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ethernet routers
- Thread starter smiles101
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smiles101 said:
I wouldn't recommend getting a router with a USB print server. From personal experience, these rarely work with mac OS X. Your best luck is plugging in the printer to one of your macs and using the sharing feature on it.
For the router, I'd recommend a linksys WRT54GL. Out of the box, it is already a solid router, and if you ever feel like you need even more features, you can upgrade it with a firmware called DD-WRT.
linksys WRT54GL
thanks for taking the time to post. I did a little research on the linksy Wrt54GL....read lots of good things about it....but I'm concerned that I am too computer illiterate for it....I'll take a deep breath and hope for the best and that I can wrap my brain around it. cheers.
thanks for taking the time to post. I did a little research on the linksy Wrt54GL....read lots of good things about it....but I'm concerned that I am too computer illiterate for it....I'll take a deep breath and hope for the best and that I can wrap my brain around it. cheers.
It has a simple web interface, and usually it works out of the box. It's a good idea to log in and change the password and enable WEP.
When it arrives, why not just post here and one of us fellow owners could guide you through it?
When it arrives, why not just post here and one of us fellow owners could guide you through it?
Is Linksys Mac friendly?
Frustrated with my frequently-locked-up D-Link, I was also looking around for a new router and keep hearing Linksys recommended. But I thought I had also read that they were particularly Mac/OSX unfriendly (at least for those of us who aren't too computer savvy), and offered no Mac support?
Frustrated with my frequently-locked-up D-Link, I was also looking around for a new router and keep hearing Linksys recommended. But I thought I had also read that they were particularly Mac/OSX unfriendly (at least for those of us who aren't too computer savvy), and offered no Mac support?
WRT54G/GL is a wireless router; if you don't need the WiFi, purchase a wired only model.
WRT54G is $39 after $15 rebate
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16833124010
BEFSR41 is also $39 after $10 rebate
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16833124001
I have the WRT54G and it's a flawless, trouble-free router. I also have a Linksys BEFSR41 (wired only) router that I've owned for 6 years and I've never once had a problem with that router either.
The GL model was released with a $10 price tag because its running a Linux build as an OS so it's easily hackable; the regular models now are running Vx Works which isn't really hackable, and newer 54G models (v5 and later) have less memory as well for the OS, which is another reason why they're not as hack-friendly.
So to clarify-
WRT54G fine for most users
WRT54GL runs Linux, geared towards hackers and geeks, $10 more
If you don't need wireless, don't buy a wireless router. If you do buy a wireless one and you don't secure the network and router, or you don't turn off the wireless radio, then chances are that your network will get 'visitors' and most likely your computers will be compromised at the least, if not hacked and screwed around with.
Securing wireless routers and wireless networks is a fairly easy task even for someone who's inexperienced. (Setting up my wireless network was the first time I'd ever done it and it was easy for me.) If you get a wireless one, just be sure to set up some security if you are using it as a wireless router, and if you're not using the wireless, then just turn the wireless radio off and it will function only as a wired router.
I'd highly recommend Linksys products.
D-Link routers are 100% trash and I'd never buy one again even if my job or life depending on it because they lock and reboot frequently no matter what firmware you're running. I made the mistake of buying a $39 D-Link DI-524 router and it started rebooting/losing connection every 10 minutes after I owned it for like 2 days. I returned it, got a refund, and paid $60 for a WRT54G and have never one time had any problems.
I also would not recommend Netgear. I've had plenty of problems with Netgear routers rebooting as well and I'm surprised they're still in business either (same as D-Link).
Linksys man...trust Linksys.
As for Mac support or a lack of it - you honestly won't need it. All routers nowadays have browser-based configuration which can be handled by Safari, whether or not the package says "Mac support" on it.
WRT54G is $39 after $15 rebate
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16833124010
BEFSR41 is also $39 after $10 rebate
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16833124001
I have the WRT54G and it's a flawless, trouble-free router. I also have a Linksys BEFSR41 (wired only) router that I've owned for 6 years and I've never once had a problem with that router either.
The GL model was released with a $10 price tag because its running a Linux build as an OS so it's easily hackable; the regular models now are running Vx Works which isn't really hackable, and newer 54G models (v5 and later) have less memory as well for the OS, which is another reason why they're not as hack-friendly.
So to clarify-
WRT54G fine for most users
WRT54GL runs Linux, geared towards hackers and geeks, $10 more
If you don't need wireless, don't buy a wireless router. If you do buy a wireless one and you don't secure the network and router, or you don't turn off the wireless radio, then chances are that your network will get 'visitors' and most likely your computers will be compromised at the least, if not hacked and screwed around with.
