Linux based home routers

Message

mzilikazi · #1 Post by **mzilikazi** » 2007-01-12 22:02

Currently I use a Linksys WRT54g & a Buffalo WHR-G54S both running DD-WRT. Both are excellent routers. Then I saw the Netgear KWGR614 and decided to check it out.

I got a laugh out of this part:

OPEN SOURCE WIRELESS-G ROUTER
KWGR614
NEW!

Open source code enables router customization for Linux developers and hobbyists

Yet under the requirements page what do we see?

# Microsoft® Windows® 98, Me, NT, 2000, XP and other operating systems running a TCP/IP network
# Microsoft® Internet Explorer™ 5.0 or Netscape® 4.7 or higher

Still they don't want to come right out and just say "It works with Linux too!"
Silly......

plugwash · #2 Post by **plugwash** » 2007-01-12 22:54

well it does say "and other operating systems running a TCP/IP network"

and mozilla was based on old netscape so maybe that comes in thier or higher

mzilikazi · #3 Post by **mzilikazi** » 2007-01-12 23:06

plugwash wrote:well it does say "and other operating systems running a TCP/IP network"

Yeah I guess that was the non-committal way to say 'Linux'

ajdlinux · #4 Post by **ajdlinux** » 2007-01-12 23:49

It may very well just be a requirements page they just copy for every product.

Also I've heard from tech support guys at D-Link that they don't list Linux as supported because then the tech support guys have to actually support it, and that is difficult due to the variety of configurations. So they just say 'it may work' even though they know it does.

rickh · #5 Post by **rickh** » 2007-01-13 00:37

According to the only review on amazon.com, you NEED Internet Explorer to do the initial setup. After it's once set up, you can maintain it with Firefox.

thamarok · #6 Post by **thamarok** » 2007-01-13 07:42

Would it be possible with IEs4Linux?

stream303 · #7 Post by **stream303** » 2007-01-13 07:48

As a side note, one of the first things I do when encountering these windows-centric routers is disable all windows-centric features like Upnp, etc.

The close ties between Windows and low-cost routers is what leads to frustration of linux users having to go through hoops to get their dns servers correctly recognized when using dhcp - when their windows / mac boxes seem to "just work".

From what I've read many years ago, it is because the specs are distorted to fit windows / mac and linux is actually following the rules.

Just a note as to why so many linux users find it frustrating to have to manually enter their dns server addresses in the router setup pages, when you don't have to for Windows / mac ....