router suggestion

[rubberneck]

Alright, I'm trying to set up a network in my house, and need some suggestions on hardware. I have 2 desktops and 1 notebook as well as a printer that i would like to hook up. What router do you guys recomend. Obviously, i need wireless for the notebook, however the entire house is prewired, so the desktops and printer can be easily hooked up hardwired. I was told about linksys products by a friend, but which model? Is there a better brand? What options should i look for? Are certain models/brands easier to get set up. I mean, I know i can get everything connected, but if there is a lot of set up within the computers, i may be toast. :{ This is the first time i have messed with a network, so i know virtually nothing. thanks in advance. phil

 

[nps]

I've got a Motorola - picked it up at Office Depot. 4 Enet ports, a built-in wireless link and good documentation. It'll work out of the box but if you want to keep your neighbors and drive-bys from using your wireless link, you need to touch the config to secure it.



Linksys has been around a while. Don't know if their docs are oriented to the home user though. If your buddy is familiar with it and willing to help you out then it would be a good choice.

 

[rubberneck]

if you want to keep your neighbors and drive-bys from using your wireless link, you need to touch the config to secure it.

This is the stuff i am afraid of. LOL I am a retard when it comes to this. I guess i could ask my buddy for help, but then i will probably end up working on his POS truck. LOL oh well, i guess you have to pay to play

 

[Rman]

I run D-Link 7 position with printer sever in front of a D-Link wireless for my laptop. I hate linksys. Routers are cheap, you could do it that way, but with those few machines I'd just go with the wireless. They have 4 position wired capability.

 

[RandyHamilton]

Going all wireless he may need to buy a couple more wireless NIC's. I would buy a LinkSYS Wireless-G 2. 4 GHz Router, The model is WRT 54G. Linksys was bought out by Cisco because of their products and their reputation. If you can read you can set up your home network. There is VERY LITTLE to set up and the tech support from LinkSys is first rate. No overseas 41 syllable named guys who say "but you can call me Martin"!! I worked on a PC helpdesk for 4 years before having a lobotomy and taking a management job and if spending my money would stay with a linksys.

 

[nps]

Linksys was bought out by Cisco because of their products and their reputation. If you can read you can set up your home network.

The best reason in the world NOT to buy Linksys.

 

[Byershome]

Linksys is a can't miss but I'm sure a d-link or belkin would be fine. i tried one made by microsoft one time... ... ... ... ..... took it back and bought another linksys with wireless so I could more easily use my work laptop and handheld at the house.

 

[jkalchik]

Another vote for Linksys.



A good reason to *NOT* choose D-Link is that they've apparently decided that standards don't apply. They've got several devices on the market that are hammering on a stratus 1 time server and are accusing the system operator of exaggeration. In short, D-Link won't be purchased by me anymore.

 

[rubberneck]

If you can read you can set up your home network. There is VERY LITTLE to set up and the tech support from LinkSys is first rate.

Cool, this is what I wanted to hear.

No overseas 41 syllable named guys who say "but you can call me Martin.

That is so funny, yet sadly true. Off track, but have you guys been getting the telemarketer calls to refinance your home from these same guys. when bored i like to mess with them, so i give them a hard time. if you press them for answers they get all flustered and you will get a call back from someone who speaks english.

 

[RandyHamilton]

The best reason in the world NOT to buy Linksys.

You have a problem with Cisco??

 

[Rams-n-Hogs]

I am running 2 Linksys routers, one wireless, and one for my phone. One I've had about 4 years, and the other for about 2. They have both performed flawlessly, and are extremely simple to set up. Basically plug-n-play, except for setting up the password for the security, which is just like setting up any other password, at least on mine.





Jim

 

[Rman]

The best reason in the world NOT to buy Linksys.

Precisely!

 

[Rman]

You have a problem with Cisco??

That would be and understatement!

 

[ACoyle]

Netgear for low medium end Firebox, better than that I don't hae anything that needs bigger than that.



AC

 

[bulabula]

I've got both D-link and Linksys wireless routers and haven't had any problems with either of them. A typical homeowner shouldn't have any performance issues with either of them. Or netgear, or any of them.



I'm running a Linksys WRT54G v2 right now because there is lots of aftermarket firmware available for it to increase its performance.



If a person is inclined to make calls to help desks, it would be a good idea for the wireless routers and NIC's to be of the same manufacturer - otherwise you'll get the runaround because each company will say their hardware is fine and the problem is with the other.

