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| Netgear DG834 |
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| message from NickNike on 27 Jun 2005 |
From the kind and helpful feedback of a previous question I asked, and after
searching the net, I've decided to buy the Netgear DG834 to use as the ADSL
modem. I have a second computer I would like to network to the main
computer.
1) If I buy the wireless version DG834G, can I connect the main computer
using cables only, and then what wireless device would I need for the second
computer. Does this sound correct, is this how you would connect the 2
computers to the modem.
2) On the main computer I have 2 network connections, the built-in
motherboard type being 3Com Gigabit LOM and a seperate card Netgear FA310TX.
Which would be best for the internet connection. The second computer also
has a Netgear FA310TX, although connecting to the main computer using
wireless, I assume this would be redundant.
3) I read about static and dynamic IP addresses. Is there an advantage to
each type. I am going to use Plusnet. Which type do they use.
4) The DG834 comes with a microfilter. Can I plug in both my computer and a
standard British telephone connector.
Many thanks,
nick
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| Peter M replied to NickNike on 27 Jun 2005 |
You could use a PCI card or USB. With USB you'd have the option of moving
it around for best signal (and don't forget with PCI, the aerial will be
screened in some directions by the PC case, and may not be in the clear
(eg PC on the floor, back to the wall, under a desk...)
Yes. Golden rule (even if eventually all PCs will use wireless links) is
to ensure you have a cable to be able to connect one PC to the unit, just
in case you block access via wireless with some incorrect setting...
I don't know the specs for the network cards, but with ADSL being a fraction
of 100 Mbps, I should think either will not notice the traffic too much !
You'll be able to experiment anyway.
Correct. One thing I noticed on a PC which had been used via cable to a
router and later moved to another room and was using wireless, was that
software which had been installed could still try to use the network card
(eg the firewall, etc). It won't apply to start with, in your case, but may
be worth remembering if you later tried to swap them and use the one initially
with cable, via a wireless adaptor.
For Broadband Plus they issue dynamic IP. For PAYG and Premier accounts, they
use static IP. Static IP has some benefits if you plan to run servers, for
mail, FTP, irc, etc. Also more useful if you wanted to connect back to your
home network to remote control a PC with VNC, for example. Static IPs might
get blacklisted on IRC, or web forum (if you annoy a moderator/sysop) and an
entry in any website logs might be translated back to username.plus.com
(but if you want, Plus.Net will change it to not show the username, just be
xx-xx-xx-xx.plus.com (where xx-xx-xx-xx is your IP).
The filter will have a BT-style socket for a phone and an RJ11 socket for the
ADSL. Your router will be connected in the RJ11, and unless you need to, I'd
leave the computer's 56k modem disconnected from the BT network completely or
only plug when there are times you want to use it (or use an external modem,
so you can power it off to isolate your PC from BT voice connection)... It
depends whether you have requirements such as for sending fax, or if you use
some software which dials a string of digits (eg LIST, under MS-DOS, which
uses cursor position in a text document as the start of the number to dial).
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| NickNike replied to NickNike on 27 Jun 2005 |
<snip>
Many thanks for the replies. I'm now purchasing the router with confidence.
This might sound a bit crawly, but being a recent visitor to this newsgroup
I have to say thanks for being so helpful. This is a very friendly newsgroup
and it is appreciated,
nick
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| Filthy Rich replied to NickNike on 28 Jun 2005 |
And once you have it working, take a backup copy of settings and then
upgrade to the latest firmware version from Netgear website.. Been
using the DG834G since November 2003 and gone thru every firmware
release from the original to the current with never a problem.
Filthy Rich
Music House
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| Anthony R. Gold replied to NickNike on 27 Jun 2005 |
The DG834G has four LAN (ethernet - RJ41) ports so you can already connect
four networked devices (computers, printers, etc) without using wireless
and without needing an extra hub or switch.
The speed of the Internet traffic will be less than any LAN card, so it
won't make any difference. Use the one which is easier for you to
configure.
A wired connection will be faster and more reliable than wireless, so
unless you need portability use that LAN interface in preference to adding
wireless.
I don't know Plusnet. And if you are not running servers accessible to
hosts outside your network it shouldn't make much if any difference.
You will be able to use the supplied filter/splitter to connect both the
Netgear router and a telephone set to a BT line socket.
Tony
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| Peter M replied to Anthony R. Gold on 27 Jun 2005 |
Good point. I had rather assumed that wireless had been chosen for a reason.
I've helped a number of people with cable, and a couple with wireless and to
be frank, a cable and some LEDs to show a connection is going is far better,
for me, than wireless where one cannot tell if it is working or not, except
using software which itself might be suspect :-)
Though asking someone to check your router, remotely, or connect to your PC
using VNC to debug something is a heck of a lot easier with static IP :-)
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