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Original poster

Wireless Router

26 replies

NOTJampots · 31/08/2006 22:21

We've just taken delivery of a nice new Dell laptop but need a wireless router. Can anyone recommend one? Apparently it makes a difference if the house has brick internal walls which ours does.

Many thanks

OP posts:
Imafairy · 31/08/2006 22:29

Can't really recommend one as such - we have a Netgear one which plays up all the time- maybe that is down to having brick walls, I don't know. I'd steer clear of it though!

sallystrawberry · 31/08/2006 22:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MrsBadger · 01/09/2006 10:14

Belkin - works everywhere in the house / in the garden / in the car when parked outside.

DH says (and I quote) 'buy the more expensive one as the cheapest one is shit'.

Original poster
NOTJampots · 01/09/2006 13:35

thanks for the advice and especially to MrBadger for his valuable contribution

OP posts:
DaddyCool · 01/09/2006 13:39

netgear is the best brand saying that, i reckon wireless routers are all pretty much the same standard.

BearintheBigBlueHouse · 01/09/2006 17:47

agree w/ DaddyC - have had both Belkin and Netgear and Netgear is better. I saw in yesterday's paper that PC World have them on offer ATM

apparently their Rangemax one has all sorts of internal aerials that cope with all sorts of walls

best way to do it is to scan available networks on your laptop - find out which one belongs to which neighbour and ask the neighbour with the strongest signal which brand they use, then buy the same one and encrypt, encrypt, encrypt

oh and make sure it's just a wireless router you need, not a wireless modem/router - there is a difference

sdjones2 · 01/09/2006 18:27

If you are with BT the wireless that you can order on-line £25 not £50 is EXCELLENT. Charged to your account too, so no cash to part with straight away. Brilliant range and little data drop.

nappyaddict · 09/10/2006 02:00

can anyone tell me the difference between these two please.
1
2
They don't look any different to me!!

nappyaddict · 09/10/2006 02:17

if you have a BT connection you will need a modem router. if you have a cable/telewest/ntl connection you will need a cable router. some routers allow you to have either connection.

also i have another question which probably seems really stupid but when i go wireless do i still need my original modem? does the router plug straight into the phone line in the wall or into the modem?

nappyaddict · 09/10/2006 03:07

after doing a bit of research from what i can gather, if you have an ADSL connection you get a modem router which goes straight into the phone socket but if you have a cable connection your router plugs into the modem which is plugged into the phone socket. please can someone let me know if what i have said is correct?

Alibaldi · 09/10/2006 03:40

Linksys are also very good and cheaper than belkin i think. We had a Belkin one with a Zen asdl connection and it was fantastic.

Made4it · 09/10/2006 11:38

Try repositioning your routers! They can be susceptible to interference (brick walls, under a steel desk etc). If you are able to mount it high up the wall or on top of your desk etc you may find you both get on better

I would recommend netgear. They are very reputable and most importantly easy to set-up. Linksys are also very good and Belkin are fine. Don't go for the cheapest but you also don't need the most expensive. They are all pretty much the same. Most important consideration is that they are easy to set-up.

trixymalixy · 09/10/2006 12:41

We have a netgear rangemaster, which i would recommend.

We bought the one with the biggest range as our 18th century farmhouse has really thick walls.

It does OK through our walls although it is worth trying out different positions to get the best coverage.

definitely don't go for the cheapest option.

FredBassett · 09/10/2006 12:46

I have a DLink router which works using BT on AOL, it is on the 3rd floor and I still get a very good signal on the ground floor using my laptop with internal wireless.

MrLSG · 09/10/2006 14:03

NappyAdd, the difference between those two is that the second on (the WNR854T) has 10-times faster ethernet connections - unless you've got multiple very-new high-end PCs you'd see no difference with the WNR834M which 'only' has 100Mb connections. And note neither of these can be plugged into an ADSL line.

Mum2Lucas · 11/10/2006 15:34

I bought the linksys external modem and seperate router as recommended by Which and they are a nightmare! My Dad's a systems analyst and he couldn't figure it out. After 10 days I managed to get it sprted after extensive help from Linksys but it still keeps disconnecting and the answer from Limksys is to power off and turn everything back on in a specific order - sort of defeats the object of having a wireless 'always-on' broadband connection. Would definitely NOT recommend it. My husband got free broadband and they're (free) router called a livebox is great and installs in seconds - don't buy their wireless adapter on it, the signal strength is awful! Not sure whether that's a fault of the router or the adaptor as I'm waiting for a new adapter to arrive.

nappyaddict · 20/10/2006 01:08

why can't they be plugged into an adsl line?

Earlybird · 20/10/2006 07:20

I've got a linksys sitting in a box next to my desk. I've spent several evenings/quite a few hours trying unsuccessfully to get it sorted, and have decided:

  1. They're rubbish
  2. I'm more technically inept than most people
  3. I'm on the computer enough as it is, and probably don't really need the ability to take it into different rooms.
throckenholt · 20/10/2006 07:28

why can't they be plugged into an adsl line?

without looking back at the original links - presumably because they are not adsl modems - they are just routers.

Often you get modems/routers combined - but not always - so you need to understand the different functions - eg
adsl modem - connects you to the outside world through the adsl bit of you phone line

router - is a switch that tells the signals to go to the right computer in a subnetwork (eg your home network of x computers).

nappyaddict · 21/10/2006 16:01

they are modem routers that's why i thought they can be plugged into adsl line.

hangingbyathread · 21/10/2006 16:07

belikins are rubbish,we had 3 faulty so got netgera&its fab we have 3 pc"s

throckenholt · 21/10/2006 16:10

it says :

System Requirements

  • Broadband (cable, DSL) Internet service and modem with Ethernet connection
  • so presumably that means it is just a router - and needs to be connected to a modem via an ethernet cable (the modem is then connected to the phone system for the ADSL connection).

presumably you want the DG834N rangemax next ADSL2+ modem wireless-N router.

nappyaddict · 22/10/2006 00:41

oh know as long as it connects to adsl that's fine as i already have a modem.

nappyaddict · 22/10/2006 00:42

i mean no not know. its late lol!

ClutterJunkie · 22/10/2006 02:34

i thought we'd be able to all use the inetrnet all at the same time if we had wireless...so on 3 p.cs i fitted adapters...and got so excited...then discovered that only 1 at a time can log on.... and then when we need to swap over...we have to switch off the router...unplug it..wait 5 secs...plug it back in...wait for it to run through its start up...it then goes onto standby...we switch it on...and only then can we go online at a different pc.

i'm sure there must be a way of having the whole house online at once...we are with telewst.

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