Author Topic: Router or ADSL Modem...? (Read 17379 times)

Simon · « **Reply #75 on:** September 12, 2006, 16:29 »

Being still on the router learning curve, I would guess that if you used the USB connection, you wouldn't have to create a network connection, and therefore wouldn't need a network / ethernet card. Wish I'd bloody thought of that earlier! What you have there, doesn't really sound much different to an ADSL modem, DG, except it has the ethernet capability should you require it, and presumably comes with one of these hardware firewalls that I have yet to understand. It was probably also a lot cheaper than the Netgear I bought.

Delgado · « **Reply #76 on:** September 12, 2006, 17:04 »

It cost me £14-99 and £6-50 postage=£21.49.

  Available from

  Puzbie

It includes a firewall, which could be switched off if required.

   :roll: :roll:

Lona · « **Reply #77 on:** September 12, 2006, 19:35 »

Ethernet is a far superior connection Delgado. Also the router you bought does not support wireless so no good for laptop

Don't know why you bought a netgear Simon. I had a netgear, didn't like it so sent it back and bought a linksy's.

Delgado · « **Reply #78 on:** September 12, 2006, 19:43 »

Quote from: "Lona"

Ethernet is a far superior connection Delgado. Also the router you bought does not support wireless so no good for laptop

Don't know why you bought a netgear Simon. I had a netgear, didn't like it so sent it back and bought a linksy's.

OK-its a better connection-Im not trying to be difficult, but like Simon, I dont see what people mean when they keep saying that. Do you mean its faster? Or do you mean that it never disconnects or what? My connection was good before.

Im also not interested in wireless at the moment, cos Ive not got a laptop, nor thinking of getting one. Im only doing this as a learning exercise, and to use a hardware firewall.

Simon · « **Reply #79 on:** September 12, 2006, 20:20 »

Quote from: "Lona"

Don't know why you bought a netgear Simon. I had a netgear, didn't like it so sent it back and bought a linksy's.

Well, it's good of you to say so now, Lona! No one advised me against it before I bought it! :roll:

In what way is your Linksys better than the Netgear you had?

Camstop · « **Reply #80 on:** September 12, 2006, 23:15 »

I'm on my second netgear now and i didn't have the problems Lona had with hers and i gess she was just unlucky but saying that my first one only lasted 18 months and i only got another because it seemed the best option on a sunday in currys when i was desperate :twisted:

You'll get many reccomending for and against Linksys and Netgear and although you pay a bit for the name with Netgear, if it works ok i wouldn't worry

Once you have your head around port forwarding you've got it sussed :rtfm:

Lona · « **Reply #81 on:** September 13, 2006, 00:14 »

Quote from: "Simon"

Quote from: "Lona"
Don't know why you bought a netgear Simon. I had a netgear, didn't like it so sent it back and bought a linksy's.

Well, it's good of you to say so now, Lona! No one advised me against it before I bought it! :roll: In what way is your Linksys better than the Netgear you had?

As Cammy says, I had a bad experience with Netgear.

I would like to think that I my Linksy router would last more than 18 months.

I think I have had it for over that time anyway and it's never given any problems.

Ebuyer were doing a special offer on the linksy adsl, wireless router Simon, I think I gave you a link to it.

Here it is again....................................

http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/store/Networking

Sandra · « **Reply #82 on:** September 13, 2006, 00:33 »

Quote from: "Delgado"

OK-its a better connection-Im not trying to be difficult, but like Simon, I dont see what people mean when they keep saying that. Do you mean its faster? Or do you mean that it never disconnects or what? My connection was good before.

Ethernet connections use less resources than a USB one so in theory your pc should run faster using ethernet but with a fast modern pc you possibly wouldnt notice the difference as much as with an older, slower pc.

A router with an ethernet connection can be set to reconnect if the line is dropped for some reason without having to tell it to connect .

Usually they are a faster and more reliable piece of hardware than a standard USB modem.

As far as Lonas netgear problem goes thats quite rare as they are usually one of the better makes, I think there was a problem with her model as it was a new design and a faster Wi Fi which seemed to cause some problems with the early ones.

My unbranded connexant chip based router has been in virtually constant use 24/7 for 3 years without any problems.

Simon · « **Reply #83 on:** September 13, 2006, 08:08 »

Quote from: "Lona"

Ebuyer were doing a special offer on the linksy adsl, wireless router Simon, I think I gave you a link to it.

Here it is again....................................

http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/store/Networking

Yes, you did give me the link before, Lona, but I didn't know about your Netgear problems. I read several reviews on the one I have bought, which were as positive as those for your Linksys:

http://ebuyer.com/UK/product/52244/rb/21727599141

As I found the Netgear new on eBay, quite a bit cheaper then Ebuyer's price, that's the one I went for.

Delgado · « **Reply #84 on:** September 13, 2006, 08:38 »

Thanks Sandra for a nice clear answer. I am now a bit wiser about the benefits of Ethernet Connection.

Will report back on how things go with it all.

sam · « **Reply #85 on:** September 13, 2006, 08:44 »

and ethernet can be used on many systems, we have racks of ethernet hubs here, in my office alone we have 40 connections to plug machines in.. and they all link to two or three machines (depending on what you are doing).

BTW I use a Belkin system, probably the most expensive make but I trust Belkin.

Delgado · « **Reply #86 on:** September 13, 2006, 22:37 »

Well here we go-

  My Router arrived today, and it took me about 15 mins to disconnect my old ADSL Modem, and install the new Voyager 205 via an Ethernet Connection.

You guys were right-the speed of my machine is improved, and it connected right away. Seems ok so far (Touch Wood)!

  Got to get to grips with Bit torrent tomorrow, and port forwarding!!!

One question-there is a switch on the back-should I leave it switched on or switch it off when I shut PC down?

Simon · « **Reply #87 on:** September 13, 2006, 23:54 »

Quote from: "Delgado"

One question-there is a switch on the back-should I leave it switched on or switch it off when I shut PC down?

This was one of my concerns, but I have no switch, and it would mean either disconnecting the router by the adapter plug, or crawling under the PC to reach the mains board. If left on 24/7, it must use a certain amount of electricity. Even if the cost is only 1p per hour, this is still about £7.20 per month - if your ISP suddenly put their price up by that amount, for the same service, would you accept it?

At the moment, I do leave mine on, but only because I haven't got round to testing the second PSU connection on my PC, to see if it's permanently live. If it goes on and off with the PC, I was thinking of exchanging the 13amp plug on a short extension lead, for a euro (kettle plug) connector, and using the PSU on my PC to power the router. I'm still also uncertain, however, if the PSU would be adequate to power the router, and how the existing transformer for the router would fit into the picture, and I'm a bit concerned about buggering something up by trying it.

Delgado · « **Reply #88 on:** September 14, 2006, 00:01 »

Hi Mate-What a game this all is!!! lol

Im frightened off buggering up the Router, by keep switching it on and off, although everything seems fine at mo.

But like you I dont want to waste money, cos Ive retired from my business, and on a pension.

:roll: :roll: :roll:

Sandra · « **Reply #89 on:** September 14, 2006, 00:05 »

As I said earlier I leave mine on but its ok to switch it off you prefer as they do tend to get rather warm.

I doubt that they would cost even 1p an hour to run Simon

Switching off and on wont harm it, you usually have to reboot it if you change and save some settings, but the router does that itself like the pc does when you tell it to restart