IT BS thread

LOL, yeah, I have been on both sides of this. I love getting the demos that don't even match the real product, like when they put a nice Flash front end on their stuff. And then there's the sales guy that keeps repeating, "This feature comes with the product" when in reality, the integration to an expensive external service comes with the product, while the non-technical folks on my side are eating it up and have to have it explained to them multiple times after the demo that it is not really included.

I usually won't meet with just the sales guys now -- I get a list of technical questions from the team, forward them on, and make sure they bring someone that can answer them.

 

I would also kill that speed meter. It is constantly using bandwidth to test the connection, that could be used by you.

 

Just wanting to share my excitements, passed my routers final with an 89.2! Grade for the class will be 88 = B+ and my boss is going to pay for my certification!!!

 

nice work.

 

Check the channel saturation for the wireless. Might have a bunch of neighbors, or other devices hammering a single channel. Also could be anything on the streets, tree branch's in the way, ect.

Tree branch's you say? I have a wireless bridge at one of my buildings. God damn nightmare to setup and keep connected. Trimmed a 20ft wide area and it worked great. Only dropped out when the random large truck went up the road... had to drop the mbps to keep it stable at all times. You'd be surprised on what has effect on a wireless signal. Ever seen a spectrum monitor when someone's microwaving something?

 

I'm just speculating that his provider is wireless... never heard of WISP before, sounds like one of those point-to-point wireless providers.

 

Its basically a point to point. Kinda crappy

 

There are a few of them around here. Typically it is the small towns and farmers who use it because that is the only way they can get internet. They are at the mercy of nature and other outside influences. It is a really crappy way to get internet, but it works when there isn't any other way.

 

This ^^. When I worked for that small ISP, our bread&butter was "last mile" customers - people who had pretty much no choice for broadband. It was either satellite, or point-to-point wireless...

So those types of connections will always suck, unless you spend a TON on the hardware - and ISP's aren't going to do that for residential customers .

 

I guess a lot also depends on the ability of the provider to maintain the system. And the installer's ability to set it up correctly (alignment, height, channel selection, distance from the distribution point, over subscription and so on).

We had a couple people in CO that had wireless services and the one farthest from the ISP had a pretty robust connection (which I wouldn't have expected). Of course, when the wind really kicked up, it didn't work so well but 90% of the time, it was just fine. Most recently, I used it at a small start-up and had good luck with it.

I haven't had to deal with WISPs for a while but most of the time, when they suck it's because some rinky dink ISP has decided to deploy wireless to get a few new customers and they've done it on the cheap, sometimes resulting in over subscription to the AP.

 

So what is everyone using for home routers these days? My Dlink Dir-655 went out after 3 years of heavy use. I ordered the AsuS (RT-N56U) and it has to be the worst pile of shit I've ever used.

The hardware is amazing, and it is FAST. But the web interface is the worst thing I have ever seen in my entire life. I hate it, plus wifi 5ghz drops ALL the time. Waste of money.

I like Dlink's interface but they have seem to go downhill very fast lately. I used to love linksys but when they merged with cisco they went down hill if you ask me.

What's everyone running and how do you like it? I do heavy media streaming, very little if no gaming.

 

WRT54G of course

 

The new linksys/cisco stuff is top notch

 

Need wireless N and gigabit.. My WRT54g rocks with DDRT on it, but it isn't beefy enough.


Looking at the EA3500 Linksys/Cisco right now.. Seems pretty good.

 

Don't be mislead, CISCO would not put their name on a product that wasn't bulletproof.

 

When Linksys/Cisco merged, they released a few routers that were garbage. I had a few of them that I"d have to reboot left and right. DDRT fixed those right up. Dlink DIR's mostly can't use DDRT, and this ASUS isn't supported or I'd keep it.

Going to order EA3500 now since Amazon can have it shipped to my house in the next 4 hours

 

Just bought a refurbed E3200 a few weeks ago. Pretty solid so far. Very impressed with the ease of use of the print serving capability on the USB port.

 

I run this as my router (fortinet 100a) with a linksys WAP54G for wireless.

 

Linksys 600n. DD-WRT enabled, works great.

Have a WRT54G for a repeater as well. DD-WRT is fantastic!

 

I have a Linksys E4200, plus I use a pair of Actiontec FiOS MI424WR routers (the type Verizon gives out) to act as MoCA bridges. The Actiontec have difficult interfaces (yes I'm sorta network noob), but they can do some pretty kick butt stuff. I'm really surprised that Verizon gives you them at the end of your contract.