Which wireless router to by?

[WWDog]

I am in the market to get a wireless router. Kids back in the house due to the economy and my desire to set up a wireless music stream have made me realize that a single PC is in need of a network. I want to buy a Logitech Squeezebox Duet to permit remote control of my music collection via a remote and get rid of the 60 Hz buzz on the wires from the computer to my stereo. Kids with their laptop want constant link to the internet and I just won't give up my link to BBB. So I am looking for a wireless router that has good range and throughput. I am leaning toward one of the new ones the has 802.11 b/g/n capability because of the range, throughput, and future expandability should streaming video from the computer become a real option in the future and good security and range for laptop linking to the internet. I am aware that the N version is not the final standard and I am hoping that if I go with one of these it will be and easy software upgrade to the final standard. My internet research has me leaning toward the D-Link Xtreem N Duo DIR-655 due to the ratings I have seen. I have never set up a wireless network but I think I can stumble my way through it. Anybody out there got any words of wisdom for me?

[DallasDog]

Most of them are pretty easy to set up. My house fiber optic tv and my internet run off a 2 wire. If the ratings are good on the ones you have been reviewing you should be fine. I have had no problems with mine.

[dawg80]

We have a Linksys wireless but I am told that Belken (not sure of spelling) is a better choice.

I'm sure you know already, but you need to firewall or password protect your wireless system. My son took his laptop and drove around our neighborhood and was able to log into two wireless systems, just by stopping in front of our neighbor's house.

Funny thing, one of our neighbors reacted negatively when we told them about it, thinking we were just offering them advice about protecting their system, but they threatened to call the police and/or to sue our son! They got over it and took steps to password protect access to their system. Sheeesh! makes you want to say screw 'em, let them learn the hard way.

[johnnylightnin]

I've never had any trouble with my apple airport.

[96bulldog]

Got another question along the same lines. I have been using a 11G wireless network in my house for a while without any problem. Had a PC hooked up directly to the router, and two laptops that used the wireless portion. We just got another PC for the kids to play on, and I moved my PC to a distant room on the same floor.

I bought a cheap, generic (no-name) wireless PCI card for the PC, but it doesn't keep its connection. The signal is week (averages around 50%) and every few minutes it tries to re-acquire a network address from the router.

Would a more expensive card from a recognized company (like Belkin, Linksys, or NetGear) be likely to get better reception? Or am I hosed because the router is about 50 feet away and through three walls (one of them a brick wall)?

[dawg80]

Yes.

[DallasDog]

yeah.

[WWDog]

Thanks all for your comments and keep them comming. I will have to look into the Belken router as I saw one rating that said it was very good. I also saw that the Apple Airport was rated tops in one article but it is very expensive and I don't know if it would work with a windows based computer. I got a $10 off card in the mail yeasterday for Office Max and they have the D-Link on sale on line for a discount of $30.

thing that has been bothering me also about the D-Link is the fact that you can't network your printer. Since I have never had a network in the house, I really don't know if that is problem or not. With the kids back home and going back to school, it might be a good thing. Any thoughts on this?

[Woof!]

Have you looked at CNET'S Site?

[DocMarvin362]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...ireless+Router

[DocMarvin362]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833124190

84% give it 5 EGGS!!

The price in cart is $58 (free shipping)

It's an 18 time winner of the customer choice award: http://www.newegg.com/Product/CustVo...uctWinner.aspx

[TechStudent]

D-Link or Linksys would be the way to go; I've only had trouble with Belkin. If you really want to do some cool stuff with your network try installing DD-WRT Firmware (http://www.dd-wrt.com/dd-wrtv3/index.php).

[Woof!]

IMHO, I would get one with USB so that you could attach an external hard drive or thumb drive and have remote access to it.

[nadB]

I've been using a Netgear Pre-N since not that long after they first came out.

Excellent range and 270 Mbps; no problems at all.

Me, I'm not a big Belkin fan.

[raam]

We have the Linksys, use three sometimes four laptops with no issues or slow downs at all. Cheap and easy to set up.