Topic says it all really. However, a few stipulations. I'm not buying this for myself, I'm buying it for computer disinclined friends of the family. Thus, it needs to be stable and easy to use.

Price isn't really an issue, but cheaper is always better. It doesn't need to be incredibly advanced, the only real use it will have is downloading random shit through Bit Torrent, general web browsing and playing lots of movies/TV Series through an Apple TV.

I have absolutely no clue at all about routers. I've used D-Link with marginal success, and my current Thomson TG585 has had issues in the past, but seems reasonably stable at least.

Any advice appreciated.

 

Linksys E4200 if price is no objective. I've heard nothing but good things about it, but don't have any personal experience.

I've personally had Linksys X2000 for years, and a family member has had WRT54GL for about a year now after the last one had a problem with reduced wireless strength.

Neither has had a problem that I'm aware of. The WRT54GL may have a problem with losing connection sometimes at about midnight, but the ISP being used is junk, so I'm more inclined to believe it's that and not the router, especially since it only happens once or twice every two or three weeks, if that often.

 

Seriously? I've noticed exactly the same thing happening with my WRT54GL. I had chalked it up to coincidence.

 

If you're pretty computer savvy and prepared to invest some time, you can buy a WRT54G (or variant) for pretty cheap.

Then you install an open-source firmware like DD-WRT (which is the most popular, but you have heaps more like OpenWRT, Tomato or HyperWRT), which will transform it into something that will match the top end stuff. Tomato's QOS system matches like, $500 routers.

I got a DIR-655, which is one of the higher end retail D-Link routers and I regret not going WRT54G + aftermarket firmware.