DD-WRT question about security?

Okay so weve been messing with routers my dad likes the netgear router since He can access the usb storage at work without installing the program unlike the dlink. But the dlink is faster and more secure is what he likes, but to use the usb storage you need to install a program on each computer which he doesnt like.

So before we decide on which to choose, Ive been reading on dd-wrt and I think I know how to install but my question is
For the Netgear WNR-3500L,
Would I be able to amplify the signal without losing speed?
Trying to get full N, 40mhz (netgear doesnt give option unlike dlink to go 20/40 or just 20mhz) would dd-wrt give that.
and last question would the dd-wrt give the option to put https instead of http (the dlink gives https and is more secure with the ecryption, but the netgear doesn't do that).

 

Netgear has the 40MHz channel width named differently- you have to set "up to 300mbps" in wireless settings to get it enabled.
While DD-WRT is feature-rich don't be led to believe that it's better- it all depends and certain things about DD-WRT are worse than the stock firmware offers.
You should probably read this article to understand it.
To answer your wireless question- it won't help in a noticeable way.

I can answer the question about https but I can tell you that while DIR-655 offers good performance it's also very unreliable (as in unstable) firmware is crap (just d-link support is) and since it's not supported by third party firmware you have no way out.

I would recommend TomatoUSB- that would be faster and lighter than DD-WRT and more feature-rich than stock firmware.

 

The main concern we have here is the reception we have with either router.
Im the closest to the router so i literally have the least concern, we use to have 2 wireless G routers in order to have good wireless conection on both the upstairs and basement floors. The wireless N covers most of the area my room which is right across and my sis room which is above. But going to the living room (upstairs) no connection on wireless N, my dads room gets worse recepction which is located in the basement and the room above him gets no reception with either router. If he does get rececption according to the netgear his speed/bandwidth drops from 300 to 1mbps, and on the dlink gets 144mbps on wirelss N but speed test he gets on netgear is 3mbps download and .5 mbps upload and on the dlink hes lucky to get 1mbps and worse upload. mine ranges on netgear from 18-27mbpsdownload and 4mbps upload, dlink i get 20-31mbps download and 4mbps download.

 

Can you use the old routers as repeaters (or at least one of them)?
Also 20MHz channel width often gives better throughput in low signal conditions compared to 40MHz- so it's either-or situation.

 

yea thats were doing momentarily, have the second router running to get the whole coverage of the house buts its an old g.

download in your recommendation cause it seems dd-wrt isnt that big of an imporvement on the netgear. Which one should we keep the netgear wnr3500L or dLink dir 655 or is there a router near the same price to give the same performance and better quality for the price I got the dlink which is $80 at microcenter?

edit:needs usb port for an external.

 

I'd definitely keep the Netgear.

As for another recommendation- TP-LINK TL-WR1043ND which costs some $50.
USB port is on board and there are three removable antennas which you can replace with antennas with higher gain or even with other types of antennas (directional instead of omni-directional)
One problem is that smallnetbuilder never tested the TP-Link. While I don't need their review to know that the router is good, I can't directly compare wireless range with results of other tests.
Smallnetbuilder have proper methodology and you can easily compare different routers in terms of wireless- I can't do a proper comparison between Netgear and TP-Link so I can really say that it would be better than Netgear.

 

I have the TP-Link Router on OpenWRT need any number just ask.
But it isn't a normal router it is tcp tweaked as well.