Router Suggestions

[Shangri-laschild]

I'm looking to get a router but since I don't really know which ones are good and what not, I was looking to see if anyone had any suggestions.

[lordlundar]

Well, to start off with, a few questions:

1. What are you looking to connect to it?
2. Do you want a wired or wireless?
3. What are you using it primarily for?
4. Are there any special features you want out of it?

[Shangri-laschild]

Well, to start off with, a few questions:

1. What are you looking to connect to it?
2. Do you want a wired or wireless?
3. What are you using it primarily for?
4. Are there any special features you want out of it?

1. Two computers at the moment though possibly eventually more, an X-Box, and iphones
2. Wireless
3. Do you mean what are we usually using the connection for or what we're using it with? Most of the connection is just regular internet though I want to eventually set up a computer to back everything up to and it would be nice if I could do that over the connection.
4. None that I know of?

[lordlundar]

Okay, so you want essentially a "throw together and if it works, great" network.

(believe me, no slam intended, just another way of saying "easy setup and almost nonexistent maintenance")

To start of with, the reason this is going to sound more involved than you planned is because you don't "buy a router" so to speak. You build a network, and "router" has become a catch all for any network device, be it switch, hub, router, server, even a firewall. That's where understanding your needs comes into play.

For 2 computers (assuming one is a laptop or is otherwise going to be wireless otherwise), potential game system and iPhone, and LAN transmissions. You weren't planning on doing multiple simultaneous backups right?

The Belkin models do work well, as do linksys and D-Link. Truth be told, YMMV, but those 3 companies have the best standing. You might as well invest in an N grade router for futureproofing, particularly if that backup is going from a wireless system to a wired one as well as accommodating Win7. Knowing a company's background in networking can make or break a deal because just as some top priced models are crap, a bargain one might not be exactly a great find either.

That said, a lot of people forget that a router just can't be bought, have a power cable fed to it and it will work. Check the network connections on ALL devices you have. Desktops usually have a decent NIC built into the motherboard, laptops usually have either B, G, or N class, depending on when it was made, the 360 will NOT have wireless, and the iPhones have G-class if I'm not mistaken. If you want to connect wirelessly but don't have wireless, you will need to buy an adapter. Sounds silly and stupid, but a lot of people forget that. If you need to buy one, might as well go for an N-class. As well, most routers will have a CAT5 cable with it, but those are packaged in essentially for configuration and, while not bad quality, usually are pretty short and if you want more devices, you need more cables.

Now you have it and want to set it up.

STOP!!!

Do you have a plan in place? do you know where you want to set it up, run cables, have it broadcast the strongest? If not, figure it out. networks are a pain to readjust, regardless of the size.so expect the long haul location in mind before you open up the package. (also remember that they have a lot of lights and they tend to flash, so a bedroom probably isn't the best location.) Ideally, having this plan set up before you go shopping is ideal so you can get exactly what you need and nothing more (as a lot of places are more than happy to t/sell you stuff you might not need or want) and aren't going back and forth all the time.

So, you got a plan in place and are ready to open it up and set it up. Which brings me to my most important piece of info:

READ THE MANUAL!!!

Every router is different, even within the same company, so you are going to want to know how to set it up and configure it before you tie yourself in knots (don't laugh, it's been done), both figuratively and literally. For a wireless router connect a computer through the CAT5 for configuration (it really is one device you might want to hook up the power first). Config in the following order:

1. Router login (please choose something different than the default password)
2. Wireless connection (again, set the router name to something other than the default)
3. Wireless security (WPA2 is preferable, but all devices might not accept it, go with what is most compatible. Remember, if you have a device later on that uses a different protocol, you have to change it for EVERYTHING. Also note to write down the security key they give you, you'll need it.)
4. MAC filtering (a number of ISPs won't allow multiple MAC addresses per connection unless it's a business account. MAC filtering makes all your machines seem like it's only one to the ISP.
5. Port Forwarding (really should be only done if you are having problems. If not, don't worry about it)

Save changes and pull the wired connection if you aren't going to use it. If running totally wireless, you want to keep the cable around for any changes. Only make config changes with a wired hookup! A wired hookup is still far more secure than any wireless option out there, and it's not likely to change.

Before you connect any devices, do yourself a favor and turn off any file and print sharing that's enabled on your computers. Yes, security has improved on that front, but it's still a relatively big hole that really should be only on if you need it.

