Advice on wired/wireless routers.
 

Hola, computer gurus.

I'm looking to buy a router to connect my computer, Xbox 360 and my mom's future laptop to the internet.

Currently, I have to disconnect my ethernet cable from my comp to connect my 360 online.
Both machines sit next to each other on my coffee table, so they don't need to be wireless, but my mom's laptop will be all over the house.
(my two machines are basically inches from each other.)
She will have a wireless card inside when she buys it from my b-i-l.

Will I need a wireless router, or can I buy a wired router that will connect her wireless laptop?

Would you recommend some good routers, please?

I use DSL. My comp is running XP. SP4, I believe. (If that's relevant)

Thank you in advance.

A wireless router is the best solution to your problems. Linksys makes good ones, and it will allow you to have your PC and 360 online at the same time as well as your mother's laptop and any future devices you plan to purchase.

I suggest getting a draft n router for future compatibility. Something like this will do the job nicely.

Make sure you read up on wireless security. You want to set up WPA and turn off SSID broadcasting at a minimum. You can also use MAC filtering if you're really paranoid, but I prefer not having to add a new entry to the table every time a friend comes over.

More details would be helpful, like what device is on the other end of the said network cable.

I assume for the reminder of the post that whatever that device is it has DHCP server (don't worry if you don't know what that is).

The simplest and cheapes way is to get a network switch something like this Newegg.com - NETGEAR FS105 10/100Mbps Desktop Switch 5 x RJ45 1,000 MAC Address Table 64KB Buffer Memory - Switches or if you want wireless then something like this should do Newegg.com - LINKSYS WAP54G Wireless-G 54Mbps Access Point - Wireless AP / Bridges. A wireless setup is slightly more hazzle than wired but nothing to worry about.

Hope this is of some help.
Zweiblumen

This is unnecessarily complex because the OP only needs a box to connect 2 wired devices (360 and a PC) and to broadcast wirelessly for 1 device (laptop). What Martian said is the best, just get a wireless router.

I suggest anything Linksys, but I've heard good things about many other brands too.

As far as it having to be draft-N like Martian said, I don't think that's completely necessary for a normal user. You can just get a regular 802.11g wireless router and be fine.

I didn't know much about them but got a wireless-n broadband router (linksys N Ultra) refurbed from CompUSA for $50.
At the other place one ran two desktops, three laptops, an iPod touch and the PS3 with no issues.
Currently, mine is running a desktop and two of the laptops.
My only issues have been with the Clearwire it's attached to. :)
And it was really, really simple to set up. Even the security.
I can plug in up to 4 CAT5s if I need to and still run everything else wirelessly.

Good luck.

Thanks for the advice, guys.
My computer knowledge is almost nil, so the simpler the better.

I'll probably buy a Linksys, as I've read here and at Amazon that they're one of the best.

Not sure what device you're talking about.

I don't know of any ISP that doesn't run a DHCP server. Note that I didn't bother to mention DNS configuration for the same reason. Defaults should be fine.

Since you're on DSL you'll have to set up PPPoE on the router itself, but that's not terribly difficult to do.

I don't know who your ISP is, but I seem to recall you being in the GTA. If you're on Bell, you're a sucker. Teksavvy is much better.

Draft n isn't a dealbreaker by any means, but at the same time it shouldn't end up costing that much more (if any) and if you're buying a new router anyway you might as well get the latest and greatest.

EDIT for the cross-post:

The device he's talking about is the DSLAM -- the server at the other end of your internet connection. It's not terribly relevant.

Linksys is a subsidiary of Cisco, who pretty much set the standard for networking. Their reputation is well deserved.

The question is, do you currently have a modem, or are you on something like a school network? What are you currently connecting your pc or xbox directly to that you want to put your router in front of?

---------- Post added at 04:47 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:44 PM ----------

Are you SURE he's not talking about the modem? There is usually something between the NIC and the DLSAM, even in an un-networked setup, and that thing is usually a modem, and that modem sometimes has a DHCP server.

---------- Post added at 04:49 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:47 PM ----------

If the modem he is using is also a router (albeit single port) as many are, he will have to plug the cable into one of the LAN ports on his wireless router, instead of a WAN port, and disable DHCP. It will still work that way as an access point though, which is what Zweiblumen was suggesting he buy, since they're usually cheaper.

Naturally there's a modem between the NIC and the DSLAM. There has to be.

I'm assuming the modem is transparent. If it's not, then the only thing that changes is that he won't have to set up PPPoE, since the modem will likely be handling that. In either case, the router will take DHCP information from upstream, and there's no difference to the end user.

