Looking for some computer help

[mail man]

I meant my neighbor next door, not the neighbor in DC

[ggiese]

I meant my neighbor next door, not the neighbor in DC

You wanna get a clean signal, donthca???

[mail man]

Okay, I now have the wireless bug... I want to install a wireless router in the house.

I am boggling my mind with all the choices out there, and was wondering if anyone would give me some feedback on what they are using.

Thanks
Keith

[ashauler]

I use a linksys. I don't have the model number with me, but it was like $60 and works like a champ. I get coverage on my porch, in my garage, on the patio.....etc.

[mrtr33]

For router information start here.
http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/compo...rt/Itemid,189/

The 3rd highest rated one on that chart is also the cheapest router.

I am going to try and hook it up tonight, and if it works...cool, if not, I will be checking into the link that Mangy posted.

Never heard of EnGenius, but I would be very wary of D-Link routers. I have tried using them for years, and they've never served more use than a doorstopper (and a pitiful one at that). They seem to hold down paper reasonably well, as long as the fan isn't on high.

I use a linksys. I don't have the model number with me, but it was like $60 and works like a champ. I get coverage on my porch, in my garage, on the patio.....etc.

I second this. For added convenience, I'd recommend you get the wireless router with the 4 additional ports in the back. I don't know about now, but the non-wireless routers with 4 ports used to be more expensive than the wireless routers with 4 ports. Was the wireless technology really that cheap? Sure, it's $50, but I've had the same one for years, always used them when I was in IT, and I've only seen one not work in years of work experience. I also like how easily they are programmable.

But if the router your sister gave you seems to work, you're good to go.

[ggiese]

Okay, I now have the wireless bug... I want to install a wireless router in the house.

I am boggling my mind with all the choices out there, and was wondering if anyone would give me some feedback on what they are using.

Thanks
Keith

...the one that AT&T gave me with my internet service - 3wire... Works perfectly fine for me!

[Mangyrat]

For router information start here.
http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/compo...rt/Itemid,189/

The 3rd highest rated one on that chart is also the cheapest router.

[mail man]

Thanks for all the replies, funny thing though...I posted this yesterday, and got home to see a router sitting on my porch.
My Step sister that gifted me the laptop, had her old wireless router sitting in a closet, so she figured I could use it.

I am going to try and hook it up tonight, and if it works...cool, if not, I will be checking into the link that Mangy posted.

Thanks again.

Keith

[CptnBlues63]

Thanks for all the replies, funny thing though...I posted this yesterday, and got home to see a router sitting on my porch.
My Step sister that gifted me the laptop, had her old wireless router sitting in a closet, so she figured I could use it.

I am going to try and hook it up tonight, and if it works...cool, if not, I will be checking into the link that Mangy posted.

Thanks again.

Keith

That's nice of her and saves you a few $$$

If you need a hand, I have a fairly wide experience with a wide variety of makes/models and would be more than happy to help you get it setup.

I like both Linksys and D-Link and have found them to be fairly reliable. My ISP provided me with a 2wire brand combo unit (combination modem/router/wireless access point) when I upgraded to a 6 Mbps package a couple years back and it works pretty good too.

When it comes to running a wireless network in your home you definitely want to secure it. WEP encryption sucks and our security guy here at work can crack it in under 30 min's so you'll want to use WPA encryption. When you create a password for your SSID, make it complex (at least 8 characters and include upper/lower case, numbers and symbols) and if need be, write it down or store it in a file on your PC.

The encryption will prevent war drivers (usually hackers or child pornographers) from using your wireless network for their nefarious purposes.

If you, or anybody else in your home is an online gamer, you'll want to use a wired connection for the gaming. Wireless is a convenience and you pay for that convenience with inherent bandwidth issues and a lot of lag and latency.