WNDR3700 vs. ASUS RT-N16

Hello guys, im currently suffering on a Linksys WRT160N V2. It just keeps disconnecting every few minutes when im filesharing.

so a little info about my internet usage. I use torrents/ftp/HTTP. Although i have a highspeed internet connection, i cant get the max performance out of it on wireless.

My torrents can reach up to 5mbps downspeed but with my current router, it disconnects as soon as it reaches 1mbps. sometimes it just disconnects while watching youtube as it buffers at around 500-1mbps.

so im looking for a new router (WNDR3700 or ASUS RT-N16) which i hope wouldnt keep disconnecting so i wouldnt have to waste any extra money on renting a seedbox.

so usage: Gaming, torrenting, and high bandwdth stuff.

The only good thing about the ASUS RT-N16 is able to download torrents with the computer off. (save electricity =D )

Cheers!

 

Torrents hold a LARGE amount of active connections... so more memory is better. I'll vouch for the RT-N16. It replaced my upstairs WRT110n and it does an awesome job. Mostly I use an Airport Extreme for downstairs, but the two work well together.

 

Yeah the RT-N16 has 128mb RAM while the WNDR3700 has 64MB but i heard that the WNDR3700 has better and faster processor than the RT-N16. does the ram or processor have a stronger effect on usage?

ill be getting fiber optic soon, not sure if that will cause any problems.

currently the RT-N16 is on the top of my list while WNDR3700 is second.

 

Hmm... Fiber. What package? Well the asus has a broadcom 533MHz CPU, while the WNDR3700 has a 680MHz CPU. I believe the WNDR has an Atheros chipset... from what I've read.

 

yeah. the fiber optic would be able to get up to 1gbps but obviously i wouldnt be getting that package, it would prolly cost a bomb haha. but they will be installing the fiber optic points in my house for free for future use.

im currently on 30mbps cable.

now im really lost, not sure which router to get, both are good.

 

It really is a draw for me... IDK.

The WNDR has 2.4/5GHz and the RT-N16 only supports 2.4GHZ. (But both support 300Mb/s)
The RT-N16 has 128MB of RAM and the WNDR has 64MB.
The WNDR has 680MHz CPU and the RT-N16 has 533MHz.
The WNDR is Atheros based, and the RT-N16 is Broadcom based.
From what I gather the WNDR doesn't like DD-WRT, where I can personally vouch for the RT-N16's awesome support.

I bought the Asus because I'm loyal to the broadcom chipsets, and 5GHz wasn't necessary where it would be placed.

 

so you are using the RT-N16? has the connection ever dropped?

 

Nope. At least not that I know of. DD-WRT is pretty darn stable on it. I'm usually always in the living room or kitchen, and those are both downstairs with the Airport, but I use the RT-N16 as a print server and for as an upstairs repeater for my bedroom. It's connected to the Airport Extreme as a client.

 

WNDR3700 has a different CPU than Asus RT-N16 so there's no point in comparing MHz but while we're at it 533MHz in Asus has been downclocked to 480MHz further degrading the performance (533MHz is Broadcom default).
WNDR3700 is way faster than RT-N16 average routing performance (which is a good example of how much power the router carries) Netgear is around 430mbps while Asus is closer to 150mbps. That's a significant difference.

DD-WRT works fine on both whereas stock firmware of Asus was rather buggy last time I checked.

Las but not least I agree in principle that P2P needs RAM but 64MB is a lot and actually more than needed so I wouldn't make Asus' 128MB an advantage.
It's great but it's not gonna help. Asus uses about 5% of RAM to start with (on DD-WRT) and the rest is free. It can max out at 4096 connections.
Netgear also maxes out at 4096 connections and smallnetbuilder verified that it can do it (stock firmware and "only" 64MB RAM).

WNDR3700 is the best router around (not only in my opinion) but Asus is a good one too.
If you don't need 5GHz and are prepared to go straight to DD-WRT or Tomato Asus is a really good piece of hardware for some $90. You'd have to cough up another $60 to buy a Netgear.
Read those two reviews Asus and Netgear.
These are both good routers but not really direct competitors- different price-tags, different features and different performance but quite frankly both should do what you expect them to do.

 

WNDR3700 here. I'm running openwrt on it and it flies. If you want to use 5ghz to its full potential you need to unlock the region settings and do a custom build. That's my only complaint, and it's not a problem.

 

after reading lots of reviews, iv starting to prefer the WNDR3700, but a few review says that DD-WRT isnt quite stable on WnDR3700 yet? any can confirm that?

 

Just keep one thing in mind- WNDR3700 is better I think it's not an issue here.
What matters is if you need the additional processing power and 5GHz range- because if you don't Asus is going to be perfectly fine let alone $50 cheaper.

Can't say anything about DD-WRT on WNDR3700 though- this thread is the first time I hear about any issues- I think I'm gonna have to follow up on that

 

well i think ill be going with the WNDR3700 than, dont really require the bittorrent function on the Asus router because id download everything rather fast if it doesnt keep disconnecting like my current router does.

thanks guys for your help