I have been trying to do some research on setting up a small home network but the topic is a bit confusing. We clearly have some experts here....
My present internet access is via a cable modem and RJ45 cable. I also have a notebook with wireless capability as well as a standard RJ45 connection.
The objective is to have access for both that will allow me to share files and sync a contact management app. called Goldmine. And, 90% if the time the notebook will be on the desk.
The issue, at least for me, at the moment is the difference between a broadband router and a switch.
Most of the reviews I've read are very mixed as to performance, including both hard-wired and wireless.
Thoughts or recommendations please?
Bill
I believe you would want a router, the way I understand things hubs and switches cannot share an internet connection and call for a more elaborate setup using one of your computers to act as the gateway to the internet. With a router you also get the extra protection of an integrated firewall.
I can't recommend a particular brand, but you may want to go with one of the later standards or at least the fastest your wireless devices can support. I'm still using an older Motorola that I got a few years back.
Thank you gentlemen. The notebook wireless is 802.11b/g - as I understand the "G" is the standard to be used to guide a router selection?
Bill
You can get a wireless router compatible with 802.11b/g that will also have ethernet ports for wired connections. Which router you get could depend on how far you want to use the laptop from the router. I use a Netgear rangemax router, which gets me to evey point in the house.
Mark H
Thanks, Mark. I will do some investigation.
B-
I would recommend a router capable of both g and n, since your next wireless computer will likely use the n standard.
The Linksys WRT150N or the newer WRT160N are worthy considerations. I have the former.
Newegg users don't seem too pleased with either, but I have not had a single problem with mine, and setup was quite easy.
I can't comment on cable routers, since I have an ADSL line, but I use a Netgear DG834G wireless ADSL router and it works great. I highly recommend a router over a standard hub or switch. A router will act as a DHCP server to ensure that IP addresses are allocated correctly, as well as being a DNS gateway so that your computers can talk to your ISPs DNS server(s).
My Netgear model also allows things such as reserving IP addresses for specific computers on the network (e.g. my server is always on 192.168.0.10) and routers also usually have things like a hardware firewall and sometimes traffic management to ensure each computer gets a fair share of the available bandwidth.
Edit: I really should learn to read - pat has mentioned all of this!