Mac-friendly wireless routers?

January 28, 2007 2:11 PM

Help me find a Mac friendly wireless router? I've got a broadband neophyte Mac-using brother stuck in the wilderness. He just got DSL, but the router he has only uses PC software, and there's nobody even semi-local who can help him. Are there any wireless routers out there known for their Mac-friendliness? That is, come with Mac software for setup, have Mac-oriented support, etc?
posted by Dunwitty to computers & internet (28 comments total)

I've always had good luck with Netgear stuff. Their web UI works just fine in Safari.

Pretty much every wireless router/WAP I see these days has a web UI anyway. What problems has he run into?
posted by drstein at 2:16 PM on January 28, 2007

The only wireless routers I have ever seen, apart from the Airports which of course come with Mac software, have a web interface.
posted by yesno at 2:20 PM on January 28, 2007

What kind of router does he have? Many are web configurable, without regard to platform.
posted by Good Brain at 2:21 PM on January 28, 2007

Please don't suggest using the Web UI's. Please stick to the question - routers known for Mac friendliness, Mac software, Mac support.
posted by Dunwitty at 2:22 PM on January 28, 2007

He should try hooking everything up and navigating to http://192.168.1.1. That'll get him to the administration page for a whole lot of routers.
posted by Matt Oneiros at 2:24 PM on January 28, 2007

Other than the Mac Airport Express, I don't know any router that doesn't use a Web UI.
posted by k8t at 2:25 PM on January 28, 2007

They will all work on Macs. The tech support people might deny it and not be able to help him, but they will all work. He's going to have to use the web interface; why are you opposed to it?

If it needs to be Mac and all Mac, get an Airport.
posted by bink at 2:26 PM on January 28, 2007

What yesno says-- most, if not all, routers are configured using web pages. I have a Linksys router for my Macs, and I configure via http.
posted by astruc at 2:26 PM on January 28, 2007

Sorry, that was brusque. I knew I should have deflected those in the original question. Please assume I can't talk him through any of this, that he's a non-tech, that he needs to just stick a disk in his Mac and walk through a wizard.
posted by Dunwitty at 2:28 PM on January 28, 2007

I want to throw out there that the thing that is a bit more challenging with DSL, in most cases, is that (as opposed to cable) the user has to input his/her username and password for the ISP service into the router AND the router needs to be changed (most of the time) to PPPoE.

I once set up an Airport base station with DSL and instead of setting the username and password in the router itself, it prompted the Mac user to input a username and password. I didn't like this because, obvs, devices other than Macs (like TiVos) couldn't add a username/password.

Using the web interface for a wireless router should be easy enough if you can explain to your brother that "the thing that you're attaching to your DSL box need to know how to talk to the DSL box." He'll do it once and never have to think about it again.
posted by k8t at 2:30 PM on January 28, 2007

Dunwitty, come on.

every single wireless router i have ever used has a web interface, and i have used a lot of them. aside from apple's products, i've never seen one that *only* had a non-web, software-based configuration program. a windows user or a mac user is going to see the same interface on a web-based router, and anyone who has set one of these things up on windows knows everything they need to know to configure one for a mac.

in short, people telling you use the web UI or to buy an apple airport extreme/express are giving you the only correct answer there is to the question.
posted by joeblough at 2:33 PM on January 28, 2007

Man, you guys are really misunderstanding Dunwitty's question!

Yes, every router has a Web UI!

But!

My new Linksys for example came with a Windows-only CD that essentially asked you very basic questions and configured it for you. For MACs, there was no option other than the Web UI - which is not for the new user.

SO!!!!

DunWitty is asking if there are routers that come with a setup program for Macs!!!!

Thanks. (and I cant help)
posted by vacapinta at 2:36 PM on January 28, 2007

Yes, and one answer has been given--the Airport models have Mac click-through wizard setup software and mac phone support. I've never heard of others that do.
posted by epugachev at 2:41 PM on January 28, 2007

Though the additional wrinkle to this is that some web interfaces have wizards that ask you the "very basic questions" and then take you through the setup. It will be up to Dunwitty to say whether a web interface that includes a wizard is too complicated for the brother to do, but it seems that it wouldn't be much harder than sticking a disk in and completing a setup wizard that runs as a separate app.
posted by epugachev at 2:45 PM on January 28, 2007

Your best bet is probably going to be an Apple brand router: an Airport Extreme or Airport Express. These wireless routers are configured via OS X native software utilities (AirPort Setup Assistant and AirPort Admin Utility) and are pretty simple to set-up and configure. All the other name-brand routers use web-based administration, sometimes including some type of set-up "wizard" but if you're brother is lacking critical thinking skills when it comes to computers, the Apple Way™ is probably going to be best.
posted by maniactown at 2:45 PM on January 28, 2007

>Please assume I can't talk him through any of this, that he's a non-tech, that he needs to just stick a disk in his Mac and walk through a wizard.

Your conclusion, that he needs an application to help him with setup, does not follow logically from your premise.

He knows how to use web pages, right? He can manage an interaction with Gmail or his bank or a comment form on somebody's blog? So he's techy enough to handle the browser interface of the router. You need to let go of the idea that a wizard-like program, not a browser interface, is what he needs -- particularly as they're not mutually exclusive.

Now all you need is for someone to tell you which router has a particularly good browser interface.
posted by AmbroseChapel at 2:50 PM on January 28, 2007

Please assume I can't talk him through any of this, that he's a non-tech, that he needs to just stick a disk in his Mac and walk through a wizard.

