SmallNetBuilder

Features

Updated 12/26/2012 - Added link to DD-WRT review

DD-WRT is famous for its extensive feature set. The features are so extensive that I've asked Craig to do a separate review of Buffalo's implementation. In the meantime, let's just say DD-WRT packs a lot of features including multiple SSIDs with VLANs, captive portal hotspot, PPTP and OpenVPN (SSL/TLS) VPN, up and downlink QoS and much more.

A shot of the landing page is shown below, so that you can check out a few of the menus and get a feel for the overall look of the admin interface.

Buffalo WZR-HP-G300NH board

Since they are specific to this model, here are the options for the 300HP's wireless settings.

Table 2: Wireless settings summary

I initially thought I was going to have problems with 40 MHz mode again, since the only Channel Width option available with the default Mixed Wireless Network Mode setting was Full (20 MHz). But a quick email exchange with Buffalo revealed that setting the Wireless Network mode to either NG-Mixed or N-only, i.e. modes without 802.11b support, would reveal the Turbo (40 MHz) and Dynamic (20/40 MHz) modes.

Routing Performance

Routing performance for the WZR-300HP loaded with DD-WRT v24SP2-MULTI (07/09/12) std firmware and using our standard test method is summarized in Table 3. Although it's not the fastest router out there, its 180 Mbps or so of uni or bi-directional routing throughput will keep most users happy.

The 32,206 Simultaneous Connections are also plenty enough, too, for gaming and P2P use.

Table 3: Routing throughput

The IxChariot plot for the routing tests shows very steady throughput in the unidirectional tests. The higher variation shown in the simultaneous up/downlink tests shouldn't bother anyone in real world use.

Buffalo WZR-300HP routing throughput