What kind of router do I need?

I have an eight-year-old desktop with no wi-fi capability. It works fine (slow, but fine.)

I recently got a new laptop and an iPod touch but without a router, I can't go online with them.

My needs are as simple as can be: just emailing and casual surfing. I live in an apartment so the laptop and iPod wouldn't be more than 30 feet or so from the router.

My questions:
Can I connect a router to the desktop by some kind of cable (I presume an Ethernet cable, but I'm not sure about that) and still have the laptop and iPod connect wirelessly?

The research I've done makes me think all I need is a single-band router with both wired and wireless technology. Am I right?

And does anyone have any recommendations for such a router?

 

You are correct. I would suggest an open source router. That way when you need to tweak anything, you have the most options in terms of customization. Also since the open source firmware is usually linux based, IMO, the open source routers are more secure.
Check this site:
http://www.myopenrouter.com/

My suggestions:
Netgear - WNR3500 Lv2
- I have been using a wnr3500Lv1 for a couple years with great success, I knew nothing about routers before (not even what it looked like), now I can do almost anything with it! The Lv1 like mine are hard to come by, but the Lv2 is available and I think a little better.
I use mine to connect via Gigabit LAN (wire) 1PC, 2Xbox 360 and 1PS3 and via WAN (Wireless) 1 Laptop, 1PC and a few phones. Not all devices will be used at once, but they can be, I've tested it.

Also, I use Kong's DD-WRT build (open source firmware) in my router.

check under products on the site, they have other suggestions as well.

 

You connect the modem to the router by ethernet. (you put the cable into the slot that is by itself).
http://www.weatherdirect.com/images/router/router_connections.jpg on the far left.

Then you connect your desktop by ethernet cable into one of the other 4 slots.

The first thing you do when you get a router is to type in the access, something like 192.168.1.0 into the browser address bar and change the default SSID and password.

The specific IP and default SSID and password should be in the pamphlet that comes with the router.

 

OK. Thanks for the advice.

 

How is your PC connecting to the Internet now? Directly to the modem?

Note a router does not provide wireless access. For that, you need a WAP - wireless access point. These can be stand-alone devices, or can be integrated with a router (and typically a 4-port Ethernet switch) into what marketing weenies inaccurately call a "wireless router".

If you already have a router between your PC and your modem, then all you need is a WAP to add wireless access to your network. That said, stand-alone WAPs tend to be costly, so in the end, buying a new "wireless router" may be your best bet.

And for the record, I too have a Netgear WNR3500L and am very happy with it. What I like about it is that it is a "simultaneous dual-band" router meaning it supports different wireless protocols at full speeds - nice if you have wireless devices of that use different protocols like 11n and 11b. A standard dual band supports different protocols, but will toggle down in speed to the slowest. Not really a problem if you are the only user of your network. And if the only user, you just need a basic wireless router.

But remember (1) wireless inherently increases security concerns and (2) the user is ALWAYS the weakest link in security. So follow plodr's advice and keep your system updated, patched, scanned with a current anti-malware solution and blocked with a software based firewall (even if your new router includes firewall software).

 

Digerati

Right now I have my desktop PC connected directly to the modem by a USB cable. I have this setup in the bedroom.

I want the router to surf and email from the laptop and the iPod from elsewhere in the house - nothing more complicated than that. Also, I want to leave the desktop hardwired to the modem since my understanding is wired connections are faster and more dependable than wireless connections.

Right now, I'm leaning towards the Cisco-Linksys WRT54GL Wireless-G Broadband Router.

 

I have Time Warner (RoadRunner) as my ISP. I simply opted for their wireless modem which has 4 ethernet out connections.

My laptop is "hard wired" via ethernet even though it's 802.11g capable and I have an 802.11n dongle I can use instead of the wifi card in the laptop. As you said, the ethernet is faster than the wifi — really important when downloading multi-gigabyte files like Linux distros.

I have 3 cell phones and a printer that I use the wifi for and for me my current configuration works fine.

 

No, you don't want to do that. The router (or wireless router) includes a 4-port Ethernet switch. And how would get your wireless devices connecting to your wireless router Internet access if your PC was taking up the modem's only input port? You can't.

There will be a 5th "up-link" port on the router that is connected to the modem where your PC is currently connected, then your PC connects to the router to one of the Ethernet switch ports. This is the setup I urge EVERYONE to use - even with just one computer to connect because a router adds a huge layer of security, without degrading performance or connection reliability.