Well, I don't know if that will be his experience in setup, but the only answer to your requirements is an Airport Extreme Base Station (or any older Airport Base Station).
posted by jca at 2:56 PM on January 28, 2007

Nothing is easier than the Airport Extreme. My wife hooked one up in four minutes and she has no network experience what so ever. As she put it, "The directions are simple"; plug the modem into back of airport, plug airport into wall outlet. Turn on computer, select your new wireless network.
posted by bkeene12 at 2:57 PM on January 28, 2007

I'll repeat and amplify what others are saying: your choices are Airport or Web UI. There is no other option.

That said, it is fairly painless to use a Web UI on any recent Mac. You just plug the Mac into the router with a network cable, plug the router into the DSL circuit, and run a web browser. You point the browser at 192.168.0.1 most of the time (that number can change based on who made the router), and go through the settings. You do have to know what the settings mean. Once you have gotten the settings right, you can then unplug and roam.

If your brother doesn't know enough about networking to handle this, he should not deploy wireless. It is inherently insecure, takes a reasonable degree of attention to patches, and good choices for encryption. If he's ignorant enough to require a non-web UI, he shouldn't even be thinking about putting up a wireless access point. Stick with old-fashioned wires. It's much harder to blow things that way.

An open-or-trivially-secured access point means that anyone can use his network for nefarious purposes, like spam, music sharing, or even kiddie porn.... while entirely dodging any chance of getting caught. Instead, your brother takes all the risk. He'd be potentially open to huge liability when the RIAA sued.... or even getting arrested and having his computers impounded. NOT fun.

If he really, really wants wireless... buy it locally, set it up for him, and ship it. Then walk him through setting up his computer to match. And make sure to use WPA2 with a very long passphrase. Don't use WEP encryption at all.
posted by Malor at 3:14 PM on January 28, 2007

Contra to drstein's experience, I've had nothing but problems with Netgear dongles and wifi hubs w/r/t Macs. Non-connections, dropped connections, the web interface choking (even in Firefox), etc.

To save myself recurring grief, I've started using only Linksys, which seems to work better in my Mac / mixed networks. Or perhaps they just work better with each other.

That said, Linksys stuff now DOES come with Windows setup CDs that I ignore for both Macs and PCs, and some kind of "one touch setup" thingie that I disable quickly.
posted by rokusan at 3:43 PM on January 28, 2007

Thanks to all of you who have informed me that none of the router products come with a Mac setup disk but Apple's. That simplifies things (although, it is a little surprising).

Do you know, are there any issues using an XBOX 360 on the Airport Extreme? I'll Google this, of course, but if you are aware of them already, please feel free.

Thanks, Vacapinta, for pointing out the disconnect between my question and some of the answers.

For those of you who insisted on trying to tell me about Web UI's after I specifically requested that you did not, I look forward to visiting your Asks and trying to talk you out of your questions.
posted by Dunwitty at 4:40 PM on January 28, 2007

[Dunwitty, take it to metatalk if you want to snark. asking and answering questions is a process, one that people were trying to help you with in good faith.]
posted by jessamyn at 5:21 PM on January 28, 2007

He'd be potentially open to huge liability when the RIAA sued....

Opening up a wireless router is actually the best known defense against RIAA lawsuits.

While it sounds like there are no non-Apple routers that have a setup wizard for OS X, if you're willing to leave the network open, there are plenty of routers that require no setup at all, which is what bkeene12 described with the Airport Express. Note there was no step of setting a password in that description. Many non-Apple routers can be used with the exact same process at half the price.
posted by scottreynen at 6:52 PM on January 28, 2007

My Belkin router came with a Mac CD/setup program.

However the software was near useless. I had to go in and fix my messed-up network settings myself, and still administer the router from the web interface.
posted by O9scar at 7:16 PM on January 28, 2007

x2 on the Belkin wireless router. I had no set up problems. The software ran as expected and both the landline Mac and the wireless PC are connecting fine at the moment and have been for over a month now. $40 bucks at your local big box store of choice. YMMV.
posted by bach at 8:36 PM on January 28, 2007

Macfixit.com has a continuing series of contributors reporting on Mac-Friendly Routers.
posted by skywhite at 10:33 PM on January 28, 2007

I cannot speak for their stuff personally (I use mostly NetGear stuff myself, except for a WRT54GL, the only decent thing Linksys has ever made), but when I was in CompUSA last week, I saw a router made by Hawking Technologies that was plastered with "Made for Mac" stickers and the like.

I think it has a software-based setup tool, similar to Apple's...but I doubt anything will be as dead simple to use as the "official" ones. From their description:

Installation of the HWRGM1A is very simple. In a matter of a few clicks with your mouse, the new Mac or PC based Setup Wizard will automatically configure your Wireless Router for internet access. The Hawking Hi-Gain Wireless MIMO Router also offers the latest in wireless security, ensuring that your files and network are safe from outside intruders.

I want to say that it was selling for around $130, which is less than the AP Extreme Base Station, which is generally around $200. Still, that's a far cry from the web-based-configuration ones, which are $30 or $40.

If "doesn't require web configuration" is worth $100 to you, that's the only other option besides the APE Base Station that sticks out.
posted by Kadin2048 at 1:26 AM on January 29, 2007

"To save myself recurring grief, I've started using only Linksys, which seems to work better in my Mac / mixed networks. Or perhaps they just work better with each other."

ah, I have given up on Linksys and kept the Netgear stuff. My last Linksys WAP was a flaky piece of crap.

Actually, I'm probably going to get the new Airport Extreme. I also suggest the OP consider that as well.

IIRC the Hawking ones also have a Web UI/Wizard. That's just the way things are going these days.
posted by drstein at 9:31 AM on January 29, 2007