Linksys → [Wireless] Linksys EA4500 vs cheapo router off Ebay.

I picked up a Linksys EA4500 a couple of months ago. I used it behind my AT&T 2-Wire U-verse modem/router. I spent a lot of time setting it up in a DMZ which I got to work well. However, phones, laptops kindles and desktop computers connected seemed sluggish in the Internet connection department. Pages stopped loading, downloads halted, Bittorrent stalled and VOIP was choppy. It was not what I expected from a major brand product. I spent a lot of time making sure I did everything right. And I did. Then I decided to do a test. I purchased an unbranded dual band wireless-N router off Ebay at $35 straight from China. I hooked it up in place of the Linksys, configured it the same way and got all devices connected and set up. Much better! I mean A LOT better in all departments! I returned the Linksys to the store and have been using the brandless router for a month or so. I still wonder what went wrong. Could it be the interaction between the 2-wire and the Linksys, or could it simply be that the $35 unit simply is better? It even has better reach and gets all bars in the far end of the house. That has never happened before, not when using the 2-Wire alone, or using the Linksys. I have studied the cheapo router and it seems to be Realtek powered and has most of the features of the Linksys including DynDNS support which I need, but I can not say much more about it. Ideas anyone? Should I worry about safety? Could the firewall be bad in the cheapo unit? Ideas anyone?

#1 Did you update the firmware on the Linksys?

#2 Was this Linksys using cloud firmware?

#3 Did you load third party firmware on this Linksys?

For example of two of them that exist are DD-WRT and Tomato. Please note I am not saying that your Linksys supports third party firmware.

Since I do not have it anymore I can't try this. I guess that is one of the downsides to getting something as cheap as what I got: No third party firmware options, and few or no firmware updates. We'll see.

Where you setting up any QOS with he linksys. QOS can sometimes slow things down if not properly set.