D-Link DIR-655 vs. Airport Extreme Base Station

[cwa107]

Oops... meant to say "the router is wall mounted", not the NAS. That would be tough to do

 

[schweb]

Also don't forget the hardware firewall. NAT and Packet Filtering is no where near as secure as a good SPI Firewall. From all my reading I have read that not all SPI firewalls are created equally. So I compared my WRT54GL to the DIR-655. The firewall in the Dlink is catching and blocking packets the Linksys is letting through. I have compared the Dlink to many other routers in that way including some $500 hardware firewalls (Yes I own two quite expensive Hardware Firewall Appliances) and I am amazed just how much the Dlinks Firewall catches and never makes it to my LAN.

Bob and Ivan are using another router before the AE to get the benefits of the better firewall and using the AE for the Wireless part. Like Bob pointed out though, he gets equal signal strength from both the Dlink and AE, so from a WiFi point of view, they are both outstanding.

Do let us know what you finally decide on.

Since I had a Great Wireless G router with the Linux based WRT54GL, I was in no hurry and did a lot of reading and asking around. Bob and CWA and others here were sort of my test bed so to speak as they kept coming back praising the Dlink after a long time of use. That impressed me also.

That's all an interesting and valid point. I guess I just don't see the need necessarily for such extreme security on my network, especially since I use WiFi which is probably less secure regardless of what type of firewall you're using?

FWIW, I've never been hacked or had any issues with the AE firewall, but I think it's good you outlined the difference since for some people, I'm sure that's part of what they absolutely need to consider if top-level security is a priority.

 

[pigoo3]

Ah, see - the DVD is the first thing I throw out

Yeah...those disks are basically worthless to Mac users!

That is a big plus for the AE. I don't know what Apple's special magic is, but they seem to work around a lot of the criticisms that I have with their port management with the software for the AE. So, if that's on the list of important things, go for it. Of course, nowadays most printers have a built in wireless print server, so it's mostly a moot point.

Regarding the wireless printing abilities of the AE Base Station. Yes a moot point if someone has a newer printer with wireless abilities built-in. But for
"silly" folks like me who have a perfectly working 7-10 year-old laser printer...the wireless printing abilities of the AE would be welcome.

- Nick

 

[pigoo3]

FWIW, I've never been hacked or had any issues with the AE firewall, but I think it's good you outlined the difference since for some people, I'm sure that's part of what they absolutely need to consider if top-level security is a priority.

Just an interesting side note regarding security. I met with a seller of a Mac-Mini at his apartment complex last Friday...to test out the Mac-mini before buying it. As part of the "test-drive" I always test the Airport to make sure it's working.

At my home when I click on the Airport drop-down menu...I usually don't pick-up any more than 3-4 wireless networks in my immediate neighborhood (many times I only pick-up my own wireless network)...but when the seller of this Mac-mini went up to the Airport drop-down menu (while at his apartment complex)...I was like WOW...something like 10-12 networks showed up!!!

So I'm thinking in a situation like this...maybe more network security is better...especially if you have folks who want to leech off of other folks networks. Or worse...someone is having a REALLY boring weekend...and it's a rainy Sunday...and a more skilled person may decide to try to hack into other folks networks.

Maybe an extreme example...but who know's what's lurking out there??

- Nick

 

[schweb]

JSo I'm thinking in a situation like this...maybe more network security is better...especially if you have folks who want to leech off of other folks networks.

Actually in that case, it's not at all about the firewall, and it's all about the WiFi security of which both Airport and any other router that supports WPA2 are equal.

 

[dtravis7]

That's all an interesting and valid point. I guess I just don't see the need necessarily for such extreme security on my network, especially since I use WiFi which is probably less secure regardless of what type of firewall you're using?

FWIW, I've never been hacked or had any issues with the AE firewall, but I think it's good you outlined the difference since for some people, I'm sure that's part of what they absolutely need to consider if top-level security is a priority.

That is an interesting point Schweb! Many probably would not even think of that factor. All my main computers are hard wired and I only use WiFi for the Notebooks and iPhone. Never have been attacked Via WiFi using WPA2 at least.

 

[schweb]

That is an interesting point Schweb! Many probably would not even think of that factor. All my main computers are hard wired and I only use WiFi for the Notebooks and iPhone. Never have been attacked Via WiFi using WPA2 at least.

Well you also funnel state secre....oops...

 

[dtravis7]

Actually in that case, it's not at all about the firewall, and it's all about the WiFi security of which both Airport and any other router that supports WPA2 are equal.

Tried to give you Rep but it yelled that I needed to spread it around!

Yep, you are dead right!

 

[pigoo3]

Actually in that case, it's not at all about the firewall, and it's all about the WiFi security of which both Airport and any other router that supports WPA2 are equal.

Hey...I never claimed to be a computer networking/LAN/WAN expert...that's why I initiated the thread!

Thanks for clarifying!

- Nick