Netgear WNDR3700

One of the most powerful routers available in 2010/2011. Can handle huge torrent file transfers plus full household web traffic. Includes every sort of network device feature you could ask for. Also has 3rd party firmware available for download from OpenWRT, DD-WRT, Tomato.

Ridiculously good value and performance --- a solid purchase.

When I decided to upgrade my Netgear DG834G modem router with something up to date, I decided to stay faithful to one of my favourite brands. So I went for this very popular wi-fi N router that gamers seem to like.

Note: this is a wireless router only so a modem is required to use with it. When I bought mine, I used it with the excellent DrayTek Vigor 120 ADSL modem. As the GUI is very similar to the DG834G I set this router up fairly easily. When everything was setup as per the install CD and I rebooted my equipment in the correct order, the Netgear router continually refused to communicate with the modem (no green light). If my memory serves me right, I only achieved Internet connection on two occasions, once when I got to upgrade the firmware and then again by pure luck! This after many, many attempts! I even tried to use this router with a Billion 5200S that was bridged to use it as a modem only. No luck though.

In the end I sold it on to a gaming friend for roughly the same price that I had paid for it but I have no idea whether he got it to work or not. What truly put me off Netgear however, was the fact that according to certain forum sites, Netgear was due to release a newer router model without even trying to sort out the many problems that this particular model poses! Rubbish as far as I am concerned.