Help with buying a router please :D
 

ok guys, my new laptop SHOULD be coming on monday *hopefully!*

Now i need the wireless router.

I want a decent router, and looking to spend £30-£40 ideally. It doesnt have to be the latest router, and to be honest I dont know anything about routers. All i know is that i need a cable router!

I looked at this router:

http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/produ...duct_uid=78215

seems it would suffice my needs, but i actually have no idea! I dont think it even says wat the wireless range is! So can some1 hook me up with a router ASAP plz:disturbd::dunce:

Thanks!

Re: Help with buying a router please :D
 

That one would do you fine :) Used one myself.

Re: Help with buying a router please :D
 

Steer clear of the WRK54G in that package, it will cause you nothing but problems.


Your laptop should come with built in wireless as it's the norm these days. I'd recommend one of the Netgears, or maybe a WRT54GL (Note the L, this is the only version that's not cut down any more)

Re: Help with buying a router please :D
 

conflicting replies:erm:

can u guys plz link to suitable routers please if u suggest one!

Re: Help with buying a router please :D
 

£8 more expensive, but seriously, it's worth it:
http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/103185

Re: Help with buying a router please :D
 

I have Win XP running, if that matters!

Re: Help with buying a router please :D
 

Yeah, I agree with Druchii you laptop should come with wireless built in so that wireless adaptor is not really needed. I would get the Linksys WRT54G router. You can find it on ebuyer. I'm not sure what the differences are between the WRT54G router and the WRT54GL but I have a WRT54G.

Can you tell us which laptop your getting?

Re: Help with buying a router please :D
 

It's odd, the WRK series isn't listed on the UK Linksys products for wireless broadband. That might indicate their suitability for something needed in the UK. The WRT54 series are listed, and have been around for many years.

Re: Help with buying a router please :D
 

The L version runs on Linux, not VXWORKS as the new WRT54G's do. They also have more memory, and are equivalent to a Version 4 WRT54G, which, in many opinions was one of the best routers Linksys ever made.

The WRK54G however, disconnected wireless whenever it felt like it, destroyed it's settings at will and generally enjoyed rebooting itself. They are cut down versions of WRT54G's, but they are cut down way too much. Also, signal strenth was an issue for me as well.

Re: Help with buying a router please :D
 

Thanks Druchii, I will remember the WRT54GL router next time if my router ever dies.

Re: Help with buying a router please :D
 

laptop is this:

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/product.php..._kelkoo_search

but from comet

Re: Help with buying a router please :D
 

Nice laptop, yeah you won't need a wireless adaptor it has it built in. :)

Re: Help with buying a router please :D
 

What he said :tu:

Re: Help with buying a router please :D
 

How about one of these???

http://www.play.com/PC/PCs/4-/113102...g/Product.html

http://www.play.com/PC/PCs/4-/113108...g/Product.html

are there any cheap/good ones in comet/currys/pcworld etc?

Re: Help with buying a router please :D
 

Re: Help with buying a router please :D
 

Just to throw a spanner in the works, I have a WRK54G and it works perfectly, installed it fine and it runs like a dream, £40 from Maplins with a free wireless card :tu:

Re: Help with buying a router please :D
 

thx for that! so can i buy online and collect instore, avoiding the £5 delivery charge?

edit: I CAN!... think I might buy it today and go get it :D

PS, can every1 confirm that is the ideal one to buy?

or, for a few pounds more, how is:
http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/sto...ory_oid=-28361
?

---------- Post added at 14:56 ---------- Previous post was at 14:53 ----------

Debbie, how about this one:

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/sto...&category_oid=
that Nikesh said... how is that?

Re: Help with buying a router please :D
 

Looks good flower, go for it and remember if you have any problems I'm sure the good folk here will be able to help....

Re: Help with buying a router please :D
 

which one???

