Best Third Party Wireless Router
I am looking into getting DSL soon, and I'd love to have wireless internet for my laptops. The only problem is the cost. I can't afford the Airport Basestation. I know a lot of people here use third party stations, and I wondered which you liked. I'd like it to be easy to set up, cheap, and have some 10/100 ports so I can wire my iMac and PC. Thanks.
Comments
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00006HYKM/qid=1038116417/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_1/104-2536329-1393509?v=glance&s=electronics&n=507846"; target="_blank">Netgear MR814 - Amazon</a>
Amazon's prices change frequently, so I don't know how long that will last.
<strong>Thanks. Does anyone know how well that netgear works with macs (since all but one of my computers run OS X)? Thanks.</strong><hr></blockquote>
I would go with the netgear over the Linksys. I have connected to a netgear wireless before and it works fine.
Note that the Airport base station has an internal modem.
D
[ 11-24-2002: Message edited by: drewprops ]</p>
<strong>And then if you asked ME I'd say to go with the Linksys, because that's the one that I'VE used with great success. We just bought one of them for our office and it works like a charm. Plus, it has four ethernet ports so that you can add computers that do not have wireless capability.
Note that the Airport base station has an internal modem.
D
[ 11-24-2002: Message edited by: drewprops ]</strong><hr></blockquote>
Which Linksys do you own? The only one I found had only 1 port, but the one you have sounds good. How easy was it to set up on a Mac?
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00005ARK3/qid=1038189769/sr=8-3/ref=sr_8_3/104-7230141-4698325?v=glance&s=electronics&n=507846"; target="_blank">Amazon: Linksys Wireless 4 port cable/dsl router</a>
As for the wireless part, you have to open up a web browser, type in the router's address (something like 192.168.1.1) to access the router's features, and turn on WEP, set a password, and enter it into your laptops. If you have a Mac laptop, then you'll have to generate the 128 bit key and enter it into the airport setup I think, preceded by a dollar sign ($).
I'd go with the Netgear, not just because I own one, but because they have a rugged full metal enclosure. It's lterallty a metal box with stuff inside of it, which I like because I can stack stuff on top of it, and it has mounting screw holes for mounting on a wall.
I owned a plastic switch a long time ago, and all it took was an eighteen inch fall to the floor to cause it to shatter. I'm sure the Linksys is well built, but I'd take a metal enclosure over plastic any day. Also, I don't know about the Linksys, but the firmware in the Netgear routers allows the router to communicate your new IP information directly to DynDNS.org if you maintain a dynamic domain with them.
ANYTHING but Linksys - bad support and high failure rate. They are OK when things are working perfectly, but then, so is a Wintel.....
- offtopic question -
I guess I can ask my question here, although it is a bit off topic. Sorry for the topic hijack. I'm thinking of setting up my parent's home with an all wireless network. I think i will be getting the SMC Wireless Router. I just like SMC because their products are top notch (own a 4 port SMC router) and they have 24 hr tech support/cust service. Probably good for my parents in case the router acts up.
Anyway, would just the wireless router and hooking up all the PC's with PCI wirless cards (mac's w/ airport card) be enough, or do I need to get something like a repeater to boost signal? Are the Wireless USB Network Adapters for this purpose? We have 2 floors and a basement. I think I will be setting everything up in my old room which was in the basement. Although I am thinking of setting up the cable modem/wireless router and everything possibly on the first floor to get better reception radius area wide. Mind you this is a big house with more than 6 rooms. So I am worried about reception. Is there a certain way I should be setting this up?
thanks for any help.
<strong>I have a Netgear RT314 router and I love it. It's basically the same thing as the aforementioned wireless router in this article, just without the antenna.
I'd go with the Netgear, not just because I own one, but because they have a rugged full metal enclosure. It's lterallty a metal box with stuff inside of it, which I like because I can stack stuff on top of it, and it has mounting screw holes for mounting on a wall.
I owned a plastic switch a long time ago, and all it took was an eighteen inch fall to the floor to cause it to shatter. I'm sure the Linksys is well built, but I'd take a metal enclosure over plastic any day. Also, I don't know about the Linksys, but the firmware in the Netgear routers allows the router to communicate your new IP information directly to DynDNS.org if you maintain a dynamic domain with them.</strong><hr></blockquote>
How as it to set up the your 314? I know it is almost identical to the 814, but I know nothing about it. As much good as I've heard about linksys, the negative reports are stearing me in another direction. Macworld reviewed the Netgear 314 in July and liked it alot, but they didn't really say anything about setup.
AND, I've personally had very good performance out of my Linksys, so it's down to personal experience when you go asking all of us to comment on what we suggest. I don't doubt that some people have had problems with the Linksys equipment, but I also expect that the Netgear stuff has its own doggy batches. The worst you could do is buy one brand or the other and give it a try.
One more thing:
I'd say to put your router in a safer place to begin with. If you decide that armor-plating is necessary for your equipment I'd suggest that you re-examine the safety of your environment. I don't buy televisions to withstand 3 foot falls to the floor, or refrigerators that can withstand toppling over on their sides.....I set the equipment up in a safe manner to begin with and work from there.
So go on, buy one of these routers and get going!
<strong>
How as it to set up the your 314? I know it is almost identical to the 814, but I know nothing about it. As much good as I've heard about linksys, the negative reports are stearing me in another direction. Macworld reviewed the Netgear 314 in July and liked it alot, but they didn't really say anything about setup.</strong><hr></blockquote>
I never touched a setup screen to install my Netgear router. I just plugged it in and plugged everything else in. DHCP serveris on by default, so you shouldn't have to touch it. You can run their five step or so setup wizard to change the admin password, and a few other setings. I eventually went to the setup screen to see what my real IP was, and while I was there I found out about the automatic DynDNS.org updating via the router, and I had it spoof my mac's MAC address.
I've never heard bad things about Netgear routers, but then again, no company is perfect, so there is always going to be someone upset with one company or another. The Netgear router is better built, and I've never had a single problem with it. It's been running 24/7 for the past three years
Thanks again.