Router Acting Funny
The Topcom SKYR@CER WBR 254G I use as the main router in my home network is down. At first, I thought I was just the power supply that had somehow been fried, but despite getting a replacement power supply, I was not able to get in contact with the router.
As a last resort before definitely deeming the router either fried or "bricked", I reset it to factory defaults and took it with me to the room in which I have my computers and the wireless bridge. And what do you know - without working any of the revival magic the router suddenly came up! I loaded the previously saved configuration and everything appeared to be working, the wireless bridge was able to connect etc.
I then put the router back into the room where it usually sits, next to the ADSL modem - went back to the other room and discovered that nothing was working - no connectivity. I took down the router and brought it back to the other room: everything worked. The router must be fried, but not completely: it is able to transmit a very weak signal ranging 3 meters or so.
So the Topcom 254G is definitely gone and I am looking for a replacement. I am trying to decide if I should get another reliable Linksys WRT54GL (similar to the "old" WRT54G Linux versions from before Linksys changed firmware and downsized the amount of flash memory), or if I should try something new: the ASUS WL-500g Premium? Both routers appears to be vell suited for both OpenWRT and DD-WRT firmware, but the WL-500g Premium is more powerfull and comes with USB 2.0 ports for connecting hard drives, which might come in handy. However, the WL-500g Premium is also more expensive…if only I were not such a cheap skate…
While searching for a new router I came across this discussion of DD-WRT's "client bridge mode" (which I use for my wireless bridge). It appears the "client bridge mode" does not result in a *proper*, wireless bridge since clients sitting behind the wireless bridge router does not have unique MAC addresses on the network. To other clients on the network, the clients behind the bridge all appear to have the same MAC address as the bridge router. While this may be true, this technical irregularity has never given me any problems (that I know of). Just for the record…
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