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/sto...&category_oid=

or

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/sto...ory_oid=-28361

:D

Re: Help with buying a router please :D
 

The speedbooster one will only be useful to you if you get a Linksys wireless adaptor that has speedbooster too. If I was you, I'd just get the normal one. It's a shame you don't live in Leicester because I'm going PC World today. :D

Re: Help with buying a router please :D
 

I'd go for this one, WRT54GS

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/sto...ory_oid=-28361

[edit]

Definitely go for the speedbooster one although as Nikesh says you will only get an advantage if you have a speedbooster adaptor, but you may need it one day and for the sake of a few £ you may as well get it.

Re: Help with buying a router please :D
 

Actually SnoopZ is right, it's only a couple of quid more, so if in the future you do get a speedbooster wireless adaptor you would be able to make use of it properly. :)

Re: Help with buying a router please :D
 

You come to Wembley ;)

I think i will create a new thread now with a poll! or can i do that on this thread!? I think it has to be one of these 2 routers!

Re: Help with buying a router please :D
 

Speedbooster one, it's only a couple more quid.

Re: Help with buying a router please :D
 

Agree with Nikesh !!!

Re: Help with buying a router please :D
 

And also has twice as much RAM which will help with basic things and make the router itself much more responsive even without the Speedbooster.

Normal WRT54G's have 8mb. Speedbooster models have 16 :)

Re: Help with buying a router please :D
 

UPDATE!!!

Bought the GS UK router today!

works fine... took about 20mins to install:rolleyes: never used a router before lol.

Took 30 mins to try and get the internet working on the PDA.... its sooo hard with a little screen like that:(

laptop should be here tomoz, and i guess that should be easier to get working!

NOW I ***THINK*** it is secure, but cant be sure as I cant tell much from the PDA. Asked my neighbour to chk if he can access it, and he is busy playing monopoly.... so i will find out this evening if it is secure, or I will find out tomoz :D

or some1 might get to access my internet freeee for 1 day:)

oooh the joy they can have;)

thanks all for ur help.......... now just help me out with ONE SMALLLLLL thing.......

I need a USB mouse for the laptop... today in PCWORLD there was a "PCLINE" mouse for £7.50 [half price i think it was]... but PC LINE i dont think is the greatest company... so can some1 hook me up with a decent USB mouse for around £5??? will look on play.com later... but if there is anywhere else i can look?:dozey:

Re: Help with buying a router please :D
 

Good to hear you got GS model in the end. :D

If go on this under Security, you can see whether your network is protected or not.

Re: Help with buying a router please :D
 

thx, i THINK it is secured... there was a lot of other stuff too lol

Re: Help with buying a router please :D
 

To secure your Linksys make sure you change the following.

In the router settings change:-

1)Under Wireless/Basic Wireless Settings tab change the SSID and disable Wireless SSID Broadcast.

2)Under Wireless/Wireless Security tab change the Security mode, mines set to WPA Personel.

3)Under Wireless/Wireless Security tab change the WPA Shared Key : password.

4)Consider using the Wireless MAC Filter, for example mine just has the modem and Xbox 360 MAC in the list so nothing else is aloud.

5) Change the password you enter to get into the router config page. I think you do that from the Administration tab.

Re: Help with buying a router please :D
 

5, done
4, will consider after i get the laptop!
3, i think i set it to WEP 128bit, coz i had a choice of 4 and didnt know which one to choose lol.
1, what will that do?

Re: Help with buying a router please :D
 

1) It will stop other computers SEEING you when they do a search for a wireless connection and changing the default password SSID is VERY important.

Don't use WEP use WPA personel or WPA2 Personel.

Re: Help with buying a router please :D
 

I have my SSID broadcasted and I use a WEP key. I find it easier to connect devices when my SSID is broadcasted. What's wrong with using WEP?

Re: Help with buying a router please :D
 

When you have connected a device that device should remember it so you can then turn SSID broadcast off to make yourself more secure.

WPA is a much improved encryption standard and WEP is pretty weak, please see the link below.

Securing your wireless network.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wi-Fi_Protected_Access

Re: Help with buying a router please :D
 

kk! i will change to WPA after tomorrow:)

Re: Help with buying a router please :D
 

Thanks again SnoopZ, I will consider changing the security setup on my router. :)