Wireless suggestions..........

Dooin' it · February 24th, 2004, 02:43 PM

OK gang, I'm sick to the hills of dial-up. It's time for me to make a change for the better. I leave work where I have pretty fast DSL and then get home & can barely get 35kbps. I'm dyin' here. Next step? Cable or DSL (I'll take suggestions on either, though I know Omar's gonna kick my butt if I don't get cable...he he)

Next.........equipment.

I really only need one router and one card only because of location. The place where my 500lb computer desk sits is somewhere the phone company already told me they can't get into the wall. I tolerate a "carpet-tucked" phone line already but ain't gonna let 'em "tuck" a cable line under there. Soooooooo.......any suggestions on SMC vs. D-Link vs. Linksys vs. Netgear vs. etc. etc. etc.??

DIE, dial-up...DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bill in SD, CA · February 24th, 2004, 02:50 PM

One vote for cable.

You can always go wireless.

Bill

cysus · February 24th, 2004, 02:52 PM

First of all I suggest roadrunner cable because they recently upped the bandwidth, and as for wireless, all those brands are good but try to keep all your equipment of that brand because some don't interface well with other brand equipment.

Dooin' it · February 24th, 2004, 03:00 PM

Ok, forgive my ignorance, but I'm just starting to read on this stuff. I believe I'm stuck with Adelphia (my provider) because of the area I'm in. My other option is/was Verizon DSL, but I've always been too far from the telco, so I can' t imagine much has changed and I don't know how much bandwidth any type of relay to the telco would give me on DSL so, yes, I 'm leaning toward cable too.

Anybody got reliable setup suggestions?? (i.e. *This* router with *this* card)

Also, my main is a dell 4600c which is half-height, so anybody who knows for sure that a half-height bracket came in the box would be much appreciated!!

Did I already say this?????------>DIE, dial up.....DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

washe · February 24th, 2004, 03:38 PM

Well about the DSL vs Cable... I cant debate much because the best thing here is DSL.... the cable company sucks badly here....

For equipment I have been using Linksys G router that have worked wonderfully the last 3 months....

about the half-height system you can consider a usb wireless device surfing the net will not be a real problem with one of these.

pickel · February 24th, 2004, 11:16 PM

I have DSL with Bellsouth with five computers hooked up , two wirelessly. As Washe said the cable company here sucks bigtime. Tech support is top notch and all my D Link products work flawlessly. Any questions bend me a PM

Dr. Raab · February 24th, 2004, 11:27 PM

I too, am looking for a wireless setup for a Dell 8300
I found this to be informative.

Check this link http://www.slickdeals.net/#p4272
and then this one.
http://www.usr-emea.com/loc-index.asp?loc=emea
from here click on
Helpful Links
Home Networking For Dummies
Netgear was rated very good by CNET. USR was a bit faster but not as easy to setup. USR has a $20 mir.
dr

Jon11582 · February 24th, 2004, 11:31 PM

For Cable vs DSL, I vote cable. It has some disadvantages, but thier rather subtle compared to the speed premium it has over DSL in most areas.

For Router & card, I say get a 802.11g D-Link Router (I think the current model is the DI-624) with a 802.11g D-Link wireless card.

With this combo, you can pull up to 108Mbps, and stay compatable with 802.11b incase some time in the future you need backward compatability.

If you dont want to spend that much, I can just as fully recommend Dlink 802.11b products. A DI-514 has a thoughput of up to 11mpbs, and I think the DI-614+ has up to 44mbps, but only when combined with a Dlink wireless card.

I've always used Dlink for wireless (So far the only of these I've actually installed is the DI-614+, which I use myself with a Non-Dlink wireless on my laptop, giving me 11mpbs). I've never had a problem in 4 installs I did, and I got pretty remarkable range at all locations. I can go wireless in my backyard or up to my side of the curb in the front yard, outside my driveway.

Only thing Ive heard about other wireless equipment is that Linksys Wireless Router's range is less than average, but thats just hearsay.

washe · February 25th, 2004, 01:41 AM

well mine gives service to two houses..... they are really close but both house are well covered.....

Altought I havent tested the end of the backyards.....

Jon11582 · February 25th, 2004, 01:49 AM

Just to clarify, what I heard about the Linksys wireless being bad was from the beginning of 802.11b. They probably fixed it pretty early on, and undoubtly fixed it with the maturation of 802.11b and the onset of 802.11g.

Or maybe it was never true. I think I just read it on another forum a while back, but for all I know, s/he could have lived in a cinderblock box.