I use Embarq for my home phone and DSL. On the modem box, it says on the front Embarq 660 Series. And on the back it says Model EQ - 660R ADSL Router.

Hope this helps.

I'm not familiar with Embarq, although a quick Google search has revealed that they have videos on how to set up your connection on Youtube. This amuses me.

It looks like your modem is handling PPPoE. It may or may not be running a NAT server -- either way, a wireless router is still you're simplest option (for clarity, a typical wireless router is actually a router, switch and access point all in one box). There will be a slight difference in setting everything up depending on exactly what the modem is already doing for you, but in all likelihood it'll be a matter of just plugging it in.

I've never gone wrong with Linksys either. It's all I buy. Just to add my voice to the choir.

While a router is the most common thing around, wouldn't the cheapest and easiest be just a simple wired switch? You just have all of the devices plugged in to a port and a single port out to the modem. Example

Well, he did say his mother's lappie would be wireless, so a wired switch won't work.

Also, depending on his modem, he may not be able to share the connection with a switch - this is exactly what a router is designed to do. A switch usually doesn't assign IP addresses - it is just a fancy multiway cable really.

Put me down as another vote for a linksys router. I have a wireless WRT-54G (that I've had for about 6 years) and really hasn't missed a beat.

BTW - I have a netgear 8 port switch as well - the router is in the house and is hard wired into my office, where the switch lives.

Buy a Linksys WRT-54G variant and be done with it. Make sure it's 802.11g compliant and 4 wired ports.

If you follow the more complicated advice in this thread you're gonna regret it.

---------- Post added at 09:54 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:17 AM ----------

I'll make it real easy:

BUY THIS!!!!!!!

Newegg.com - LINKSYS WRT54GL IEEE 802.3/3u, IEEE 802.11b/g Wireless-G Broadband Router - Wireless Routers

On sale for $50.

A switch will work assuming that the modem is capable of doing the routing, but a router will work regardless of whether or not the modem does that. An access point is also a necessity for wireless capability, so a wireless router is the best solution.

A network switch is a completely useless device for 95% of home users. Anyone who wants to share an internet connection among multiple machines requires NAT capability, which requires intelligent routing. Pretty much every consumer router has a 4 port switch built in, and wireless networking is so common these days that it's a very rare setup that requires more than 4 wired devices.

^ answer.

I'm a lazy technician most of the time.

Agreed. A small wired network with a wireless access point is very much a solved problem, at this point. No need at all to overthink it. Get the device Lasereth linked to, plug it in, move on.

I appreciate this, guys. Thank you.

Edit:

I was looking around on Amazon for the same router (I have an account there)
and I found what I think is the same one, or one like it.


Does this link work? If so, is it the same router? The price is $50, as well.

I use a linksys wireless G router at home, i have a 360, ps3, 3 laptop and 2 home pc's all on the same wireless network and I don't hace any complaints. From time to time I have to reset the wireless connection between my xbox and router because I have trouble connecting to friends but takes about a minute. They have a newer router out i think its a wireless N router but I haven't heard good things about them.

There are roughly eight hundred and thirty billion iterations of the WRT54G, which is Linksys' most famous router by far. This is one of them, and will do what you need.

I'm frankly not sure why we're still talking about this.

We're still talking about it because Fremen needs helping choosing the right router for his setup???

Fremen - that's a fine choice, go for it.

I recommend getting one that's compatible with dd-wrt custom firmware. Check here:
DD-WRT :: Supported Hardware

Also look into dual-band, dual-radio routers if the laptop will use a lot of bandwidth. They broadcast on both G (2.4Ghz) and N (5Ghz) bands simultaneously so that your laptop can have almost twice the speed. If your laptop has a 802.11n Wi-Fi card, then it usually supports this.

Make sure you get the Linksys router ending with L, the WRT54G doesn't have as much memory as the WRT54GL on the newer hardware editions, and I think a different chipset.

Not an issue by itself, but custom firmwares are much more stable. I personally much prefer Tomato vs DD-WRT. Easy to install, not much customizing needed, but it is available. Also has neat usage statistics on the admin console, plus tons of advanced features if you ever want them (SSH, DDNS forwarding, QoS, etc.)

Tomato Firmware | polarcloud.com

edit: For home use, wireless N isn't really a huge deal unless you're always copying huge files. G is enough for media streaming, and much faster than your internet connection is going to be for the next 10 years unless you live in South Korea.