Multi PC's............

My daughter wants to run 3 PC's off one broadband conn. What is needed to do that? router? What kind, size, etc? Thanks

Jack

 

a router... Any size will do.... any brand will do... If you buy a wireless/wired router get a 802.11g... DONT GET 802.11b!!! i hear its not as good... You will also need the CAT5e cables... Dont waste the extra money on a Cat6 cable... its not worth the money..

 

Thanks much. I know about the Cat 5 and know that Cat 6 is overkill. After 28 yrs as a mgr of Tech svces at the Sch Dist that is one of the few things I learned. I am not schooled in routers. They were just becoming commonplace in the Dist when I retired. If I go wireless I will need a card to transmit on each comp and the router will have the receiver in it? That was a question not a statment. Thanks again.

Jack

 

IMO, I wouldn't use wireless. It's not very secure and is slower and isn't as stable as a wired connection. Unless you need it for some reason I would suggest against it.

 

Thanks, Pyrate, but the place where they live isn't real conducive to wiring and they will want to move the comp's around some. You do make a good point tho. However, if we go with wireless, would you suggest a router with the modem built-in with a built-in commercial type firewall? Thanks for any and all feedback.

Jack

 

If you leave you car door open and you leave it there, of course its unsecure, but if you apply proper precautions its as safe as any other car.

Passwording your router / pc / disabling and changing broadcast name and having hardware/software firewalls makes it as safe as anything eles. If your going to get "hacked" I dont think there is anything to stop the process.

I've been using 125mb router/card for over a year and have had no problems since. Yes xfer is slower, but if you think about it hard disks never have super high xfer speeds (IE: IDE 100, 133, 150) so you never get that "1000MB xfer rate"of claimed speeds of network cards/routers; UNLESS your sending from multiple hard drives into multiple destinations.

 

Routers CAN be secure! If you password protect them... Linksys routers have cisco service now!

 

You can make efforts to secure wireless and can do a pretty decent job at it, but in the end, it will never be as secure as a wired connection. Not with today's tech.

 

Aware of the pitfalls of wireless, but when one wants to move the comps around and it is a ranch with full finished basement with outdated wiring sometimes you gp with whatever works. Thanks for all the feeedback and suggestions.

Jack

 

Oh I agree. I am completely wireless at home, in fact.