What router do I need?

K

Keeper

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Ok so I need a router for ADSL 1Mbs uncapped internet.

- I would also like Wifi, as we have 2 iPhones and an iPad in the house.
- I also need 2 PC's connected.


Another thing, how does the connection work between the 2PC's? I need to share files between them.
Do I wire them both via Cat5 to the router directly and they have internet AND 1Gbps LAN....... or do I need to connect them to a switch first, and connect the switch to the router?

Sorry i'm an ADSL n00b :D


My budget is flexible, but i'm looking for something affordable without all the bells & whistles I don't actually need.
 
Uniterm have some good priced modem/routers depending how much you want to spend.
You can wireless all or cat5 but wired beats wireless IMO
http://www.dbg.co.za/index.php?cPath=1_55_57.
And when you buy a modem/router think of future projects you might venture in to like NAS,server,streaming media .
DLNA etc.
You can network with wireless or wired or a mixture .
You can set up a network with windows all depends which windows you have .
 
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You'll do fine with a Linksys wireless router - X3000.

Buy two Linksys USB600N Wifi adapters and you're better than the best. ;)
 
No I don't want adapters/etc - I want a single router that does BOTH wired & wifi (for the iPhones/iPad) at the same time.
(if possible)

which brand is the best (stability, features, options)?

I'm thinking around R400-R500 sounds okay for my budget.
 
Keeper said:
No I don't want adapters/etc - I want a single router that does BOTH wired & wifi (for the iPhones/iPad) at the same time.
(if possible)

which brand is the best (stability, features, options)?

I'm thinking around R400-R500 sounds okay for my budget.
Click to expand...
He meant adapters for the PCs...so that you don't need to lay ethernet cables.

I think some of the trendnet routers fall into that budget range, but most are more in the 500-700 range.

Lots of routers are 100mbps not gigabit so check for that specifically.
 
You want the X3000 to handle your wireless network +/- R1,2K. The adapters are for both your PC's - you can choose to run messy Cat 5 through your house from the PC's to the router and do away with the USB600n adapters +/- R400 each. The Cat 5 will be cheaper, but more labour intensive. Your tablets and iffyphones will just connect.
 
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HavocXphere said:
He meant adapters for the PCs...so that you don't need to lay ethernet cables.

I think some of the trendnet routers fall into that budget range, but most are more in the 500-700 range.

Lots of routers are 100mbps not gigabit so check for that specifically.
Click to expand...

Thanks :) R500 won't buy squat.
 
Ja, TP-Link W8960N is very good. Been using this particular model for 2 or 3 years and it's excellent.
 
I did a survey for a client of mine. Routers other than Linksys have higher transmission speeds, yet they also have spikes in those transmission speeds where the speed drops to unacceptable levels. Linksys has a consistently high speed, without the spikes. I believe in consistence, it's something you can bank on.

R500 is going to get you a mediocre router. R1.2K will get you close to the best home router. Add R800 for two decent adapters and you're spending R1.5K more than you anticipated. I game online from 20m away of my router and I have 20ms pings to JHB, 375km away - across a 1.5km wireless link to the ADSL exchange. Yes, I installed it myself.

Linksys and Mikrotik - you can't go wrong.
 
FlatspinZA said:
R500 is going to get you a mediocre router. R1.2K will get you close to the best home router.
Click to expand...
I'd agree...except lightning storms wipe out both equally fast. Though that is more of a Highveld consideration & Keeper is in the Cape, so perhaps 1.2k makes sense for him.
 
MickeyD said:
The TP-Link is 300mbps ...
Click to expand...
The wifi yes - 300mbps just like the Dlink. I was talking about the ethernet port....which is 100mbps on the first TP linked to (and the dlink too :/). The 300mbps is just there for marketing purposes...a 300mbps wifi module connected to a 100mbps switch isn't going to give you 300mbps throughput. ;)

Keeper said:
TP-LINK WR1043ND 300Mbps Ultimate Wireless N Gigabit Router:
http://www.dbg.co.za/product_info.php?cPath=1_55_56&products_id=382
Click to expand...
Thats more like it. Take this one.

EDIT: ^^^ Horrible advice on my part. My bad. :o
 
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Keeper be warned though: Some wifi routers have this shtty habit of dropping everything down to the speed of the wifi. Seen it on Netgears & DLink.

i.e. Connect 2x wired PC + 1x wifi PC. Then transfer from the one wired to the other wired...that speed is capped to whatever the wifi is it. If that happens to be wireless g standard then you get a really shtty throughput, despite 100/1000mbps wired link.

NB Only *some* routers do this & it seems to be hit & miss.

Dunno why that is...maybe pada knows.

Not much you can do about that except hope you don't get one of those & lose the wifi if you do. I think if you can force wifi n standard only then this would mostly fix the problem but that I've not confirmed.
 
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