Recommended Wireless Networks

[Brangwen]

Fellow Members:

I am using a "cabled" Linksys 4-port router with Linksys NIC cards in my two boxes simply for DSL sharing. I'm very pleased.

However my neighbor doesn't want to deal with cables, which is understandable.

He has a pair of Intels (Ghz plus), one running XP Home, the other Win98. In addition he has cable signal.

Which "wireless" brand of router / cards would you recommend for my neighbor? The two boxes will be 15-20 feet apart.

Thx.

Brangwen

[BipolarBill]

Netgear, Linksys or SMC (preferred). Hybrid type B/G are best.

[KarenMarie]

linksys

anything linksys. I am a loyal customer.

[M_Six]

I have a Linksys wireless router and it's worked great. I had problems with the Linksys USB wireless adapter, though, and I read of several other folks having the same issue, so I'd steer clear of them. I have one PC on a Linksys wireless bridge and my laptop is on an Orinoco Gold PCMCIA card. Both have been trouble-free.

[kwebb]

Close your eyes and toss a dart at a board with Mfg's logos on them. They are all pretty much the same at the price point you'll pay for SOHO wireless hardware. If your comfortable with Linksys then put that in. There is no hybrid B/G stuff really. Any 802.11g gear will be backward compatible with 802.11b equipment. It's part of the standard. Linksys definitely has a nice market share so there is plenty of BBS support if you run into trouble. My Siemens Router/AP combo has performed perfectly for me for the last two years, but I've used D-Link, SMC, and Linksys for home use with very very little to distinguish any of the brands from the other. Netgear is now shipping with a 5 dBi dipole antenna (SIemens has the same) which is a benefit if converage is a concern. What you want to pay attention to is the client side of the equation. The PC card, PCI adapter, or USB device. If going 802.11b then Orinoco is the best bang for the buck card. Here (client device) linksys is not such a good choice. Notorious for their poor range, mainly due to weak receive sensitivity. SMC makes decent PC cards from what I remember. I use enterprise level client cards so my experience with the SOHO client side is limited. Perhaps others can give their opinions about that side of the mix.

adding onto kwebb different routers have different features.

atucally some routers distances are alot better than others

i suggest d link or linksys

[Brangwen]

Fellow Members:

Thanks for the feedback.

Here's the deal: You see, my neighbors are the type of techies one might see browsing in Staples Office Store, checking out the newspaper coupon bargains. Not that there's anything wrong with that ...

I am sincerely unfamiliar with "wireless," though one day I will visit that arena. (Mixing hardwired Desktops with a wireless laptop comes to mind.)

In any event: what do I need to recommend to these folks by way of:

> Model Linksys (wireless) Router
> Ethernet cards for two computers: decent & reliable brand?

Staples is offering a sale price "deal" on:

Linksys Routers:

Wireless-B (802.11b): $90.00
Wireless-G (draft 802.11g):this the hybrid? (wire / wireless): $120

. . . that's with mail-in rebates.

Any suggestions on PCI cards (adaptors) to go with one of the above routers? Best buying site? www.NewEgg.com seemed a bit empty ... maybe I wasn't looking properly.

If you could turn me onto a wireless combo of a router and 2 cards for under $300 and "url where to buy" that would be great!

Any help would be great.

Thanks!

Brangwen

[DrDave1958]

I'm not going to make a recommendation, just tell you what I have. I have a Linksys wireless G router (WRT54G), a Linksys wireless-G notebook adaptor (WPC54G), and a D-link wireless-G PCI adaptor (DWL-G520). I'm running XP Pro and W2K Pro and using ADSL. This all works fabulous.

I started with a Linksys PCI adaptor and tried two of them, both were junk. It doesn't make sense why everything else works but their PCI cards.

-Dave-

[Brangwen]

DrDave:

Great feedback ... Very helpful. Thank you for taking the time.

Brangwen

[washe]

I have a Linksys wireless G router (WRT54G), a Linksys wireless-G PCI card on a windows XP and 3 computers connected via normal utp cable, the computer is 60 feet from the router and I have from Good to Very Good signal so no problems here...

Only stay away from 2.4 GHZ phones they have the abilitie to screw up your network when they are used.

Only downside on my config is that the PCI card is not supported by Linux yet... just if they want linux get a Orinoco card...