Cisco? Zyxel? D-link? Linksys!

I have to say that I am really impressed with Linksys hardware. Cisco might have some of the best wifi routers but Linksys really impressed me, specially when it comes to price. I have bought another WRT54GL and installed DD-WRT firmware. Linksys is famous for it's linux software within routers, so you can install customized (and almost always more useful) firmware instead default one.

You want great network and you are on budget? No problem with Linksys. Our network:

WRT54G v5 - main access point with WPA encrypted wifi network
WRT54GL v1.1 - wireless client bridge connected to WRT54G
RV042 - main router, both SDSL and ADSL line are connected thru this router

Ok so what's the point of this article? We are moving part of the office to another building (which is about 20 meters from ours) and I didn't want to use wired connection outside the buidings (scary stories about lightings and burned computers). Server and SDSL/ADSL routers are moving to another building but network printer and one computer which were connected to router have to stay on their current places. I was googling for a while and havent found much information. Then somebody recommended me DD-WRT firmware for Linksys, I gave it a go. DD-WRT can do magic things, for me most important is that I can switch WRT54GL from Access Point to Client or Client Bridge and connect do WRT54G like it was normal wired router.

Great tutorial how to do it is here : http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/DD-WRT_Docu_%28EN%29

For about £150 I have great router (RV042) with failover, 50 VPN gates; access point (WRT54G v5 with original firmware) and wireless bridge (WRT54GL with DD-WRT) and working network within two buildings.