Advice for a wireless router for an aol/virgin media set up
 

Hi

I have AOL broadband which was taken over by Virgin media a while ago. I still have and use an AOL modem and it is fed via a cable from the TV area of my home and that feeds into my PC. When i want to go on the internet, i click on my aol icon and go straight into my aol pages etc which is what i want.

So my query is what type of wireless router do i need for me and a potential tenant to use in my home (2 bedroomed, end of terrace home). Is it a dsl or adsl wireless router that i need? Is there anyone reading this who has the AOL modem taken over via Virgin media who now have a wireless router and which one did you get? Any tips etc. What are the pros and cons of such wireless routers? I am a complete novice with this subject and it is only so i can offer a good quality of broadband to any prospective tenant. Can Virgin can supply me with one of their pre-configured Netgear routers, how much are they?I am on their 'L' package according to my bills (although i think somehow that translates into 'medium' package in reality - most confusing). Also apart from the cost of the router will it cost me anything else afterwards? Can all people with PC's or laptops use wireless routers and what ISP will the 'tenant' end up with e.g. will they automatically end up with aol? Will they be able to access my pc or internet? Please advise.....

What are the legal implications of two people sharing a wireless router if say one person downloads/uses it for 'illegal' purposes? I would hate to be caught up in or impacted upon by anything the other user might do....

So does anyone know about continuing to use AOL's software with Virgin via a wireless router?

Ironically i did have a virgin media connection in the 'tenants' room but it doesn't seem to be connected anymore if indeed it ever was! unless i give this room a different address and advise the royal mail and council accordingly, Virgin media won't let me have another account in my home! Instead i would have to pay for a landline to be installed from the postoffice for £107 and then get it transferred into another internet providers name! Seems stupid to me. Any advice here?

Trying to decide what is the easist/cheapest/safest set-up to have. Sorry i have asked a lot here!!

Thanks
Reiki Sue

Re: Advice for a wireless router for an aol/virgin media set up
 

It is a Cable router you need. ADSL modem routers will not work

They are £47.50 for any existing broadband customer

If it says L on your bill you are on the L service

No

No, they will not access AOL. Your ISP is now Virgin Media, however you have access to the AOL pages because it was set up on your PC. If you connected a new PC you wouldn't automatically have access to AOL or Virgn or anything else. It would be up to the person using the computer to choose

Not unless you let them

The account holder would be liable as you control the connection

There would be no issue. As far as I know the AOL software doesn't really care how it connects to the internet

Your only option for a completely seperate account is a BT line based service

Re: Advice for a wireless router for an aol/virgin media set up
 

Having worked for both companies, I can only agree with the above poster.

Re: Advice for a wireless router for an aol/virgin media set up
 

Hi

Thank you both for your replies - you did well to assist me! in the mean time i called Virgin Media (didn't expect them to answer phone so late at night but they were there!). They are sending me a Netgear wireless router for just £7.50 as i have a 'L' package with them! They only thing i forgot to ask as i didn't know, was do i need a wireless LAN usb adapter or a wireless 32 bit card? I don't think my pc is geared up for being wireless??? It is about 4 years old, e-machine however as i am learning very fast about the 'wireless routers world', i do recollect information you may need to know which is that my PC is intel pentium 4 and it mentions on the label of the hard drive: intel pro 10/100 lan for connectivity to broadband cable/dsl? So am i already ok for wireless afterall? If not which of the card or usb adapter is best? would i need to order one for me and one for prospective tenant?

Many thanks
Reiki Sue

---------- Post added at 01:39 ---------- Previous post was at 01:21 ----------

Hi

Just another query - i'm about to renew my Norton internet security package 2009 over the next few days will this or the wireless router cause any conflict with one another? What should i do if it does? Or should i just come back to this forum if it does? Maybe shouldn't pre-empt a problem :)!

Cheers
Reiki Sue

Re: Advice for a wireless router for an aol/virgin media set up
 

Assuming you've got a spare PIC-E slot in your motherboard you can just buy one of these: http://www.ebuyer.com/product/132449 and plonk it in.

Re: Advice for a wireless router for an aol/virgin media set up
 

the 10/100 means that your motherboard has an onboard (built in) network card which can handle 100mbits (data transfer speed) which is more than enough because on your L package you only transfer at 4mbit. This is for a wired connection though which you wont be using which is why you either need a usb dongle or a card like chicken has recommended above. Whatever you do do NOT buy the one chicken has given you the link for because you will not have a pci express slot on your motherboard. I doubt you'll know how to pop it in either. The best thing you can do from a cost point of view is buy this http://www.play.com/PC/PCs/-/661/868...archtype=genre and you can stick it in the USB ports on the front of your pc if you have them.

And no, your norton security package wont conflict with your router.