 

[BK]

I use the higher end Metal Netgear Routers and switches for myself.

I've put in the consumer grade Netgear routers for friends.

All working well.



Do you have cable or DSL?

In general cable is a cinch to set up.

DSL can be tougher, you need good documentation about your modem.

With DSL, you need to make changes to your DSL modem AND the router.

With cable, if you have the cable modem working on one machine already... your home free. The router setup is very straight forward to work with the cable modem.



If you have DSL, I would recommend buying the router from your DSL provider, making sure they support setup. You'll pay a little more buying through your DSL provider... BUT, in the end it will be worth it.

I'm far from the common level user, but I've pulled my hair out with different DSL modems and bad documentation and different DSL providers.



Back to basic recommendations...

If your house is already wired, and you have more than 4 items...

I would spend the money on this...

http://www.netgear.com/products/details/FVS318.php



I have an old trick now documented on Netgear.

Click here

You can buy one of the 4 port Netgear wireless routers on sale for 20 - 30 bucks, and turn it into a WAP only, plug it into the above router. Now if you ever want to upgrade/change your wireless, you don't have to chuck a perfectly great router. Plus you can use the 4 ports on the router turned WAP, just as you would the other ports on the 8 port router.





I know for a fact, the older metal netgear stuff and the internal network cards from Netgear are /where made better than Linksys stuff. I had been in both.

I haven't opened the consumer/plastic Netgear, so I don't know.

I should, I now have a spare hanging around of a 4port wireless B router.



The Linksys's I've worked on have been fine, easy to use and install. The folks I know that just bought them , read the directions and installed them, did well with them.



I've never used D-Link, but not liked what I've read about them.

Not used Belkin, haven't read anything real about them. So I have no formed opinion on them.



For the wireless router and wireless cards.....

If your going for standard B or G, you can intermingle brands.

But as stated above, if you need to call tech support, it will make life easier, so they don't just blame the other brand. I just don't need or use tech support.



I use B at home and for work, for web browsing and email, you'll never notice the difference.

But for moving files you will see the speed increase MIMO over - Super G over - G over - B. As long as your signal is strong, at medium distances.

Believe it or not in most tests it has show too close hurts speed. MIMO has shown to increase range and reduce dead spots.

But if your going for Super G or MIMO, you MUST buy all the same brand of Super G and stick with it or you wont get the possible BW/speed.



Also, use wired as much as you can.

For the most part the single wireless access point is only as fast as the slowest connection into it. As you, I use it only for my laptop when working on the living room. But when in my home office I have a CAT5E/RJ45 hanging there for the laptop, so I get the speed of the hardwire when I have to move files.



And PLEASE . . at a min locked down your WAP via MAC address permission.

And change the default password for the admin access to your router.

 

[rubberneck]

BK, you are making me feel stupid. LOL Thank you for all the info, i am going to read that post a couple of times and try to digest it. I am just learning most of this stuff, so I have to search for all the abbreviations to try and figure out what you are saying, but i am getting there. I went through the tutorial on the linksys site, and i am starting to pick up some of what you are talking about.



I have wireless DSL. (clearwire) They told me they didn't sell routers and that any of them should work. The guy recomended linksys because it was simple. He didn't say it was the best, just simple. I am kind of getting into this, so im going to keep doing research and determine what i want. At this point, i only have 2 desktops, a printer and a notebook.



Maybe you can clear something up for me. All of the diagrams that i have seen show hooking the router to the modem and then branch out to all of the computers. A guy at work was telling me i should come out of the modem down to my main computer and then back out to the router at which point i could then branch off to the other computers. He said something about security, but it was busy and i didn't have time to discuss it further. what is that all about? thanks phil

 

[ACoyle]

Hi Rubberneck,

I went to buy a router for a customer in a local discount electronics store the other day. All he has was Linksys. When I asked why, he told me that Linksys was all that Verizon supported. Supported is a funny word. Please remember that the main objective of telephone technical support is to get off the phone. Support is an overhead expense to the manufacturer and it subtracts income instead of adding it. Several points that have been made here are true.



1) If you mix manufacturers, it can all work very well. That is what all the various standards are about (802. 11b, 802. 11g, etc. ). By doing this, you do give the phone support person the opportunity to get off the phone. They can blame the other manufacturer and then they are off the hook.