Securing wireless routers and wireless networks is a fairly easy task even for someone who's inexperienced. (Setting up my wireless network was the first time I'd ever done it and it was easy for me.) If you get a wireless one, just be sure to set up some security if you are using it as a wireless router, and if you're not using the wireless, then just turn the wireless radio off and it will function only as a wired router.
I'd highly recommend Linksys products.
D-Link routers are 100% trash and I'd never buy one again even if my job or life depending on it because they lock and reboot frequently no matter what firmware you're running. I made the mistake of buying a $39 D-Link DI-524 router and it started rebooting/losing connection every 10 minutes after I owned it for like 2 days. I returned it, got a refund, and paid $60 for a WRT54G and have never one time had any problems.
I also would not recommend Netgear. I've had plenty of problems with Netgear routers rebooting as well and I'm surprised they're still in business either (same as D-Link).
Linksys man...trust Linksys.
As for Mac support or a lack of it - you honestly won't need it. All routers nowadays have browser-based configuration which can be handled by Safari, whether or not the package says "Mac support" on it.
linsky routers
so I;m thinking that perhaps the linksys WRT54GL might be more than I really need right now since I don't have wireless ability on the macs (yet I suppose) so I saw the Linksys Etherfast Cable/DSL Router BEFSR41
or the linksys WRT54G (which doesn't have linux)....oh I just saw the other posts....awesome. thanks so much..I feel less stressed already.
so I;m thinking that perhaps the linksys WRT54GL might be more than I really need right now since I don't have wireless ability on the macs (yet I suppose) so I saw the Linksys Etherfast Cable/DSL Router BEFSR41
or the linksys WRT54G (which doesn't have linux)....oh I just saw the other posts....awesome. thanks so much..I feel less stressed already.
apfhex said:
Problem with WPA is some hardware doesn't support it, only WEP. (like the Nintendo DS which is one of the devices I use on my WiFi network)
Here's what I did with my WRT54G to secure it (and would recommend to anyone setting up a wireless network):
-Set WEP or WPA and use a good key; I got mine from here
https://www.grc.com/passwords.htm
Completely random and the server never gives out the same key combination again
-Change the 3rd octet of the IP address of the router (change 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1 to something else, like 192.168.50.1) which isn't common or default
-Change the administrator password of the router (or set one)
-Disable the SSID broadcast of the wireless signal
-Change the SSID name to something else other than "default" (usually the default)
-Disable DHCP and configure static IP addresses for every machine connected to the router (ie starting with the first machine being 192.168.50.100)
-Enable MAC filtering (goes hand in hand with disabling DHCP, really)
Someone could still sniff the air but they'd have a hard time getting onto the network without an IP, an allowed MAC address, the WEP/WPA key, or the SSID name. I'm not saying "impossible", but I am saying that it's too difficult that they'd rather not waste the time, and they will instead drive down the street and find an unsecured network to mess with. Sure, sniffing the air potentially gives them the means to duplicate/steal an IP and MAC address, but they're still without the SSID or the key, so they're still pretty SOL.
Think of car thieves...they'd rather break into an unsecured car without an alarm and locked doors than break into one with locked doors, an alarm, and a removable faceplate on the stereo.
Linksys is mac friendly
I have a linksys router. Not wireless but it's a 4-port router and has stood the test of time for about 2.5 years now.Still goin' strong. It can get a little hot at times, just be sure to elevate it if it doesn't have that ability to do so on it's own.
I have a linksys router. Not wireless but it's a 4-port router and has stood the test of time for about 2.5 years now.Still goin' strong. It can get a little hot at times, just be sure to elevate it if it doesn't have that ability to do so on it's own.
I could be wrong, but you should be able to access the admin on the router by pointing your browser to http://192.168.1.1 and login in as user "admin" and password "admin" (if not try administrator as the user). As said above *change the default password immediately*. Have fun.smiles101 said:
ahhhhhhhhh
I received my Linksys router BEFSR41 and I'm lost....I can't even figure out if my internet provider address is a static or a dynamic one and I can't access the linskys router's web based utility http://192.168.1.1/...is that because I haven't hooked up or plugged in the router yet? any help would be much appreciated.
I received my Linksys router BEFSR41 and I'm lost....I can't even figure out if my internet provider address is a static or a dynamic one and I can't access the linskys router's web based utility http://192.168.1.1/...is that because I haven't hooked up or plugged in the router yet? any help would be much appreciated.
smiles101 said:
More than likely your ISP will be DHCP (dynamic). So, I would setup your outside interface that way. I don't use Linksys stuff but I'd guess that it was setup that way by default. If that does not work, then you'll have to call to get your IP info if you don't know it or have it written down somewhere.
Yes, you'll need to connect to the router to get to the management interface.