Wireless Router Dilemma

[Interceptor6]

Well, I recently purchased a high end laptop a few weeks ago, and haven been trying to find the best gear to set up a wireless network. I would really like to go with wireless-A since it is on the 5ghz frequency and the 2.4 Wireless-G ones would probably get interference from my cordless phone. I've heard that the Linksys ones are superior to the other brands, but some say that their A+G router gets only about 35 feet of range. So i'm a bit confused as to what to do. I've never set up a wireless network before, so im rather new at this sort of thing. So far it looks like i'll be forced to make a choice between interference and range. I really would hate to have to lose a connection every time we use the cordless phone, but 30 something feet of range certainly wont be enough...

Sooo, summed up my question is: Is there a router out there that you guys have used that doesnt require a compromise between range and interference? So far ive had little luck with it. And if not, what is the best router out there?

Thanks for any help.

[fliptw]

The questions you should be asking yourself is this:

Why can't I run cat5?

[Interceptor6]

well, I can't run a wired network because I an getting a laptop for one thing

And besides, I'm 100% positive there is no way my family would want me setting up a wired one anyway. So wireless is my only option.

[Cuda68-2]

They better antennas for the linksys than the stock ones which will give you much better range.

[DCrazy]

Well the real solution to the problem is to convince your parents to let you run wires wherever possible. Wireless sucks balls, and should only be used where necessary.

[Mobius]

Wireless is just fine - don't listen to these guys. The only exception is when you are using loss-sensitive applications - like online games - then wireless is damned useless.

We have a nice 802.11g network at work, and I have the same ZyAir wireless router here at home. Transfer rates are excellent throughout the house, on all three floors, and the house is made form tilt-slab concrete, and the router is on the ground floor.

Measuring Loss across the network is a little disturbing: typically, 2-5% loss compared to zero percent on the 100Mb Ethernet network. This much loss is allowable for normal data traffic, because there's no time-sensitive packets. Gaming packets are time sensitive, and so dropped packets - even when (not IF - no ACK = resend) resent, are often discarded by the game.

I have seen measured 48Mb/s over the G network, transfering VOB files to a laptop - so that's pretty decent.

I've installed about a dozen wireless networks, and I have to say, they have ALL worked just fine. For me, the REAL issue is the security settings for the routers. Often these are simply unintelligible - and one one of them, even after 4 hours I could NOT secure the network (so I left it open! HA) ...

So, it's VERY important to have SIMPLE security settings for your router. To my mind, simply assigning MAC addresses is all the security you'd ever need fir a home network - so ensure you can filter by MAC address!

[fliptw]

No. simple security on a wireless network will mean someone will start leeching bandwidth from you. Network devices come with easily changable MAC addresses, so MAC filtering is a placebo; WEP just requires a few days worth of packet sniffing to crack.

WPA, strong passwords, and changing the default SSID are essential.

My guess is, you are gonna to be using that laptop in a single spot most of the time, so wireless isn't worth it.

[WarAdvocat]

BY GOLLY WIRELESS IS KEWL AND SUPAR HI TECH!1!!!1

[MD-2389]

WPA, strong passwords, and changing the default SSID are essential.

This I cannot stress enough. Don't forget to change the router password, and if possible rename the admin account. Usually by default its admin/admin, which damn near everyone knows about.