Vanity: FReeper help on selecting a wireless router.

Vanity | Oct. 22, 2014

[PROCON]

I'm moving from Oregon to Washington and my new cable provider (Charter TV) asks if I want to lease a wireless router to interact with their internet modem for $6.00/month.

I know nothing about wireless routers.

Should I go with the company or buy a router?

What kind? I only have one computer.

[Focault's Pendulum]

I'm rolling this out in time for Black Friday.

If you want I'll send you a Beta model!

Wal Mart is gonna be jammed with desire. Riots will ensue!

[PROCON]

Thanks for the link FRiend.

[Varmint Al]

I have one of these and it works fine. And YES Linux Mint 17 works fine with it as well as Windows OS.

Link to the Router HERE

Good Hunting... from Varmint Al

[Squawk 8888]

My ISP will troubleshoot regardless of who owns the equipment. They also have a reputation as one of the best in the country, and they’re about 40% cheaper than the big telcos :)

[Mogger]

Dewalt makes a cordless 18 volt router.

Looks like it's only good for cutting drywall and small window and door cuts in wood though.

I wonder what the original poster wants to carve?

Maybe he should look for a 120 volt version.

[Pontiac]

Some people have posted that since you only have one computer you don’t need a wireless router. This is not necessarily what you want to do however.

A router does offer you some added security against hackers by supplying what is called a hardware firewall. I would get one for this reason alone.

You also do not mention if you have a smart phone. If you do the wireless router would permit you to use your smart phone linked to the router to surf the internet and save on your data plan.

As others have stated your friends and relatives could come to your home and use your internet connection.

Although it is not difficult to set up a router you may want help.

I would advise buying rather than renting. They are not expensive rarely ware out. Most of the time if you have a problem with one you simply unplug it and plug it back in and it works fine.

Routers are not necessarily expensive. Someone you know probably has an old one setting around that they may give you. I and many people have recently upgraded to high speed smart routers and have the old one just sitting in the store room.

[PROCON]

I just knew you old FReepers would take over my thread.

But thanks for your input, I think...

[TomGuy]

Look on the cable co’s website to see what kinds are compatible.

I have Cox. Last spring I upgraded to a modem-router. I bought it from Cox for $130, rather than lease.

Be sure to get the DOCSIS 3.

[IllumiNaughtyByNature]

Go to Fry’s and but one, if just for home use.

[ConservativeMind]

Do you also have a phone with WiFi? Do you need wireless at all? if you do need WiFi, do you have thick walls and doors which would reduce your functional range (but for which newer wireless standard capable wireless routers can get through)?

[PROCON]

Wow, great link and price FRiend, thanks!

[Focault's Pendulum]

I just knew you old FReepers would take over my thread. But thanks for your input, I think.

It's our job. But I wish they would raise the minimum wage for extremely skilled thread hijackers..

[John W]

You’re quite welcome.

[Cboldt]

Appreciate that testimonial. One of these days a router will have to be replaced or upgraded. I've tried four or five different brands and models (usually a separate node on the network, as an access point); had a NetGear just quit (surprised me, it was built like a tank), a cheap Belkin, recently retired. The Linksys WRT54GS has been hanging in there for many years with reboots being rare, and too little time on the ASUS to say more than the initial impression is positive.

I just run the OEM software package, haven't tried OpenWRT.

[FredZarguna]

Sitting here with various G and N routers and extenders as well as switches and Powerline networks throughout my home and office, I'm going to agree with your statement in principle but I'm afraid I have to disagree in practice.

In my experience the WRT54GL is just as good as a wireless N router in the consumer price range. Despite the claims, wireless N degrades to 72 Mbps over about twenty feet of air. It's not unusual for me to see the signal of my G network one floor away running at 54 Mbps -- the same speed as all three of my N networks at that distance.

So I would say for most consumer applications WRT54GL will be just fine, and if he needs more, either bring the coax right in next to the TV and hardwire the TV to the router with Cat-5e/6, [and/]or buy an 802.11ac router. I've never really seen much difference between G and N, and in fact have found G to be more reliable when the signal forces speed within the G rated range.

[OL Hickory]

linksys makes one where (If ya have kids)you can set them up on their own network (IE xboxes etc) at 2.4ghz..then the parents can have a 2nd network up to 5ghz...however it is a little pricy..

[FredZarguna]

Lucky you.

In my ideal world, I could buy service from several competitors. But in my actual world, it's Comcast or nothing.

[Wayne07]

Definitely buy a router, it will pay for itself a few months. People saying they get better from the cable company are probably confusing the router with the modem (which sometimes has an integrated router). There may be a reason to take the cable company's modem (probably not though), but there is NO reason to take their router.

Lots of people suggesting the Linksys wrt54g, which was great 10 years ago. You can get router that support a/b/g/n for about the same price, and will be 6x as fast.

I wouldn't plug your computer straight into the router even if you could, because you are exposing your computer directly to the internet. A router provides at least some layer of protection.

I'd get this $19 router from amazon: http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-WR841N-Wireless-Router-300Mpbs/dp/B001FWYGJS/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1414027456&sr=1-1&keywords=wireless+n+router

[TomGuy]

from google: charter cable recommended modem

Compliant Modems on Charter’s Network
http://www.myaccount.charter.com/customers/support.aspx?supportarticleid=2623

[Additional links and info from the google search]

[Wayne07]

You are right that G is better at range, and penetration, than N, but why wouldn’t want a router that supported both? That way you can get great seed when your are in range, but can fall back to G if you want to work out on the patio.