Broadband simpleton

Captain Slow IRL

Hi all,

My eircom router is due an upgrade, my current one was dropped once or twice and as a result the wireless can be a bit dodgy til you go tweaking with the aerials.

Anyway, I was looking in the Argos.ie (click)- can anyone advice me which router would be best to purchase (what's the story with cable or adsl routers and an eircom wireless connection?) I understand the G, N, N1 ratings but which would be best for me without being overkill?

Would any of these make a huge difference with download speeds compared to my netopia router, care of eircom?!

Thanks in advance.

Spear

Captain Slow IRL wrote: »

Hi all,

My eircom router is due an upgrade, my current one was dropped once or twice and as a result the wireless can be a bit dodgy til you go tweaking with the aerials.

Anyway, I was looking in the Argos.ie (click)- can anyone advice me which router would be best to purchase (what's the story with cable or adsl routers and an eircom wireless connection?) I understand the G, N, N1 ratings but which would be best for me without being overkill?

Would any of these make a huge difference with download speeds compared to my netopia router, care of eircom?!

Thanks in advance.

They're all much faster than your broadband connection, there'll be no impact. And cable routers are no use to you unless you have a separate modem to use already.

dub45

There can be other reasons for the connection dropping than the router itself.

Have you checked to see if there are any other wireless networks on the same channel - try changing the wireless channel you are using and see if it makes any difference and also have any other wireless gizmos arrived in the house recentlly?

Also have you checked to see if there are any updated drivers for your wireless card?

And no matter how good a router is or a wireless card there are few indeed that wont drop the signal now and again for whatever reason.

Spear

dub45 wrote: »

There can be other reasons for the connection dropping than the router itself.

Does he not mean dropping the router physically rather than the connection dropping?

dub45

Spear wrote: »

Does he not mean dropping the router physically rather than the connection dropping?

Yes:eek: thats what I get for jumping to conclusions. I didnt realise that some people make other uses of their routers!

Captain Slow IRL

Spear wrote: »

And cable routers are no use to you unless you have a separate modem to use already.

So I need a wireless router - nothing else will work?

dub45 wrote: »

Have you checked to see if there are any other wireless networks on the same channel - try changing the wireless channel you are using and see if it makes any difference and also have any other wireless gizmos arrived in the house recentlly?

There is only 1 other item in the house, it's never on though!

dub45 wrote: »

Also have you checked to see if there are any updated drivers for your wireless card?

I've updated windows vista last night - would the wireless card drivers be updated with this? (It's updated regularly anyway)

Spear wrote: »

Does he not mean dropping the router physically rather than the connection dropping?

Spear

Captain Slow IRL wrote: »

So I need a wireless router - nothing else will work?

I think you misunderstood. A cable router, wireless or not, has no integrated ADSL modem.

I've updated windows vista last night - would the wireless card drivers be updated with this? (It's updated regularly anyway)

Not impossible, but not that likely. You'd be better off going straight to the manufacturers site.

vibe666

Captain Slow IRL wrote: »

There is only 1 other item in the house, it's never on though!

do you have neighbours?

it doesn't have to specifically be something with wifi written on it.

everything from dect wireless home phones, bluetooth (games console controllers or bluetooth on your mobile) tv/video senders and even microwave ovens all give off 2.4ghz frequencies that could be interfering with your wifi signal.

of course it could just be that you are a clumsy fecker and you dropped it on it's antenna and have loosened the connections somehow.

as you are replacing the 'all in one' eircom modem/router you'll need to either ensure that you get a router with an adsl (pref. adsl2+) modem built in. you'll have to check the box for this, if ut just says 'broadband router' then it will have the capacity to pass authentication for your broadband through a separate modem but will not have it's own internal modem, meaning you'll have to buy one of those two, as well as having it take up an extra plug socket which will be more expensive.

the choice is very large and will depend on your plans for what you'll do with it (i.e.how heavy a user you are) and it's been so long since i had to buy one that i couldn't even begin to advise you on it, maybe someone else could recommend something suitable for you if you let us know your most common likely uses for it, i.e. gaming, torrenting, surfing, browsing, ftp etc. and how heavy a user you would likely be.

Pyro Boy

Ive had the netgear dg834 and it has been great for coverage and having lots connected to it . Better than your netopia router i think . It's in argos here http://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/6769091/Trail/searchtext%3ENETGEAR.htm for €105 or on amazon Ireland http://www.shopireland.ie/electronics/reviews/B0000TZ8Z8/ for €69

Captain Slow IRL

of course it could just be that you are a clumsy fecker and you dropped it on it's antenna and have loosened the connections somehow.

Bingo!

I need it most when gaming, internet would be second.