Set Top Box - What Router?

[Mark_S]

Hi first post so go easy

I have the silver set top box (Samsung),
and i'm thinking or needing to make my set up Wireless.
Partly because of MS rebooting my machine in the night and then the network dropping due to this.
And peace of mind that i don't have to have my machine running all the time.

Ive rang virgin about this and i'm sorry i cant understand the person at the other end at 25p per min.

Ive searched various threads and most seem to mention the modem? But my Internet connection comes out the back of my set top box, then to my PC, So what Router do i need?

Questions :
1. Netgear or linksys seem okay.
I have x2 linksys access point to act as repeaters for a better reception around the home (WAP546 v2)802.g
Any pre fences or recommendation for signal strength and reliability ?

2: What type of Router?
As mentioned above im hooked up via my set top box then Ethernet to my PC.

3. What they like to configure?
4. Where can i get the settings?


Thanks in advance for any help

Mark

[MovedGoalPosts]

to Cable Forum

I've been quite happy with a Linkysys WRT54GS, but there are many others. If you do go for Linksys avoid some of their most basic range, they don't quite have enough memory if you push your service. If you like flashing the router with your own firmware - in some cases can imporve performance - get the WRT54GL (linux) version.

Connection is fairly simple, and applies for most routers to the STB.

1) Power off STB and computer.
2) Connect ethernet between STB and router WAN port
3) Connect ethernet between router LAN port and PC ethernet card
4) Boot up all STB, router, PC
5) log into internet - you should now be taken to the registration screen for the Virgin Media server - you'll need your existing account and password details. You want to set up the router as a new computer, not create a new account.
6) Now your router is recognised, you can proceed to setup whatever wireless connections - and security of the wireless - that you desire.

[Mark_S]

Humm,
Sorry i think i need to re-word this to help you understand.

My objective is to have a router that i can leave switched on and then can switch off my main pc.

I'm not too sure what type of router i need or in my current set up if it can be done?

I don't mind buying say a NetGear or something else,
but i'm confused when i do a search?

Most of the topic refer to a modem setup and i have a set top box that provides me with TV and Internet 2mb

Just need to know How thanks
I'm dont want to spend £90 on a router to find its the wrong one

Thanks mark.

I'm not sure if you are understanding what a router is / does?

A router shares one internet connection between multiple devices.

It is, however, no use if all those devices are switched off ...

Whether the router is connected to a modem or set top box, makes no difference to that

- I do apologise if I am misunderstanding your posts, but what other device(s) are you wanting to connect, when you don't need your main PC running?

[Mark_S]

Ok,
if i had a ADSL connection i would use a ADSL Router,
and with that type of connection only the router would need to be switched on. And if it was a wireless ADSL Router then like the sky set up no pc's need to be "Swithced on"

Now i dont have a Virgin / NTL Modem my internet connection is via my Set Top Box and from there goes to a main pc where the internet connection sharing takes place.

But if the main Pc isnt switched on then no one can use the internet. And what i want to achive is like the sky setup for broadband. That's a with a wireless router, and no need for a main machine to be switched on constantly to provide wifi to other machines around the house.

Where i'm getting confused is this.

I dont have a NTL modem,
I have a set top box so how can i make my home wifi like a sky broadband set up?

What steps do i need to take.

[MovedGoalPosts]

For cable think of Set Top Box = Modem. They do the same job

You can't get a combined modem and router for cable service like you can get a combined router & ADSL modem.

If you connect your Set Top Box to the WAN ethernet port on a cable compatible router then your home network will operate without the need for a PC to be running, but you do still require your Set Top Box to be on as well as the router. Computers ethernet (or wireless) connected to the router can then operate independently of any other computer.

[Mark_S]

Haaa its making sense now

Apologies i completely forgot about leaving the set top box on as i never turn the dam thing off lol..

Okay what is a Cable Compatible Router?
Could i purchase a ADSL ROUTER and disable the ADSL ?
Just cutting courners with that idea, and wanting to keep my opitons open with ISP Providers you see.

