Im trying to buy a wireless internet router for my home (802.11g). its not to feed video to a wireless frontend .. its just to provide wireless internet to my computers. I know nothing about LAN - and im confused about which router to buy. I don't want to buy something that wont do what i need.. and i trust you guys more than my local puter guy.

I have a 512k adsl connection.

i have a centrino laptop, a mythbox and a desktop in the study. i'd like all three to access the internet through a firewalled wireless router (or is it switch).

id also like the computers to be able to talk to each other - im not sure if this would require the desktop to act as a server.. or it can just happen through the router. only the mythbox used linux.. the others "winxp home" .. but i can install xppro if needed.

can anyone recommend a suitable router. i'll also get a pci wireless card for the desktop (suitable wireless card?)- but from reading the forum a wireless bridge may be an easier option for the mythbox?

sorry.. im completely naive. I'm certain that most people do this but i haven't been able to find specific enough information to confidently know what im buying.

my presumption is to stick the wireless router into the phone plug.. and then turn each of the computers on or off at my leasure to access the interweb.


thanks for help.

To allow your PCs to connect to your ADSL line you need a ADSL router, you can use a Windows PC running Internet Connection Sharing connected to an ADSL Modem, but I would not recommend this, for several reasons.
Now, you can get a Wireless Access Point which would connect your wired network to a wireless one, but as many routers have that built in now, it's not something required now.
So to get common access, you need a Wireless ADSL Router.
Now most of these has 1 or more ports available for local Wired access by having a built in Network Switch. Connecting up using network cable is recommended for several reasons:
It's easier, you don't need to set up all the wireless parameters and hoping your chipset is supported.
It's more reliable, wireless can be affected by other equipment and by other wireless networks in your neighbourhood.
It's quicker, unless you are using the latest Pre-N gear your wired connection should be faster.

To get the PCs to talk to each other there should be no problems, just ensure that Samba is installed on the KM PC and the PCs are members of the same Workgroup. Though as I understand it XP Home does have some limitations for local networking.

If you are needing to use a wireless connection to your KM box, a wireless bridge should be best, though, people have got Wireless cards and USB Wireless dongles to work, the Bridge should be easier to set up. Nevermind you can connect another switch to the LAN port and have several wired connections.

Hope this helps.

Bruce S.

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Thanks Bruce..For clarity, are you saying that a wireless adsl router may have wired and unwired access. so for example, i could connect my KM box using cat5 cable, but use my laptop wirelessly.. from the one router (that would be connected to the phone line).



is chipset support dependent on the router? my laptop is a compac centrino - so im comfortable it will be fine. my KM box uses the dragon mobo - but if a router exists that can connect wired AND wireless connections than the KM box would be wired.



it does. ive had trouble connecting it to wired network at work. the settings are there but they're made inactive by installing xp home. obviously very frustrating "enter appropriate M$ flame".



As my KM box is right near my phone i'm happy to used wired - so long as I can mix wired and wireless (? .. embrace the ignorance). the dragon mobo has only 3 pci slots - all of which are used or earmarked. so my wireless choices appear those you mentioned. i'll explore these after i've decided on a router..

can you suggest example routers that i could look at.

i believe this will do what im after.

4 ethernet connections and i believe three wireless connections supporting a variety of formats. im thinking that its slightly future proof for a few years and gives me flexibility to connect via wired or unwired..

http://www.dlink.com.au/Products.aspx?S ... 73&PID=273

Linksys WR54Tg or Dlink DI-524 are both good products.

Your choice should work fine as well. Bear in mind the "N" standard is still typically implemented as "Draft" That means for best results inclduing compatibility to secure etc, you should stay with the Dlink cards otherwise. In theory they all work, in practice the networks are still draft and offer some variants by each manhfacturer. They all fallback to Straight G or even B but then you don't have the "N" benefits, just they are more expensive.

Almost all will provide authentication to your existing ADSL Modem some have great firewall features and offer at least 4 wired ports and 802.11G wireless as well.

I have a DI-524 I like some of the parental control features. It has a good firewall on board.

The Linksys has some great open source firmware available to extend the firewall performance.

either one of these are available for around $50 and if your not in a hurry you can usually find one for about $20 after incentives and at times that will include a PCI based wireless card.

In practice it is always good to have one computer "wired" for control, adjustments etc.

Regarding home versus pro version they both network fine. only big difference is Pro offers some file based security that home does not. Otherwise the all can talk to a myth box.

I have all flavors, including some pclos boxes and van move files anywhere, network about anything in them including printers.

YMMV.

yeah my modem sucks tho. which is why i figured on the router linked in previous post.. it will connect directly to the phone line without needing an additional modem.

I agree with you regarding the test standard. but i might have to wait a year for the standards to sort themselves out..

im slightly confused about the number of wireless connections these routers can achieve. I had thought that 1 aeral would mean one wireless connection.. and three aerals would mean three wireless connections. but im suspect that my logic guess isn't right.

where in the specifications for various routers does it tell me how many wireless connections can attach. (cause ideally id like 3 simultanious wireless).

thanks 'bro

There is no correlation between number of antennas and number of devices.
It is an addressing issue. Some manufacturers may limt the number for bandwidth reason, but the lowest I have seen is 10 devices. and the highest is usually a TCP/IP network limit in the design so usually it is 255 devices.

as far as one device, if you choose to replace your modem you need a different box than the one you selected. That and the ones I listed are designed to attach to a DSL/ADSL modem.

I kind of prefer two boxes. ADSL/DSL modem then Gateway/Firewall/Router/Switch/Wireless device. Less likely to fry a network over a Strike on the phone line but also, it is easier to troubleshoot a performance issue. Connect direclty to the Modem and righ then the problem is inside or outside of the facility/home. Your choice there. I run two boxes, a DSL modem then a DI-524.

If you are going to a single box or even looking to replace the Modem. Need to talk to your provider to get technical requirements like signaling levels etc, then you can find a decent product like Linksys, Cisco, Westell etc.

As far as Standards, most of us on DSL have a faster network even at the old "G" standard than the DSL connection.

"N" does provide additional range but additional range means additional opportunity to invite a network hacker in. Where i live my nearest neighbor is 1/2 mile away and any hackers I could see....

Anwyay I hope that helps!

very much so. thanks.

edit.
actually the above link was a typo.. i meant this one.. that does have a adls modem. your point regarding too many tricks in a single box though remains. ill get the WRT54G.. as it's cheap... less than $AU50. I can keep using my pox modem for a while. I'd rather not dive into a standard that may or may not become.. err.. standard. so i'll happily wait.


http://www.dlink.com.au/Products.aspx?S ... 76&PID=294

If you are up for it, consider looking around at the different version so that WR54TG.
They are all good but a couple of them are much more prizd for the "Extra's" you can do with them Firmware wise.
Here is a bit of info. http://www.wrt54g.net/

They have a really nice Linux Kernel that runs on them that turns it into a really decent Firewall/Router and offers some really robust QoS features. That will be extremely helpful if you start getting into VoIP phones.

fwiw I regulary see the "Linux Hackable" version (Runs a linux kernel) for around 20 bucks US.



Ebay is another source as well. have checked and found some new ones in there as well.

Regards!

ha. i had know idea. things you learn. clever of them to release the source.. guessing that has probably increased there sales.