Topic: Router or ADSL Modem...?

[Sandra]

That would only work if the router was wi fi Simon.
It would also complicate things unneccessarily.

Just buy a 10/100 ethernet LAN card for between £3 and £10 and stick it in.

Are you sure you dont have an onboard ethernet port ?

Not many mobos havent had them onboard for about 7 years  :?

@ Delgado, as Sam has said it just connects via the ethernet port.
It doesnt need installing, as long as the ethernet port is enabled in the bios if onboard or the ethernet pci card is installed if the mobo hasnt got onboard ethernet.

You access the router through your web browser by putting in its IP address, that should be shown in the info that comes with the router, along with the default username and password.
Once you have accessed the router you just enter the details for your internet connection, ie Username and password from your ISP, possibly reboot your router and the pc and you will be online  

[sam]

I built the computer myself, Sam, and at the time, didn't need a network card, so didn't install one.

I see, sorry I thought you had a shop built one. Also its odd that it wasn't standard on the motherboard, but I guess you chose one without.

[Simon]

Right, well I have my router up and running, and my connection speed is still not much faster than with my old ADSL modem.  It's also a bit inconvenient not beeing able to see the connection speed in the system tray, as the 100Mbps displayed by hovering over the TV screens is presumably the speed of the connection between the router and the PC, but I suppose I'll get used to it.

The next thing is, how does the router firewall work?  At the moment, I have no idea whether it's on or off, and there have been no warnings or alerts asking for network access permissions.  The router configuration is via a browser IP address, but this doesn't really seem to offer much in the way of firewall configuration.

[Delgado]

It all looks too complicated for me!

 You ask the questions Simon, and I will read the answers-lol

 Think I might stick with my software firewall!

 I cant see any Network Connections on the back of my PC, only USB Ports and Serial Port.

     :roll:  :roll:

[Simon]

You access the router through your web browser by putting in its IP address, that should be shown in the info that comes with the router, along with the default username and password.
Once you have accessed the router you just enter the details for your internet connection, ie Username and password from your ISP, possibly reboot your router and the pc and you will be online  

Yes, that part was simple, I just don't really understand how to configure it now.  I tried to use my usual bit torrent client, and it seems that the port is now blocked.  I think I have created a rule to open the port in the router settings, but it has chosen to ignore my instructions, so I am back to square one, and as the things is no faster then my old modem, I can see me going back to that very soon too!

[Lona]

You can go in and configure your firewall in reuter Simon. In fact I think you can disable it altogether and just depend on your software firewall.

Have you configured port forwarding?

http://www.portforward.com/routers.htm

That site guides you through it.


Can I ask are you still with Pipex? My friend is with Pipex and her bit torrent downloads have ground to a halt.  Time you moved to Eclipse, But remember to talk to me first. :wink:

[Sandra]

Once you open or forward a port Simon you have to save and reboot the router usually.

I think Lona uses a Netgear router so she will be more used to the procedure than I am with your model.

[Simon]

Yeah, I am still with Pipex, Lona, as I found a way round the bit torrent issue.  If your friend's BT client has Encryption, she should enable it, and stick to one port around the 50100 - 50200 range.  That's what I did, and my torrents are now back up to over 100Mbps, if I'm lucky.  Of course, it does also depend on the upload speed of the torrent.  If you get a slow one, there's nothing you can do.  Azureus and μTorrent both have encryption facilities.

As for Pipex, I rang them for a MAC code, and they offered to either half my monthly payment to stay on 1Mb, or upgrade me to Max (8Mb) for £1 a month more.  The temptation of an 8Mb service was too hard to resist, so I have taken a gamble with them for another year.  I have to admit, the service is rock solid again, but I am getting nowhere near the promised (up to) 8Mb.  In fact, as I said at the beginning of this, it was faster when it first switched, and now it's back to an average of 3.2Mbps, which isn't much better really, than a 2Mb service, which would have been half the price elsewhere.  I am wondering if they just throttle down the speeds as far as they think they can get away with, hoping people won't notice?  Even with my router, speeds have not really improved over the ADSL USB modem, so I think they will be getting phone call soon.

How are you doing with Eclipse?  Last time we spoke, things were still settling down after the migration.  Have they proved to be as good as you expected?

[Simon]

Once you open or forward a port Simon you have to save and reboot the router usually.

I think Lona uses a Netgear router so she will be more used to the procedure than I am with your model.

Thanks, Sandra, I've got it to work OK now.  I'm just a bit confused over the firewall part of it, which doesn't actually seem to do anything.  I would have expected some sort of confirmation that it's running.  It's not a problem, as I still have my software firewall, but I'd still like to know the router is working right.

[Sandra]

The router normally has required ports for HTTP (80) and FTP (21) open by default.
Also the mail server ones which I cant think of the number at the moment.

If an application stops working or you cant access something that you could before then its blocking the ports neccessary for those applications/services.

As you have now found you can easily open the required ports for the IP address of any pc on your LAN for that application/service.

If you had more pcs on the network you can open ports on your pc and leave them closed for the other pcs, via their IP addresses.

Thats how firms can restrict access to certain things for all of their pcs apart from the one the main admin uses.

The router wont inform you of anything its blocking and request action like a software firewall will.

It may have a log of blocked attempts but I dont know if yours has or not, you would have to access the router through the web interface and have a look  

[Simon]

OK, thanks San.  I think I'll keep the software firewall running as well, as there don't appear to be any conflicts.

[Lona]

I have no complaints so far with Eclipse.  What I would say is that Eclipse do state that during peak hours your speed won't be as good.

I try to keep any downloading to after midnight.


If I had to make a criticism it's about their mail servers.  Now and again the mail servers go down but I can live with that.

I do a speedcheck and am averaging 5mp but that's on a par with my area.


If you have just recently gone over to the Max service it takes a few weeks to settle down, then you should get a good speed.

[Simon]

Yes, perhaps I should give it a couple more weeks to bed in, Lona, but I don't really understand why it should need to.. Surely the line is either capable of the speeds or not?

Anyway, another question now.  I am not happy leaving the router powered on all the time, but equally, I don't want to have to crawl under the PC to power it on and off.  Could I use the spare power point on the PC PSU to power the router, so that it switches on and off with the PC?  Or is there another way to achieve the same?

[Clive]

Bloody Eco-Warrior!!

[Simon]

Tight wad more like, Clive.  If it only uses a penny an hour, that's still £7.20 per month on my electric bill!