I think this is okay for this forum, if not move it and im sorry.

I'm going to be getting cable net back soon (yay me!) but im going to need to network it wirelessly among 3 computers, and i would like the option of adding one or more later. I need some opinions with experienced comments on any good hardware for it, i havent started to look much myself but i just need something i can network the cable net across and itd be nice if it worked for a home network too (for sharing files at home)

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"Ahhhh!! I'm Burnin'! I'm Burnin!!!" - Cleaner from Max Payne 2

My experience has been that Linksys makes the best routers and wireless cards. If you want, you can get a D-Link router cheaper, and they work fine (that's what I'm using, but it doesn't quite get the range of a Linksys) but PLEASE DO NOT BUY A D-Link wireless card, they absolutely suck.

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"Windows [n.]
A thirty-two bit extension and GUI shell to a sixteen bit patch to an eight bit operating system originally coded for a four bit microprocessor and sold by a two-bit company that can't stand one bit of competition."

Just to add to what BV said, stay away from Belkin cards too; they suck noodles.

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Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow, and did you know
Your stairway lies on the whispering wind.
:wq

I'm using US Robotics hardware without any problems. Overall, the whole thing is pretty painless. The wireless internet access is the easy part. Networking is slightly harder but only because it may not be covered in the documentation. Once you figure out the easy route to do it, it's a snap.

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Have you forgotten ...

I would say a Linksys WRT 54G. If you read here
http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/pulpit20040527.html , you will understand why
But you need to get the updated firmware.

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Founder of the Massassi Brute Squad (MBS)

B'tduz: A popular dwarfish game which consists of standing a few feet apart and throwing large rocks at one another's head.

"Yes, it's a bloody flying alligator setting fire to my city!" - His Grace His Excellency the Duke of Ankh, Commander Sir Samuel Vimes.

Morituri Nolumus Mori

[This message has been edited by SithNazgul (edited July 25, 2004).]

Just know that, if you live in say an apartment building with college students...they tend to leech off of your service. I know a whole section of a building that purchase cable internet through the student discounted price, and then splits the cost almost 10 ways. (25$ a month is the service.)

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In Tribute to Adam Sliger. Rest in Peace

10/7/85 - 12/9/03

If you plan on using 802.11b or 802.11g, which you most likely will, get rid of any 2.4 GHz phones(or other 2.4 GHz devices) unless you look forward to interference with your wireless network.

Meh, no more post deleting? Bah.

[This message has been edited by Darth (edited July 25, 2004).]

Not if you turn on WEP...

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http://www.sporkaudio.com

Well I'll be using this in my dads house, so chances are no one will be leeching. Its a two story house so I need to make sure the router has a decent range too, im not sure where the unit will be placed but itd be nice if it would at least get 100ft or so through walls.

I'm gonna check out sith's link and check back here.

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"Ahhhh!! I'm Burnin'! I'm Burnin!!!" - Cleaner from Max Payne 2

hmmm well i dont really know much about linux myself and might not have much use for that, its not a bad price i'll say that but i just need something a basic person would use and is easy to setup, without worrying about crappy problems. Looks like im gonna go with Linksys or USR but USR is usually more expensive from what ive seen.... looking into it more, im off to newegg.


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"Ahhhh!! I'm Burnin'! I'm Burnin!!!" - Cleaner from Max Payne 2

Oh yeah, another thing, the people using the other computers are how you say... computer retarded? Not to mention one is a little kid, so I need any and all advice on protection from trojans/worms/virus and such as well.

also... im looking at some routers and some of them say one WAN port and 4 LAN ports... WAN mean Wireless Area Network? If so, does that mean that it only has one wireless port and the rest are cabled?

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"Ahhhh!! I'm Burnin'! I'm Burnin!!!" - Cleaner from Max Payne 2

The WAN port is where you will be plugging the incoming internet signal into.

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"Honey, you got real ugly."

Okay, here's what you do.

WAN--Wide Access Network, you're general internet.

LAN--Local Area Network, you're general home/office network.

WEP--Wireless Encryption Protocol (I think) keeps your basic script kiddie off your back, but not for long. I'd suggest changing your WEP 1-2 times a week, 2 preferrably, because they usually take about a week to crack if you were to leave something like KISMac running, which is a wardriving utility.

