up.
those of you who are mac users that find it all too easy to set up internet sharing with other macs, and think its reliable enough to recommend that other mac folks use their $1000+ laptops instead of $250 routers, then thats totally your call.
if ever you have the opportunity to work the tech support lines for booster-antenna.com and have to deal with buttery customers expecting even slicker miracles, i'm sure you'd change your mind. |
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jackrodgers
EVDO Addict
Joined: 23 Mar 2006
Posts: 1046
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| Posted: Fri Feb 09, 2007 2:12 pm Post subject: Re: WRT54G3G-ST Review |
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| Alex wrote: | | if ever you have the opportunity to work the tech support lines for booster-antenna.com and have to deal with buttery customers expecting even slicker miracles, i'm sure you'd change your mind. |
I've been in the miracle business but sometimes I have to tell folks that I can't fix it, especially AOL.
Can't be responsible for other people's expectations.
Wifi sharing on a Mac was designed so that you can go into a room full of Mac users, turn it on and share files. I used to leave little messages on laptops and cell phones during user group meetings "You are totaly unprotected and I could have roamed about and done what I please." or something to that effect.
Most likely the probably people encounter with sharing their EVDO connection using a Mac is that is not part of the design feature and secondly the bandwidth is too small. If you have a room full of people trying to download a file, each one unique, your little card is going to overload pretty quick and that is not the computer's fault, be it Mac or Windows or Unix, but the user's fault.
Somethink like it takes me 4 minutes to download a 10 mg file but if 10 people are tryiing to do that it will take 40 minutes. |
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Llama
EVDO Junkie
Joined: 02 Feb 2007
Posts: 160
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| Posted: Fri Feb 09, 2007 6:20 pm Post subject: |
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| colebert wrote: | | another disadvantage of the Linksys is that it doesn't give very detailed connection statistics or advanced tuning options. |
Does the KR1? I know that the DIR-450 does not display much in the way of connection information, just a 10 segment scale.  I definitely got spoiled by dd-wrt on my old router, but had to dump her to get EVDO and get off of satellite.
_________________
--Larry |
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Scott
EVDO Junkie
Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Posts: 530
Location: Central Coast of California
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| Posted: Fri Feb 09, 2007 8:54 pm Post subject: |
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While most of the sub $300 routers do provide some basic connection data (IP/Gateway/DNS), other connection stats are limited, as are any "advanced tuning options".
Please post further questions about KR1/Linksys/Top Global comparisons to their respective threads, thanks! |
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