Now you can config your wireless devices. Turn on your wireless connection (or ensure the adapter is installed correctly, and wait for a response. Vista and Win7 will auto search, let you know which connections are available, select yours and input your key you wrote down earlier. XP and earlier will require some more digging but most have software which speeds it up. check the manual for said adapter for more details. Same goes for whatever game system you use. The iPhone has odd differences so you want to check the net for that info. It will essentially be the same basic steps: Sweep for connections, select connection, input security key, and confirm connection. That should cover it to get you started. When you want to start doing those backups, then you want to turn on F&PS and only for that duration. Once done, turn it off.

(*whew* why do these always take me longer than I plan for?)

[It's me]

^^^ Way too complicated


1. Go find a used Linksys WRT54G. You can find them on Craigslist, eBay. $35-$40. Get an older one... Version 2,3, or 4 if you can find one. G is good enough for almost any home use... the bottle neck will be the connection to the Internet. Yah, N is nice... but older gear won't support it.

2. Buy a case of beer

3. Use the beer to bride your friendly neighbourhood geek to set things up securely.

[Shangri-laschild]

(believe me, no slam intended, just another way of saying "easy setup and almost nonexistent maintenance")

I believe you the less maintenance, the better. My roomate sometimes tries to do stuff on his own that he should have waited on, thinking that it'll be straight forward, so the less we have to mess with it, the better.

For 2 computers (assuming one is a laptop or is otherwise going to be wireless otherwise), potential game system and iPhone, and LAN transmissions. You weren't planning on doing multiple simultaneous backups right?

Everything but the XBox is wireless really. As in backing up two computers at once? It's not something I ever thought about but it wouldn't be necessary though I do possibly want to try to also connect it to the xbox or the tv so that I can use it as a server for my movies and be able to get all those dvd cases out of the way (I know, sounds complicated when I need router advice, but my friend who knows computers better will be able to help me set it up eventually or something similar, I just don't have access to him right now to ask about the router )

You might as well invest in an N grade router for futureproofing, particularly if that backup is going from a wireless system to a wired one as well as accommodating Win7.

It'll actually be accomidating several since I have Vista, I think my roomate might also have vista, but it might be Windows 7, sometimes I'm on an apple laptop, and the server will be linux in case of viruses so that my backup will be theoretically safer

Do you have a plan in place? do you know where you want to set it up, run cables, have it broadcast the strongest?

Luckily, we had one up until today, but it was a loaner so now we have to get our own so we already have a spot for it and the necessary cords.

READ THE MANUAL!!!

Yeah, when we set up the loaner, we didn't have the maual and that was fun....for a while there it kept not letting people get online sort of. If I remember my friends explination right, it was assigning static IPs but it was only seeing about two or so so if two things were hooked up and on already, you wouldn't be able to connect. (Again, could be remembering wrong) Not sure how we got it sorted out or if it went away on it's own but after the first bit with it, it stopped having that problem.

When you want to start doing those backups, then you want to turn on F&PS and only for that duration. Once done, turn it off.

What is F&PS? Also thank you very much for the help!

3. Use the beer to bride your friendly neighbourhood geek to set things up securely.

If it comes to it, I can wait to set up the router till my best friend can come over, I just have to hide it from my roomate in the mean time or he'll try to set it up on his own

[lordlundar]

What is F&PS? Also thank you very much for the help!

File and Print Sharing. The aforementioned relatively big hole with wireless networking. It's essential when you need to transfer files between machines (like your backup idea) or when printing to a network printer, but useless otherwise apart from letting people into your system.

^^^ Way too complicated

Yah wuss. If you're not destroying something by the end, you aren't doing it right.

G is good enough for almost any home use... the bottle neck will be the connection to the Internet. Yah, N is nice... but older gear won't support it.

True, older hardware won't support N, but the router will support at highest possible throughput. And when doing the backup, you want to get it done as fast as possible, which will be an N connection with all devices involved. That's why I suggested N. It's a nice bit of futureproofing. That and older routers are having problems with the new OSes, particularly the 64-bit ones.

2. Buy a case of beer

3. Use the beer to bride your friendly neighbourhood geek to set things up securely.

But what if the geek isn't your type? Or male for that matter?

(yes, I know it's a typo, I couldn't help myself.