Routers

[DevilishTexan]

Whats a decent make thats relatively cheap and should I get one with firewall protection or just continue useing My XP firewall?


Also, its gonna be for my desktop but I would like to eventually use it for a laptop. So get a wireless router?

 

[SweetErika]

We bought a Belkin 4 port a few months ago and haven't had any problems. I think it came out to $10 or so after the in-store and mail-in rebates. I can't quite remember where we got it, but it was Office Depot, Staples, or Office Max- all of them have good sales and rebates periodically. I'm not positive, but I think the router acts as a firewall by itself, though we're using Norton Internet Security as well. Ours isn't wireless, but that's certainly a good option if running a cable to your laptop isn't practical.

 

[fgarvb1]

LOL! My router came with a 30 day free trail of ZoneAlarm Pro.

I already use it.

I guess that tells me what they think.

 

[mackiain]

I had a D-Link router worked pretty good i'd say

 

[Vixandra]

We've got a wireless linksys that I rather like.
My desktop was hard wired into the router and the laptops of the household connected wirelessly. Until hubby kill my desktop but I digress.

Like the Linksys, pretty easy to use with both my HP's and hubby's apple with its AirPort card.

 

[krazeekat]

Linksys is good enough. Use a passphrase, to generate a WEP key, as long as possible. This is to encrypt your network itself. That would mean that all your PC's and laptops using this wireless SSID with WEP have to enter the WEP into the network settings.

 

[Vancouverite]

SMC make a decent and simple one too.
I have used D-Link, Linksys and SMC.
The routers themselves don't change a great deal but the software that you may or may not want to fiddle with to open and close ports, do forwarding etc does vary.
I found Linksys to be the easiest to use, personally.

as for getting a wireless one, well if you are going to sit down and use your laptop in the same place (your home office) then there is no point. If you are planning on going wireless then make sure you have wireless cards for your PC and laptop.

 

[DevilishTexan]

Linksys is good enough. Use a passphrase, to generate a WEP key, as long as possible. This is to encrypt your network itself. That would mean that all your PC's and laptops using this wireless SSID with WEP have to enter the WEP into the network settings.

Krazee, I have no idea what you're talking about. Just show me that hot bod. Thanks.

 

[DevilishTexan]

SMC make a decent and simple one too.
I have used D-Link, Linksys and SMC.
The routers themselves don't change a great deal but the software that you may or may not want to fiddle with to open and close ports, do forwarding etc does vary.
I found Linksys to be the easiest to use, personally.

as for getting a wireless one, well if you are going to sit down and use your laptop in the same place (your home office) then there is no point. If you are planning on going wireless then make sure you have wireless cards for your PC and laptop.

Well, I was thinking wireless for when I just wanna take my laptop around the house yanno? Say I wanna yank it in the shower, yet still be on Lit. Convenience. But I'm just looking for some good firewall protection basically.

 

[krazeekat]

Krazee, I have no idea what you're talking about. Just show me that hot bod. Thanks.

Okay. Since you asked me nicely.

 

[amraam840]

Okay. Since you asked me nicely.

Wasn't expecting that when replying to this thread.. krazee, we need more women like you in the IT industry!

Looking at getting this to work inline with my linksys wifi router. I would still recomend a software firewall, but the security of a hardware firewall is worth the deskspace it takes up. plus, linksys devices, like many others, stack nicely.

 

[DevilishTexan]

Wasn't expecting that when replying to this thread.. krazee, we need more women like you in the IT industry!

Looking at getting this to work inline with my linksys wifi router. I would still recomend a software firewall, but the security of a hardware firewall is worth the deskspace it takes up. plus, linksys devices, like many others, stack nicely.

Is she hawt or what? Grrrrrowl. We need more Asian women representing on Lit.

 

[Vancouverite]

Say I wanna yank it in the shower, yet still be on Lit. Convenience. But I'm just looking for some good firewall protection basically.

If you want to yank it in the shower well, no-one is going to stop you, its every man's perogative.

Just make sure you have a wireless card for your laptop, and you can always plug your PC into the router through a normal cat5 cable as you won't be moving the PC around I hope.

So does your laptop have a wireless card? or is it capable of holding one? You'd better check first.

And my routers have the hardware firewall switched on and the Windows XP software one on as default as well and I have few problems.

 

[krazeekat]

Wasn't expecting that when replying to this thread.. krazee, we need more women like you in the IT industry!.

Should I apologise? *lol*

 

[londonaberdeen]

No need to appologise, no, we'll survive.

However I'd like to second that, great surprise. I was thinking this was a serious tech threat for a minute then thanks to you we were all brought back to what's really important again, fun.

 

[DevilishTexan]

Too damn sweet. I ordered phone service with Vonage and gots me a brand new Linksys router for mah trouble. Hot dog!!!!