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[RyanN]

As anyone can see, I'm new to the forum.  I just received the DGL-4500, and have Firmware 1.12 on the A2 hardware.  I have noticed a few small issues with MAC address filtering and small connection interruptions.  I have also seen all the forum topics about the newer firmware being horrible. 

I would love to make this a poll with all the firmware versions on it so new members, or just browsers can quickly see what firmware is the most reliable and fastest.

From what I can see, version 1.15 seems to be the best, but I don't want to pull the trigger yet.

Again, if someone can either tell me how to make a poll or if someone can make a poll because it seems that I do not have enough rights to do this, that would be great.  Feel this should be a sticky if it does become a poll. 

I do kind of regret buying this router.  I saw the NewEgg ratings and it was very high, but after I ordered it, I started to read up on it, and found that I may have made a mistake on this purchase.  Seems like the older reviews are good, but all the newer reviews are starting to go bad.  I hope D-Link makes everything right with this router, even if it requires recalling all of them due to defective hardware.  My choice was either this router or an Apple Extreme Airport Station.

So that's it.  I would really like to see a poll on the firmware to use or not to use.  I am also willing to hear feedback on what firmware I should use.  I really want something reliable and fast.  This is replacing a Buffalo WHR-HP-G54 that has served me well for the past two years, but is starting to fail due to an extreme increase in traffic from my roommates and friends at college.   

[Puffnstuff]

http://rapidshare.com/files/272851185/dgl4500_firmware_116b03_beta.rar try this one and see if your router does any better.  My a2 also shipped with 1.12 which has some problems which is why I flashed to 1.16b3 which is the last fw version that will allow you to roll back to 1.12.  Once you go past 1.16 you're screwed so don't do it.  Make sure you save a copy of your current configuration before you do anything just in case you want to roll back later.  All you'll have to do after you flash is just reload your configuration file and then your set.

[RyanN]

Is there something wrong with the final 1.16?  I can't wait until dd-wrt picks up on this.  My dream will be Tomato running it.  That's what I had on my Buffalo that worked so well.

[Puffnstuff]

You can forget tomato on a ubicom router.  1.16b3 as the final release of that particular fw prior to 1.20b1 which began a new cycle of not being able to roll back fw to a previous version.  1.12 has broken game rules and 1.15 requires that the radio be enabled in order to enter information into the router.

[RyanN]

Thanks Puffnstuff.  I'm downloading it right now and about to update it.  I noticed that today's date on the router is showing up as Sup 24, 2009.  I think they meant Sep.  Haha.

[RyanN]

Well it upgraded well, and seems to be doing simultaneous bands (2.4Ghz and 5Ghz as I'm connected at 300Mbps, while people with G wireless cards are still able to connect.  Weird?

Other thing, wireless became pretty slow with a total bandwidth of about 1MB/s through the LAN.  Any ideas?

[Puffnstuff]

Well if you continue to have wireless problems then I'd suggest trying 1.15 since you will have the radio enabled you'll be able to skirt the problem with entering information and changes to the router.

[RyanN]

I don't know if I'm going to keep the router.  I can't get more than 1MB/s through the network, no matter the network connection speed.  I had it at 300Mbps with a Gigabit connection on the other side running a SATA hard drive.  With my old router I was able to get about 6MB/s through Wifi (which is about max for G).  With 300Mbps I should expect 37.5MB/s, but giving that it's a hard drive, at least 15MB/s.  1MB/s is pretty sad.  If D-Link has not fixed this in over two years, I may return it to New Egg and get my money back and go with a different brand.  For a $150 router, this is crap.

[Snoopy]

RyanN
Unless you plan on making this your new job, run don't walk to New Egg and get your money back.

[Puffnstuff]

Yeah if you just bought this router and are still able to return it do so immediately.  While you're at newegg you might check out the netgear wndr3700 which they carry.

[RyanN]

I wanted to let everyone know that I did return it.  I shipped it off ASAP.  Since I have a MacBook Pro, I opted to get a refurbished 500GB Time Capsule.  For those of you that have no idea what a Time Capsule is, it is basically a router with an integrated hard drive that works seamlessly with Apple's Time Machine software.  For over a year I have been using a hack to use 3rd Party NAS. 

Apple's routers seem to have very good reviews and main points of them are being very fast for web connections and have great reception.  That sold me on the spot!  Plus it has the simultaneous dual-band, 3 Gigabit ports (kind of weird, but not a big deal in my case), and a USB port.  Sound like something familiar?  At least the reviews say that this one will work.

Thanks everyone, and I do still think a poll would be nice to have for the firmware.
1.2, 1.5, and 1.6 all had slow 1MB/s max wireless with high latency.  I also noticed with 1.2 that MAC Address filtering blocked everyone even when I set it to just block one MAC Address.

I sent some feedback through the contact us link at the bottom of D-Links website.  I hope someone takes it seriously and pulls this model and replaces all of these routers with something that works or a full refund.  It's not our faults that D-Link has provided us with a awful product.  The fact that they praise this router so much, yet it has so many issues astounds me.  I will definitely not leave any good reviews other than it looks nice.

Thanks puffnstuff and Snoopy for your help.  D-Link, get your act together.

[Reinvented]

RyanN, while that's great to her about Apple's Time Capsule - I'd have to say I wouldn't use it as a primary router.

I own a MacBook Pro also, as well as a 500GB Time Capsule (Not the newer ones with dual band), but the older ones that still support Wireless N.  I tried to use it as a primary router, while gaming and what not and IT DID NOT WORK.  It overheated, and often caused HUGE latency spikes.  I currently run it as a NAS, connected to my DGL-4500, and from there, it's USB is hooked up to a printer that cannot support my router's WPA2-AES encryption type.  It works just fine.  However, using it as a primary router is not a good idea and will often cause you headaches.

[philwoz98]

For firmware 1.15 what is this radio option that is enabled and is it a good thing?

[Puffnstuff]

With 1.15 if you don't use wireless you are forced to create a radio schedule in able for the router to allow you to enter information or make changes.  Otherwise you can load your saved config but will not be allowed to make changes to the router until you enable the radio or create a radio schedule for the week.  When I used it I created a 1 minute window on sunday to enable the radio which skirted the issue as did many people.

[EJeanmaire]

With 1.15 if you don't use wireless you are forced to create a radio schedule in able for the router to allow you to enter information or make changes. 

I must admit, that is a pretty "cool" feature.