Wireless Broadband router

Agreed. However, I have a different reason for making it seperate packages.

People move around. You may end up with cable at one location, DSL at another, wireless at a third. The modem should be seperate to allow such moves without throwing everything away and starting over.

The router should be seperate from the wireless for similar reasons. Technology in wireless changes every few years. You will eventually see wireless devices (PDA's, laptops, Tivo, etc) with technology more advanced than your existing wireless device. You could upgrade with just a wireless access point replacement, or you again might have to toss the whole thing. Routers and wireless devices also want to be in different locations. The CAT5 wires want the router to be near the floor (usually under the desk) while the wireless wants to be as high as possible for minimum obstructions and maximum range. Seperate boxes make it easier. In addition, this gives you the ability to turn off your wireless devices when you're not at home or at night to keep the hackers to a minimum.

Note that you can use a wireless router as a wireless access point by merely not connecting the WAN port and disabling the DHCP server. Wireless routers are often cheaper than the equivalent wireless access point. It doesn't hurt to have an extra un-used feature.

PCI wireless cards are another problem. The computah usually ends up on the floor. The antenna for the PCI wireless cards end up low to the floor, sandwitched behind a big metal shield (the case), the wall, and a mess of wires and cables. I couldn't find a worse location for an RF device if I tried. Unless you're fairly close to the access point, or fairly desperate, I don't think PC card wireless is a great idea. On the other hand, USB works well because you can reposition the radio for best RF performance.

I can't suggest a specific router or PCI card as you haven't described your requirements, computahs, or location.

Reply to
Jeff Liebermann
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Can someone suggest a good fast Broadband wireless router, which is also a cable modem? Does such a thing exist?

Can you get packs with PCI wireless cards for you PC too?

Many thanks Gary

Reply to
Gary

"Gary" wrote in news:Ju6Jd.211692$ snipped-for-privacy@fe2.news.blueyonder.co.uk:

And why would you want such a thing? The cable modem goes out and then you have nothing, because the router is combined with it. As opposed to both being separate units and one unit goes down you can replace it.

Duane :)

Reply to
Duane Arnold

Jeff Liebermann wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

Agreed ;-)

Duane :)

Reply to
Duane Arnold

Draytek Vigor 2900G is what you need, however this is an 'office class' equipment and isn't cheap, but it is reliable, unlike the cheap(er) consumer stuff. You at least should consider the 2900VG, which has two VoIP ports, as telephony is moving to the net already, it will be handy, free calls available NOW. I second the use of USB adaptors on a an end of a cable, e.g. Vigor 530. Available from broadbandbuyer.co.uk and other online shops. Regards, Martin Merely a satisfied customer, my Vigor 2600We hasn't missed a bit since May2003.

Reply to
Martin²

All great points, in deed.

I can also concur that the most convienent place for my cable modem and wireless router (802.11a/b) wasn't the best place for an AP. Going the other way, a wireless router (built-in AP) can also be used simply just a router (with AP disabled) and then connected to a seperate AP. I recently ended up getting a seperate AP (802.11a/b/g) to do just this. Well, actually my intention was to use the new AP as a "repeater" (one of the modes it can do) for the wireless router's built-in AP. True, I could've ran CAT5 between the router and new AP (at a better location), but whole idea of using wireless equipment is to eliminate long cable runs. :^)

Unfortunetly, the new AP wasn't fully compatible (as an over-the-air repeater) with the wireless router. It wouldn't repeat the router's 802.11a (54 MBS or 108 MBS) at all, and would only repeat the router's 802.11b (11 MBS). I couldn't get 802.11b (22 MBS) to repeat. Both are D-Link, which I thought should be capable of working their "turbo modes" together. Actually, what I think was preventing it from working as a repeater wasn't the "turbo" but the "WDS functionality" of the new AP (which the router doesn't have). Router (DI-764) was from D-Link's "AirPro" (802.11a/b, turbo capable) family while the new AP (DWL-7100AP) was from D-Link's "Air Premier AG" family (802.11a/b/g, static/dynamic turbo and SuperG capable). Plugging the new AP directly into one of the router's LAN ports, it works great as an AP. To solve my initial problem, I ended up purchasing a second DWL-7100AP and now use it as a repeater (repeating the DWL-7100AP now hooked up directly to the router). I now have a strong 802.11a/b (static/dynamic capable) and 802.11g (SuperG and static/dynamic turbo capable) where I most need it. This ended up costing more than originally intended, but it also added 802.11g into the loop, which I didn't have before. It also freed up the router's built-in AP, which I'm now using as an open (no encryption or MAC filtering) "hot spot". (I don't have my LAN accessible from the router's AP, you can only get out on the internet. The DWL-7100AP's, which I use for internet and LAN, are encrypted/filtered though.) I just opened it up the router AP so family/friends can easily use it with their laptops/PDA's. I consider the distance from the open SSID's to the street a "security feature" against malicious outsiders anyway. I could care less about my neighbors using it to get on the internet, which (in fact) they have (from their back porch) after I told them it was open if they ever want to use it. Openly sharing the internet should be one of the key things with

802.11, unfortunetly there are probably many no-life-having malicious outsiders who think that open access translates into taking advantage of the opportunity to do malice (i.e., trying to screw with someone's private LAN). They probably have the mind set that doing such is to "teach the person a lesson" and to "one up the person", but I look at it as they are a no-life-having ahole. I have my LAN protected, but I shouldn't have to watch over internet acesss with clenched fists holding a shotgun. In fact, if a stranger uses my open internet from the sidewalk (signal is adequate enough to connect there) for some simple web browing and emailing, I still don't even care. With these particular SSID's, I have included the text "-OPEN" with their broadcast name -- stating that they are freely open. My philosphy is that I may be out in public and want to do same thing with someone else's. I think the adding the text "-OPEN" would be a great convention for those with the same mind sets. Note, however, that I am logging everything going on with the open SSID's. For the paranoid (but still wanting to be open), a good idea would be to have an online printer that automatically prints out new entries to the logs as they are added. My only "nightmare scenerio" would be someone using my open SSID's to send out spam or to download child p*rn. In my suburban neighborhood, I really doubt this would be happen -- but, if it does, life will not be good for that person. I'd have zero tolerance for spam or child p*rn and wouldn't think twice about pressing charges. Adult p*rn, I could care less about -- athough if an outsider were to be download adult p*rn and my girlfrield/fiance were to look at the logs, I'd have to explain MAC addresses to her, "It wasn't me!". LOL. Anyway -- didn't mean to get off on another subject. :^)

Also, another great advantage of seperate modem, router, AP's, etc is that you can also just disable portions of your network by simply turning the stuff off. As for router/AP built into computer, I'd hate that because that would require that particular computer to always be powered in order to get the network alive. Whenever I have to leave for several days, I power down my PC's, but the internet can still be accessed by friends/family.

Just some random cents to throw into the wind.

Cheers!

Reply to
Eras

That was more than a cupile of cents. ;-)

Duane :)

Reply to
Duane Arnold

"Duane Arnold" wrote

My apologies. Fingers got carried away. I'll try to keep them under control. :^)

Reply to
Eras

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