Router Questions

[cfs]

Hello Forum,

I am looking for a wireless router and wondering if anyone here has any insight that would point me in a product direction.

My setup is pretty basic. I have my imac (intel), macbook, and wireless hp printer.

I would like my imac to be directly hooked up to the internet and router and my macbook and printer to be wireless. I would also like to be able to shut off the wireless when I don't need it on.

Thanks,

CFS

 

[Krafty]

http://www.linksysbycisco.com/US/en/products/WRT160N
http://www.netgear.com/Products/RoutersandGateways/RangeMaxWirelessNRoutersandGateways/CG3000.aspx

 

[glassx]

get a linksys wrt160n only $75 at target/walmart. I have a similar setup and it does the job fine.

 

[cfs]

Does the linskey have an on/off switch? I tried to read site but couldn't find the info on it.

 

[rcf-dds]

i have the linksys:

not sure if there's a way to shut it off from your comp - guessing the only way to shut it off is unplugging it

 

[txhockey9404]

It might be out of your price range, but considering this is a Mac forum, you use Macs, and this is generally a great product, I must recommend the Airport Extreme. It is more expensive than most routers, but I think the easiness of Airport Utility compared to the web interfaces is worth every extra dollar. I loved my first so much that I went out and bought another Extreme and an Express so my whole house is covered both wirelessly and wired. I guarantee you will love it. It literally takes no more than 15 minutes for initial setup and to plug everything in. The newer ones (which I don't have), even have dual-band technology, so you could put your HP printer on a Wireless B/G/N 2.4ghz network and put your MB on Wireless N only 5ghz for more speed.

 

[cfs]

Thanks for the replies so far. Today I went to Apple and Bestbuy and walked out of both stores. Apple was trying to convince me the Airport Extreme was the one for me. I am sure it is but I can max out at $100.00 possibly $120.00.

I then went to Best Buy and asked about routers. I spoke to 2 different peopel and got 2 different answers.

Sales Person 1:

You should get the Airport but if it is too pricey you need to get the NETGEAR - RangeMax Wireless-N Gigabit Router with 4-Port Ethernet Switch. The reason you need this over regular N is because macs are 10/1000 something or other and if you use a regular N your download speed on the imac attached to the router will be slow.

Sales Person 2:

Get the cheaper one. The regular N. It doesn't matter for you.

Any insight Forum?

I opted for the Netgear WRN2000 Wireless N router at $80.00. No opened yet though cause still researching.

Thanks,

CFS

 

[cfs]

GB router vs. non GB router

Hello Forum,

I am currently searching like mad to find a router that fits my needs. I had some good help on a prior post but have come to a research standstill as I am getting lots of different information regarding the usefulness of a gb router over a non gb router.

If my imac will be wired and my macbook will be wireless, will my imac connection speed be slowed down by being wired to the non gb router?

thanks,

cfs

 

[mkrishnan]

Please continue using your existing thread... I made the title more general for you.

If you get the 100mbps router instead of the gigabit one, it will mostly affect wired intranet transmissions. I'm assuming you don't have an internet service provider at >100mbps, right? So it won't speed up communication to the public internet.

In principle, the 802.11n wireless traffic can exceed the 100mbps, but AFAIK, even under the most ideal conditions, this rarely if ever happens, so you won't be impeded much on the wireless-N to wired-mbit connection.

But I'm sure someone with an 802.11n AEBS can provide more specific info.

 

[cfs]

I. I'm assuming you don't have an internet service provider at >100mbps, right?.

So

Thanks for consolidating for me.

As for my connection speed, you are correct, it is not greater than 100mbps.

I understand your explanation about the wireless connection but I do have a clarifying question for you if you wouldn't mind answering it.

You wrote if you get the 100mbps router instead of the gigabit one, it will mostly affect wired intranet transmissions.

...but the last sentence states it won't speed up communication to the public internet

I am a bit confused if you are saying the gb "will" make my wired connection faster or "will not".

Thanks.

cfs

 

[mkrishnan]

I am a bit confused if you are saying the gb "will" make my wired connection faster or "will not".

It would help if you read. It will definitely speed up wired, intranet communication between devices that have gigabit ethernet. Intranet means traffic in the local network. So if you have two wired devices on the gigabit local network, file transfers between them will be dramatically faster than if you had a 100 mbps network... On the other hand, since your connection to the public internet (e.g. web pages, etc) via your ISP is <100mbps, the gigabit router doesn't help with that.

 

[cfs]

I get it. Thanks for the explanation.