Wireless routers

[Gordon Steadman]

Up until now, I have always had my Macs connected to the internet via an ethernet hub.

We now wish to move things around a bit and so I reckon the time has come to go wireless. I know absolutely nothing about this!!:scratch:

All the Macs have Airport cards and as I understand it, should be able to find any local network.

What do I need to have or know??

I have been looking at Belkin routers on eBay which are about £10 refurbished. Can I assume they just plug into my hub or is there anything else I need?? We are on satellite for broadband and phone so have a phone adapter that plugs in the hub too.

Any guidance gratefully received:)

[Lace'd Taste]

How big do you want your coverage to be? Also when buying a wireless router you'll either have to make sure it has a built in modem or buy a separate modem. Wireless "N" is something to look out for too - most macs support it and means you can have your LAN network transferring at 300mbps although saying that I've found with macs and third party routers (anything not made by apple) they seem to be capped at 150mbps on my LAN network.

I currently use a Billion BiPAC 7800n - very good router/modem but a little pricey.

Lastly are you running fibre or is it ADSL (broadband down your phone line?)

[Gordon Steadman]

Lastly are you running fibre or is it ADSL (broadband down your phone line?)

We are on satellite for internet and phone. Basically the arial leads to a 'carrier adapter' then to the 'phone adapter with router'. I have the output from that going to a hub so we can plug in the various Macs. Speed is not really a concern, we don't do games or download much and certainly have no intention of using 'the cloud' ( We have 3 1tB and 1 320mB discs sitting with all our stuff backed up twice - no intention of allowing it out of the house!!)

I'll check to see if the one I'm looking at has a modem.......yup, its a Belkin G 54 MBPS modem router!! Sounds a bit technical for me:lol:

So thats a safe buy at that price to test it all out then??

[Lace'd Taste]

I owned a Belkin with wireless G before - my first router i ever bought that wasn't free from my ISP - to be honest for £10 you can't go wrong. Has it been refurbished or anything? If the router you are buying is one that came free with someones internet package then i think it'll be locked to that Network, don't hold me to that but i'm fairly certain.

Never heard of internet through satellite before - so it comes in via your dish? Does the lead going from your "phone adaptor with router" into you Hub look like the following?

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3278/2957457790_97c0c46795_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/31324585@N05/2957457790/)

[Gordon Steadman]

I owned a Belkin with wireless G before - my first router i ever bought that wasn't free from my ISP - to be honest for £10 you can't go wrong. Has it been refurbished or anything? If the router you are buying is one that came free with someones internet package then i think it'll be locked to that Network, don't hold me to that but i'm fairly certain.

Never heard of internet through satellite before - so it comes in via your dish? Does the lead going from your "phone adaptor with router" into you Hub look like the following?

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3278/2957457790_97c0c46795_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/31324585@N05/2957457790/)

Yup, standard ethernet cable. The Belkin is being sold as 'manufacturer refurbished' http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/271325667928?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

I would prefer to get an Apple router but the funds are being stretched hugely by my back robbing us of income and the need for a new roof. This is why £10 rather appealed:)

[Lace'd Taste]

Hi Gordon - the cables looks similar to an ethernet one at first glance but this is an RJ11 connection which is 4 core (as apposed to the RJ45 ethernet connectors which are 8 core). The modem/router your looking at takes the smaller RJ11 for the internet input so if your hub is currently connected via an ethernet cable I'm not quiet sure how this will function.

If your not doing to much streaming and data transfer on your local network then i think the router would be alright for you. Although then again range of a wireless G router is around 50feet where as wireless N is 200feet (this is in a line of site test - walls, microwaves, wireless phone can all effect your wireless coverage) - depending on the size of your house and placement of your router this may be something you want to take into consideration.

I'd be interested in seeing your cabling from the dish to the hub, like i said I'm not familiar with this set up - perhaps some one else on the forums can give you their two cents.