Wardriving--the stealing or leeching of a wireless network

I'd suggest Linksys for everything. But if you've got a big house, a lot of walls, or a lot of electrical equipment, forget it. You'd be better off hardwired.

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There is no signature

i think its about a 2300sq ft home(not sure, dont really know much about homes), depending where the unit is, there will only be 2 or 3 walls tops to go thru, (that includes the floor on the top half.)

Ok, the lan ports are wireless? so i buy a wireless card and it picks up on the router and thats considered connecting to one of the ports? (i know more about hard wiring that i do wireless, just learning here)

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"Ahhhh!! I'm Burnin'! I'm Burnin!!!" - Cleaner from Max Payne 2

The 4 ports are wired ports that work like any other router's wired ports. You can connect 4 wired devices to those. The wireless has no ports, because, it's wireless . You can run up to 253 wireless devices on the wireless connection.

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http://www.sporkaudio.com

Ohhhh okay I'm getting the idea now, so while practically unlimited (at least enough that i'll ever need) wireless connections can be made, but I can still have ports for wired connections say if I ever had someone come over and hook up for whatever, or a laptop without a wireless card... alright i think i get the idea.

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"Ahhhh!! I'm Burnin'! I'm Burnin!!!" - Cleaner from Max Payne 2

Linksys is the way to go!

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"Bantha's are filthy animals.......I don't eat filthy animals."

"Laugh it up Fuzzball!"
-Han Solo

I have D-Link stuff for my wireless network, and it seems to work okay... as long as the individual components are nowhere near anything that'll put out any sort of interference. Had to move the router away from the computer it's closest to (which is using an ethernet cable to connect to it), and the USB Adapter on my computer is at the end of it's cable, under my bed.

Other than that, no problems.

[Edit] Forgot to specify... the router was also pretty close to a large speaker, which might have had something to do with it. I don't really know much about the specifics of this stuff, though.

[This message has been edited by SonOfSatan777 (edited July 26, 2004).]

I work at Fry's Electronics and selling networking is one of the things I do. I would say our top brand is Netgear, they make some really good routers and we get less returns on those than anything. Their 108g router also has the best range and speed than any other, and if you're planning to share a lot of files between computers, then that might be the best way to go. If not, then the regular 54g router should do fine.

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The Matrix is not Linux compatible.

Not really... Wardriving is merely the act of driving around looking for 802.11a/b/g hotspots. Theres also warbiking, warkayaking, and warwalking. I wardrive occasionally, but not to leech internet access - merely to get an idea of how many people are using unsecured routers...

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Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow, and did you know
Your stairway lies on the whispering wind.
:wq

I'm 100% against Linksys because I bought one of their wireless routers and had nothing but problems with it. Their tech support replied TWO WEEKS LATER - after I'd already returned the thing and bought a d-link. The d-link has worked perfectly, and my gfs computer is two stores above the router and it still gets a really good signal. It's also really easy to set up the security features.

Linksys also has a history of using linux/gpl source code on their routers and not releasing their modifications (as required by law). Apparently they are now in compliance, but it definitely was an issue (why buy from a company that won't obey the license agreements of software they use? Then of course, they expect YOU to abide by THEIR license agreement).

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Brian's Web Log is CLOSED.

After explaining to people probably aroudn 50 times, and fooling around with it myself, I have used so many different routers and have worked with them so much it's insane. OUt of all of them, including Linksys, D-Link, SMC, Siemens (don't laugh!!) my favorite and best one was and currently is.....

Microsoft Wireless Base Station MN700

Easiest to configure, most user-friendly, has operated the best, fast, and I love it.

HOWEVER, I would recommend Linksys "SpeedBooster" series of their Wireless G routers, since they're speed boosting actually works well. You can get a huge amount of speed increase. you will of course, then have to buy the special Linksys SpeedBooster Cards in order to get the "speed boosting".

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"His Will Was Set, And Only Death Would Break It"

"None knows what the new day shall bring him"

You also had a problem with a few AMD chips, but doesn't make them a bad company.

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There is no signature

Sure it does!



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Brian's Web Log is CLOSED.