Wireless routers

[Easy 10]

I want one.

Are they simple to install ? Do I just chuck it in the corner, plug it into the mains, atttach my ethernet cable, then rock n' roll ? My laptop always "seeks" the wireless signal (a little pop-up bubble comes up in the bottom-right corner), but up until now I've not bothered. However, now I have the Wii as well, I want to get wi-fi'd up.

Is it straightforward even for a TECHNOSPACK like me, or is there something fiendish and complex waiting to TRIP me up and leave me WEEPING with frustration ?

Over to the collective wisdom of NSC...

 

[El Presidente]

Piece of piss, you might need to set up passwords to link the two pieces of kit together, but will then be fine.

Your Wii should be able to link to it too

 

[clippedgull]

I want one.

Are they simple to install ? Do I just chuck it in the corner, plug it into the mains, atttach my ethernet cable, then rock n' roll ? My laptop always "seeks" the wireless signal (a little pop-up bubble comes up in the bottom-right corner), but up until now I've not bothered. However, now I have the Wii as well, I want to get wi-fi'd up.

Is it straightforward even for a TECHNOSPACK like me, or is there something fiendish and complex waiting to TRIP me up and leave me WEEPING with frustration ?

Over to the collective wisdom of NSC...

If you are going WIRELESS you won't need to attach an ETHERNET cable. But you probably are talking about the phone line, which you will need to attach to the router.

 

[Easy 10]

If you are going WIRELESS you won't need to attach an ETHERNET cable. But you probably are talking about the phone line, which you will need to attach to the router.

Is that not the internet cable that I currently RAM into the back of my lappy ?

 

[Cian]

That is an ethernet cable.

 

[Easy 10]

Thought so
Thanks gents. Does it matter what router I buy ? Are the more expensive ones QUICKER or something ?

 

[clippedgull]

Is that not the internet cable that I currently RAM into the back of my lappy ?

Are you using Virgin Media?

If so, then I will pass, as I'm not sure what leads come out of those cable boxes.

 

[Easy 10]

I am indeed a Virgin Media Whore.

 

[Skint Gull]

Do you not get one for free? I've never paid for one and i've had 3 different providers. I'd check if a new customer would get one for free with them and then if they do call and threaten to cancel if they don't give you one?

 

[Easy 10]

I got the modem for free, didn't see anything about a free wireless router though.

 

[Hercules Rockerfeller]

I got the modem for free, didn't see anything about a free wireless router though.

I bought a relatively cheap Belkin one (£19.99. It may be where I live, but it is not always reliable. I think I know about as much as you about these things though, so maybe someone more learned can enlighten us both!

 

[Simster]

Piss easy to install. Always worth going through the KERFUFFLE of WEP encrypting your network so that your sneaky neighbours don't log on and use all your bandwidth.

I have 2 PCs, my laptop, a NAS file server, my WII, and a Squeezebox ( ) all hooked up on my wireless network

 

[bhaexpress]

I bought a decent one for £35 at PC World, it's a kit with a USB wireless adaptor as well from Dlink, it's only a router, no modem but iti's very easy to set up.

 

[Badger]

I got the modem for free, didn't see anything about a free wireless router though.

You get a free one if you're on the 4Mb or 10Mb plan but not the 2Mb one. Of course being Virgin Media they didn't actually give me a wireless router on installation day so I had to phone some guy in India and get them to send me one.....which still hasn't arrived after 9 days

 

[Wozza]

Make sure you get a CABLE router, Easy.

 

[Easy 10]

CABLE router. Right, thanks Wozza.

As for phoning India - frankly, lifes too short. I'll just buy one I think.

 

[Wardy]

I have one that I have wired to my PC since that does not have wireless and run the Wii and the laptop via wireless through it. However I have a problem that I cannot use the Wii and the PC at the same time. I am sure it is a simple thing to sort out but my level of knowledge about Wireless routers is some what lower then my knowledge about other computer stuff.

 

[Curious Orange]

Another tip - its always worth shifting the channel that the wi-fi is working on away from the default one (I think that is 11) as you sometime get interference when you have two neighbouring wireless networks running on the same channel.

You will not be charged for this advice.

 

[sten_super]

I have one that I have wired to my PC since that does not have wireless and run the Wii and the laptop via wireless through it. However I have a problem that I cannot use the Wii and the PC at the same time. I am sure it is a simple thing to sort out but my level of knowledge about Wireless routers is some what lower then my knowledge about other computer stuff.

You can buy a wireless dongle (yes that is apparently the proper name) which will plug into a USB port on your PC and then you can be wireless on all machines. I'm not sure if that's what is causing the problem but it could well be; I think some routers give priority to 'wired' connections above wireless ones.

 

[Rangdo]

Piss easy to install. Always worth going through the KERFUFFLE of WEP encrypting your network so that your sneaky neighbours don't log on and use all your bandwidth.

I have 2 PCs, my laptop, a NAS file server, my WII, and a Squeezebox ( ) all hooked up on my wireless network

I'll get in there before MYOB does but I think you're supposed to use WPA these days as WEP is supposedly a piece of piss to crack. Just what I heard so I'm not going to ram the techno-babble down your throat or anything.

From http://www.wi-fiplanet.com/tutorials/article.php/3672711

"In fact, researchers in the computer science department of a German university recently demonstrated the capability to compromise a WEP-protected network very quickly. After spending less than a minute intercepting data (fewer than 100,000 packets in all) they were able to compromise a WEP key in just three seconds, and they did it using a system equipped with a mere 1.7 GHz Pentium M CPU, which is less powerful than the processor found in today's entry-level notebooks."