2) Most routers are backward compatible, this means that the newer routers will talk to the older hardware. Obviously, nothing can be forward compatible (Chuckle)



3) While my preference is not for Linksys, it has a lot of good things going for it. There is a lot of it out there. There are a lot of people, both technical and non technical using it. Therefore, there is a lot of "live" help available. Live help is better than any phone support can ever be. Friends don't leave friends.



4) In my opinion, for what you are doing, all the computers should be behind your router / firewall. The router is there to protect you from harm and share your connection.



5) Printing may, be your issue, if you want to share printers. It is not difficult to get everyone on the internet. Getting wireless devices to print to printers on wired devices has at times been problematic. It is getting better.



6) Please turn on wireless security of some sort. It is almost comical how in any urban area, you can just turn on your laptop and use someone else's bandwidth.



7) I do not want to get overly technical here, but, one thing does saying All routers from the same manufacturer have the same factory defaults. For that reason, it is possible to be connected to the internet and be on someone else's router. There is a parameter called LAN IP. It is usually 192. 168. 1. X or 192. 168. 0. X. X is usually 1 for the router and will be another number for all the PC's. I usually change the third byte (digit) to something else IR: 192. 178. 5. X. In that way, many "low level" "would be" hackers won't find me. Also I know I am on my stuff.



8) Use all the wired that you can, it is just more reliable.



In summary, Linksys will not treat you badly, get someone local, a friend, to help you if you are uncomfortable, and you should be fine.



AC

 

[rubberneck]

Acoyle, now that i think of it, he recomended the hookup as I stated above because i want to share 1 printer among all computers. Everything i find recomends hooking up like you suggested with all computers behind the router. So do I need anything special to be able to share the printer in this manner??? Thanks for the tips, and the one thing that i keep finding from all sources is the wireless security, everyone is recomending it, so i will definietly get on that. How do i go about changing the LAN IP? I am lucky that my closest neighbor is about 600ft away, and the nearest road to my house is about 400, so i dont think anybody will be using my bandwidth, but better safe than sorry i am sure. Oh yeah, and whatever brand i decide on, i am going to use it across the board that way if i do have a problem, i only have one idiot to talk to on the phone. LOL

 

[BK]

BK, you are making me feel stupid. LOL Thank you for all the info, i am going to read that post a couple of times and try to digest it. I am just learning most of this stuff, so I have to search for all the abbreviations to try and figure out what you are saying, but i am getting there. I went through the tutorial on the linksys site, and i am starting to pick up some of what you are talking about.



I have wireless DSL. (clearwire) They told me they didn't sell routers and that any of them should work. The guy recomended linksys because it was simple. He didn't say it was the best, just simple. I am kind of getting into this, so im going to keep doing research and determine what i want. At this point, i only have 2 desktops, a printer and a notebook.



Maybe you can clear something up for me. All of the diagrams that i have seen show hooking the router to the modem and then branch out to all of the computers. A guy at work was telling me i should come out of the modem down to my main computer and then back out to the router at which point i could then branch off to the other computers. He said something about security, but it was busy and i didn't have time to discuss it further. what is that all about? thanks phil

Rubberneck,

It's a hard thing to just write about.

I 100% agree with all ACoyle mentioned above.

ALL your PCs need to be behind the firewall.

Sharing printers on Win98se was a bit buggy, but is much better with XP.



What your friend is talking about by leaving the one computer hooked directly to the modem saves you from having to make the changes in the modem, to turn it on to "bridge" mode, which is what it has to be to talk to a router.

But you are loosing the security of the built in firewall. So it's not optimum or advisable todo that. The hardware firewall is one of the best 1st line of defenses to the garbage out there.

There are a few settings in the modem to do change it the bridge mode to work with the router. And the 4-5 different ones I worked on, were all different... and frustrating since the manuals were poor. If your DSL company recommends Linksys, you can ask them if they support it and can walk you through the setup.



If you have all the documentation for your DSL router, and it's clearly spells out what todo to use it with a router. Then you should be ok.

Linksys's instructions will be clear.

If not, and you have the likes of a Best Buys that has computer geeks for hirer, buy from them and have them set it up. The rest of the networking will make sense as you go through it and learn by trial.



Let me say, it's all well worth the effort. Don't shy away from it. It just might be worth a few extra dollars up front to get the help and have someone help you through it.