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| Broadband routers |
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| message from Cullen Skink on 25 Jun 2005 |
Do broadband routers have a bb modem built in? Was watching one on ebay
and it said you needed a modem as well for the actual internet
connection. Is that normal?
Can anyone recommend a low cost but decent bb router with modem included?
Also I've read connecting it via Ethernet is the best. Does that just
mean I stick a network card in the PC and connect the router to that?
tia
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| PhilT replied to Cullen Skink on 25 Jun 2005 |
the phrase "broadband router" usually means it expects an ethernet
connection to the outside world eg via a cable modem.
"ADSL modem router" is a phrase to look out for, or check the specs for
G.dmt and look for an RJ11 phone socket on the WAN connection rather
than an RJ45 ethernet.
BT Voyager 205 is a router that will connect one PC via a USB and
another via ethernet or N if you add a hub/switch. Plenty of 205's on
Ebay.
Its the NAT router that gives the security, rather than the ethernet
per se. The USB on a 205 or a Zoom X4 is "ethernet over USB" unlike a
USB modem which gives the PC the external IP address.
Phil
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| Cullen Skink replied to PhilT on 25 Jun 2005 |
Thanks Phil.
I had considered the 205 but was told they're set up to BT Broadband in
the firmware and you have to reset it each connection if using a
different ISP. Do you know if that is true?
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| Phil Thompson replied to Cullen Skink on 25 Jun 2005 |
sounds like bollocks to me. You put in a different username &
password. BT broadband is the same presentation as any other BT
carried ADSL.
Phil
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| Peter M replied to Cullen Skink on 26 Jun 2005 |
Check www.solwise.co.uk, www.dabs.com and www.ebuyer.com
I've used cheapo routers from the latter two (and bought a 1-port, s/h on
Ebay, but brand new as low as 22.99 inc VAT with free delivery...) Don't
be put off that I've bought several - I have had two active ADSL links,
and keep spares to loan to clients too... Always handy to have spares!
Yes... The router can supply an IP address and other details (DNS) of
your internet connection to the PC, or you can define the IP yourself,
but it is easier to use DHCP, if you don't have the details to hand.
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| Martin² replied to Cullen Skink on 26 Jun 2005 |
If you want a good, cheap but new one I would go for D-Link DSL-504T £35.24
from broadbandbuyer.co.uk or little more from PC World / Dixons or maybe
Currys.
Wireless version 604T with one USB or PCMCIA receiver is ~£70.
If you want really good one go for Draytek 2600 Plus, or 2600V with VoIP
ports (which will save you money with Voice over Internet Protocol cheap or
fee phone calls)
New ones are pricey, but can be picked up on Ebay at reasonable prices, e.g.
my trusty 2600We
wireless is there now, currently at £75 (was ~£180 new).
Regards,
Martin
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| dave stanton replied to Martin² on 26 Jun 2005 |
But know what your after before you set foot in plonkerworld otherwise
you might run from there screaming if you have to talk to a droid <g>.
Dave
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| Martin Underwood replied to dave stanton on 26 Jun 2005 |
To be fair, some of the PC World staff are quite knowledgeable and helpful -
but a great many aren't it's true. What I find really lets PC World down is
that they don't have on display examples of everything they stock (I didn't
even know they sold Netgear routers till I looke don the web site) and many
items don't have an associated price ticket on the shelf. Many times I've
pointed this out to store managers (people aren't going to buy things that
aren't on display or which have no price) but the managers at my local
branch (Oxford) seem as if they simply couldn't care :-(
Certainly it pays to order in advance over the web and collect an hour
later: I bought a router that would have cost about £80 off the shelf for
about £60 by ordering ahead - which makes PC World almost competitive with
mail order... and a damn sight more convenient because you get the product
there and then, and don't have to wait in all day for the courier to arrive.
When I ordered my own router mail order (from Dabs, I think), I waited in
all day (well past the latest time that Parcelforce said they'd call) and
then when I had to go out, left a note on my door asking for it to be
delivered next door (where there was definitely someone in). Apparently the
driver arrived at some unspecified time later, didn't even leave a "while
you were out" card and didn't try to deliver next door as I'd requested.
Although it is Parcelforce policy to try to deliver to a neighbour, it's
left to the driver's discretion so a lazy driver can decide not to bother.
Once an item is on the driver's van, Parcelforce lose all ability to track
its position until it's returned undelivered to the warehouse. Pathetic!
You'd think that in the 21st Century they'd have GPS on the van and an
online tracking system to record precisely when the driver tried to deliver
and why he failed ("tried to deliver to Number 27 and Number 29; no-one in;
giving up after at least trying").
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| Peter M replied to Martin Underwood on 26 Jun 2005 |
an acquaintance insisted on going into one to buy the kit he'd seen
on the web (has a grave mistrust of online purchases). Seems to me
that all the prices were a nice 99.99 while those same items on the
web site were 59.99, 69.99, 79.99, and 89.99, respectively! Peter.
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| Java Jive replied to Cullen Skink on 25 Jun 2005 |
Some do, some don't. You have to get both types of specs out, and be very
careful using the one to read the other ...
I'm using a Dynamode R-ADSL-C4 ADSL-Router, based on the Conexant chipset.
Not had it long enough to comment on reliability, but it works very well on
a day-to-day basis, and is quite cheap. Having some problems configuring
the inbuilt firewall though - when enabled, it clobbers tracert and FTP.
Had a lot of trouble with a previous NetGear one, so I'm bound to advise
steering clear of them.
I would agree, if only because on the host PC it avoids the need to load USB
drivers and the possibility of any problems getting Internet Connection
Sharing to work with a firewall, as well as generally simplifying your home
network. And yes (normal straight through, not crossover, cable).
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