Wireless routers are, again, simply a router with an integrated WAP on the same circuit board (like sound cards integrated with motherboards) that connects internally to the same integrated Ethernet switch. So your PC can still connect via Ethernet, and your wireless devices connect through the WAP in your router, which, in turn, connects your network (everything on your side of the router) to the Internet.

The WRT54GL is a good basic wireless router, but it really is getting old and is basically obsolete because it does not support 802.11n. It only supports up 11g. 11n is faster and provides better range/wall penetration. There are plenty of 11n wireless routers in that same price range as that WRT54GL. And while router technologies are pretty simple, I would stick with the major brands like Cisco/Linksys, Netgear, and D-Link.

I really like my Netgear 3500L.

That said, 802.11ac is the latest wireless protocols so if you really want to "future proof" your wireless network, you might want to get an 11ac wireless router instead. Costs a little more today but will ensure your wireless network can provide maximum bandwidth to all your devices for years to come.

 

To add to what Digerati said;
for a wired 10/100 ethernet, your max output would be 100 Mbit/s for wireless G or 11g, the max output is 54Mbit/s so technically in that scenario, what you said is true,... but wireless N or 11n has a max output of 300 Mbit/s for a single band of 2.4GHz and for dual band 11n routers, 300 Mbit/s on 2.4 GHz and 450 GHz on 5 GHz bands, for a combined output of 750 Mbit/s
Now Gigabit LAN or 1000 ethernet has a max output of 1000 Mbit/s which exceeds dual 11n, but again, as Digerati suggested, 11ac, the newest wireless protocol, performs at 450 Mbit/s on 2.4 GHz and 1300 Mbit/s on 5 GHz, for a combined total of 1750 Mbit/s, which is almost double Gigabit speeds.
Of course, there are 10+ GB ethernet systems, but those are for corporate environments.

That said, if you buy all the fancy gadgetry, your existing equipment would also have to be able to accept them, or else, you still end up with the equipment/your PC/phone limiting your transfer speeds.

In other words, if your PC has a 10/100 ethernet, it would actually benefit from having an 11n card with an 11n router for data transfer to other devices on your network.

 

Now I'm lost. :confused

I'm looking at the picture plodr posted. I understand the cable connecting the modem and the router and the cable connecting the router and the PC.

I thought that was all I had to do. Once I have my system set up like that all I have to do is turn on the modem and the router in the bedroom and I can check my email in the living room using my laptop or iPod. Do I have that wrong?

 

You said above, you want to leave the PC hardwired to the modem. That is what you don't want to do.

If you look at that picture again, the device labeled as the "High-Speed Internet" is your modem. Note the PC is NOT hardwired to it, but rather to the router, which in turn, is connected the modem.

And wireless devices are going through what is being called the "Wireless Gateway". That Wireless Gateway is the WAP (wireless access point) and in a "wireless router" is located internally with the router.

 

Ohhh. A silly typo causing all this confusion.

So let me see if I have this straight. The set up should be: modem --> connected by Ethernet cable to --> wireless router --> connected by Ethernet cable to --> PC. With that set-up, the laptop and iPod will work anywhere in the house, right?

Jeez, it looks like I took something very simple and made it very confusing. :-o Sorry about that, Digerati.

Also, I took your advice and am now leaning towards the Netgear WNDR3400 N600.

 

I was wondering about that. Thanks.

I think I've taken something simple and somehow made it complicated. So the chain I want is the modem, an Ethernet cable, the router, another Ethernet cable, and the PC. Link them together like that, turn it all on and my wireless stuff will find the internet, right?

 

You are almost there.

The chain is the modem, Ethernet cable, router, another Ethernet cable, then the PC. At this point, it has nothing to do with wireless devices, because once again, they connect to the WAP, which is located internally to your wireless router.

The "chain", if you will, for wireless devices is the modem, Ethernet cable, router, wireless devices.

 

OK, Digerati, I think I have a handle on it now.

I guess my next step is get the router and hook everything up and if something goes wrong, as the T-800 said, "I'll be back."

Thanks again for your patience.

 

Just make sure you are talking the right terminology. A "router" does NOT support wireless devices - only Ethernet connected devices. You MUST have a separate WAP or a "wireless router" (which is really a router plus a switch plus a WAP in the same box) to connect your wireless devices.

 

It is actually pretty hard to find a router that only works with wired devices. I know because I had to buy a wired-only router for a business several years ago.

 

They are getting harder to find but there are still plenty of offerings out there.