Router

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by jackie2000, Aug 14, 2011.

  1. jackie2000

    jackie2000 Private E-2

    I know nothing about routers. I looked at Walmart and there were so many it was confusing. I have a desktop pc, a wireless printer and I'm getting a notebook and I'd like to be able to use the notebook in other parts of the house. I have Satellite internet. What wireless router would you recommend? It would be located on the second floor of our 2-story house. If the type of router affects speed, I should point out that satellite is not all that fast anyway so keeping speed up is important.
     
    jackie2000, Aug 14, 2011
    #1
  2. plodr

    plodr MajorGeek Super Extraordinaire Moderator Staff Member

    I hope you mean the notebook and not the router. The router has to be attached by ethernet to your satellite modem.
    I've used the same router since 2004. It's a Linksys model WRT54G.
    The current models WRT120N
    http://www.google.com/products/cata...a=X&ei=4zFITuDELcG80AGsoLmVAw&ved=0CFkQ8wIwAg
    or E1000
    http://www.google.com/products/cata...a=X&ei=4zFITuDELcG80AGsoLmVAw&ved=0CF0Q8wIwAw

    Someone recommended the E3000 for me when I need to replace
    http://www.google.com/products/cata...a=X&ei=4zFITuDELcG80AGsoLmVAw&ved=0CF0Q8wIwAw
    but with a satellite connection, I think that would be more hardware than you could use. Your speed is a lot, lot lower than my cable connection.

    This one
    http://www.walmart.com/ip/Linksys-W...band-Router-Linux-Open-Source-Edition/8087395 would be similar to my old one and I think it would work great.

    Reviews also appear good
    http://reviews.walmart.com/1336/808...linux-open-source-edition-reviews/reviews.htm
     
    plodr, Aug 14, 2011
    #2
  3. gman863

    gman863 MajorGeek

    Normally the brand/model of router used is not an issue on cable/DSL connections; however satellite can be an exception.

    When I worked at Fry's a few years ago, I ran into issues where customers using Hughes Net and other satellite services were having an unusually hard time getting routers set up to work properly. Although (hopefully) satellite modems have become more user-friendly since then, I would check with your satellite provider and see if there is a list of router makes and models that have been tested to work with your system.

    This applies only to the router. Once it is set up properly, the wi-fi cards in your notebook PC and other devices should work fine.

    Hope this helps. :)
     
    gman863, Aug 15, 2011
    #3
  4. jackie2000

    jackie2000 Private E-2

    I'll check with folks that do the satellite installations just to be sure. The router and satellite modem would both be on the second floor (actually it's a loft). My desktop is there too.

    Another question:
    would something like this work with a desktop pc to allow it to receive wireless (or does it have to be a crd inside the machine):
    Medialink - Wireless N USB Adapter - 802.11n - 150Mbps - 2.4ghz - Windows 2000 / XP / Vista 64-Bit /128-Bit Windows 7 Compatible
    The desktop was not designed to be wireless. It's about 5 years old.
     
    jackie2000, Aug 16, 2011
    #4
  5. iain.t

    iain.t MajorGeek

    Yes that Usb wireless dongle would work perfectly with your tower, though I would personally go for a PCE x1 card like this one... http://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-Link-TL-...Express/dp/tech-data/B0036AFAEW/ref=de_a_smtd ... I know the one that i have linked is in the UK but you will be able to get a similar or th esame one from the US site. I suggest this as you will get faster speeds and allow you to keep the usb ports free for other externals to be connected.
     
    iain.t, Aug 16, 2011
    #5
  6. plodr

    plodr MajorGeek Super Extraordinaire Moderator Staff Member

    The best security is to attach one computer to the router so you can get into the admin panel for the router to put in your own username and password (for the router and different from your username and password on any computer). Then be sure to turn off "remote management". It might be called something else. This way if any one hacks into your wireless network, he/she would not be able to make any changes like changing the username and password and locking you out of your own network. (Yes, it has been done).
     
    plodr, Aug 16, 2011
    #6
  7. jackie2000

    jackie2000 Private E-2

    thanks for the tip. I hadn't thought about someone hacking in.
     
    jackie2000, Aug 17, 2011
    #7

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