If i have to pay say £70 - £90 for a Virgin (Set topbox) compatable router its a bit of a waste really? I would like to be able to use that router with another service too.

But if i cant i cant,
Sorry i go off on thoughts easily lol

1. What Router would i need to purchase (Examples)
2. Where would i get the settings from to set it up?

Thanks for sticking with me on this one,
but i'm sure it will help others too

---------- Post added at 00:05 ---------- Previous post was yesterday at 23:29 ----------

Originally Posted by Rob

on a cable compatible router then your home network will operate without the need for a PC

What do i need then?

homealone : I dont know if i need a Router or not, these are the questions i'm trying to get answers to. And if so what type.

My Current Set up (Hard Wired)
SIGNAL >>> SAMSUNG SET TOP BOX >>>>> ETHERNET TO MAIN PC >>>> INTERNET CONECTION SHARING >>> OTHER PC'S ON NET WORK

And I want it like sky has as there broad band set up

SIGNAL >>> ROUTER >>> WIRLESS

How and what do i need, that's all ive been asking from the start. As i'm not sure.

Now as ROB suggested :
SIGNAL >>> SET TOP BOX >>> ROUTER

What type do i need? (To look up online)
And where do i get the settings from?

phew !

[MovedGoalPosts]

Simply put you need a router without an inbuilt modem. The router can be connected to any modem, cable or ADSL using it's WAN ethernet port.

There are a number of routers available, but many users on here have favoured those by Linksys. Since you already have some Linksys kit, that might suit you too.

A suitable model might be the Linksys WRT54G series assuming you are happy with the 54Mbps maximum wireless speeds. There are many versions though. The Linux model WRT54GL which some have found easy to update the firmware on is available for around £42.00 http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showpr...odid=NW-052-LS

See my post #2 above, for how to connect and setup. There should be no settings to load into the router to get it online, but you will need your account details to register the router with the Virgin Media server, which you do online through your browser.

[Mark_S]

got yu

So is it only the first time i access the net through the router that i have to register ?

Like if the engineer came and swapped out a set top box
i would / used to do start.NTL and enter my PID and other info.

Or will every machine need to do this ?

What would be your choice in this situations (brand of router)
I'm not bothered its the quality / strength of signal too.
What about a netgear 108mb?

[smiffing]

Looking at Maplin today, the cable routers were at least £10.00 cheaper than the ADSL routers, I bought an ADSL modem router for £50.00, you could expect to pay about £29.99 - £40.00 for a halfway decent "cable router".

[MovedGoalPosts]

you only need to register the device directly connected to the STB once, (router or computer) after that the VM servers will know of it. Yes if the STB gets swapped you would need to register again.

You'll see the model I suggested in my previous posts. I have no experience of Netgear routers, but I've not heard any especially adverse comments. It seems that each brand has those who get on OK wiith then and those who have difficulty.

[Mark_S]

Thanks for your help

Looks like i'm going shopping Thank you again.

[dragon]

Originally Posted by Rob

you only need to register the device directly connected to the STB once, (router or computer) after that the VM servers will know of it. Yes if the STB gets swapped you would need to register again.

You'll see the model I suggested in my previous posts. I have no experience of Netgear routers, but I've not heard any especially adverse comments. It seems that each brand has those who get on OK wiith then and those who have difficulty.

Used a couple of Netgear DSL routers (DG834GT and a DG834 Sky)
Both seemed to work ok although I did manage to make the DG834GT go very slow and need a reboot when i bombarded it with a lot of traffic.

My dad has a Netgear Rangemax router (sorry don't know the model) on his VM connection as far as i know he's fairly happy with it.

I've used an older linksys 802.11b router before that was quite good.

I have a friend who has a basic cheapo linksys ADSL router and had to have it replaced due to a fault and it looks like it might be playing up again.

I've also used a d-link Adsl router and had problems.

Of course that probably has no relivence since we're looking at cable routers here and its not so much one company vs another since performance/quality varies between models.