Need help selecting router.

[xibunkrlilkidsx]

So my work has finally started stepping into the 20th century(not that is not a typo..) and want to get a computer set up for the employees to look up product catalogs, pricing, and such.

currently the book keeper is the only one with internet access, and we just got a new computer for us to use and they want to set up a wireless router so we can use the internet...only thing is...i do not know the specifics of what i should be looking at for a router to fit our needs. Our computer has a wireless reciever built in, been using the little verizon 4g mobile hotspot thing a ma jig.

The hardline coming in is DSL. Our computer is about 50ft away with 2 walls kind of in the way.

So what i would like is help finding what will suit our needs. They have not given me a budget of what they want to spend. So im just looking for some options.


Thanks in advance.

[paul0660]

Quite a can of worms you just opened.

My refurb $15 Netgear from Newegg does 9mb/s through 4 walls and 90 feet of trees. Some will say you need more. A lot more.

[undercow16969]

50 ft i would look at a cable tbh. other than that I'm not one of the guys that knows about depreciating signal strength from being blocked by walls. I would recommend http://www.bing.com/search?q=xtreme+...uter&FORM=AWRE not because they say gaming but because of the transfer rate (which is a gigabit) and the fact that it is wired and wireless. with the d-link products you can manage all of the capabilities of the router through their website so it is more secure than keeping all of the software on a hard drive or server somewhere. hope this helps

[high_revs]

do you really need a wifi? if you can hardwire, i think your life would be easier if you're the one stuck supporting it. look at it form a support perspective. wifi will probably be more overhead than hardwire too.

[dotalchemy]

do you really need a wifi? if you can hardwire, i think your life would be easier if you're the one stuck supporting it. look at it form a support perspective. wifi will probably be more overhead than hardwire too.

What?

No. WiFi for small businesses, simply because you can secure it reasonably well and it allows for instant expansion. Ethernet requires running cable, then if you want to add another system, more cable is needed. Given that WiFi needs zero overhead in terms of infrastructure, outside of the router itself, it's not possible for you to have more overhead than Ethernet.

Get a wireless router. You might even find that your DSL company will provide one. Plug it in, let it go. Unless the walls are solid stone and lined with lead, they won't make a huge amount of difference over 50ft with modern WiFi signals.

I've got a LinkSys router at home and I regularly sit in the garden with my laptop watching Netflix in HD. That's well over 50ft and I can count three walls between me and the router.

You wanna browse product catalogs and check Calguns over 50ft, you'll be fine. Y'all are shooting off with transfer rates and gigabits per second - he wants to browse the web, not throw unedited shot files between systems.

[high_revs]

i'm only commenting from a support perspective if he's stuck with it. coming from 2 walls, signal might not be good depending what's behind the wall.

the easiest solutions aren't always the best ones when it comes to protecting your IP (intellectual property) and security as it's a business. maybe it's just our org (and we're a large company), but we don't just fling around wireless solutions w/o thinking about risk also. (not to mention support).

[sholling]

A lot depends on what risks your business faces. If you are an attractive target then I'd spend the time, effort, and money to have a wired network. If running network cables is out of the question then I'd consider 5ghz 801.11n and use strong security settings. But not all routers or devices support 5ghz, that's also the beauty - most war drivers are looking for open 2.4ghz routers. Finally whether you go with 2.4 or 5ghz wireless use WPA-2 security and super strong network keys. The last thing that you want is some hacker going through your data or downloading kiddie porn over your wireless connection. If there are only a half dozen or so of you you may be able to get by with a small-office/home-office (SOHO) router like an Asus Black Diamond (~$130). They also have matching USB wireless adapters for your computers.

Finally you'll want a way to keep employees off of porn sites. Not only does it cut into productivity but it opens you up to very expensive lawsuits. Probably the cheapest solution is a free or low cost premium DNS provider like OpenDNS and either their low cost corporate filtering or their free parental controls.

[Iknownot]

50ft of cable is not that long to run, even if it is along floorboards or along the ceiling, as a completely worst case scenario "ugly" install.

If it's just for one computer, and you don't specifically need wifi access in your business for laptops or handhelds, then why bother?

Just get out a cheap 4 port linksys or d-link or netgear router, password protect it, run the cable, and plug your PC in. It should take all of $45 and 10 minutes. (Or get a cheap N wifi router, turn the wifi off, and just use the ports on the back. that way, you can add in Wifi later on, if you need to.)

[2shotjoe]

i like the d-link dir-655, it has never failed me yet.

[hcbr]

linksys or netgear for a router, anything with a switch built into it in case you need wires to be distributed.

Also i'd recommend the asus RT series, like the RT-N16 and have tomato or DDWRT installed.

[Rivers]

Most 802.11n routers on the market today include BOTH wired and wireless connectivity. Since it sounds like your employers will be moving into the 21st century in a few more decades, I'd focus on these elements, in order:
1) reliability
2) simple to set up and maintain as needed
3) performance
4) cost.

First, depending upon your DSL provider, many SBC Global routers have built-in wireless. Check that out. If it does and you can deal with the provider's tech support, they will help you configure your network.

Next, wired is ALWAYS more reliable than wireless. If you can cleanly run an ethernet cable, it is better in the long run. (They're readily available at most electronics and Radio Shacks, get longer than you think you need to allow for vertical and horizontal path to the computer.) If wired, make sure your router is 10/100/1000 (gigabit) for best speed. (For just internet access, 10/100 is fine. The former indicates more recent technology, hopeful a good sign.

If you're going wireless, make sure you don't have brick or metal obstructions, even HVAC sheet metal, between the computer and the wireless router. Those are signal killers.

For my personal preference, I'll install an Apple Airport Extreme wherever I care about how it works longterm. They excel in the first three features I listed but you do pay for the quality. They also offer both private and guest wireless network access. That way visiting clients can access your wireless internet connection without allowing any type of access to your company's network. Depending upon your business type, that can be helpful.

These routers are very easy to set up, tech support is excellent (native English speakers who know the products), and are compatible with all Win/Mac/Linux, etc. computers and Smart Phones, iPads, etc. You can also connect a printer to the router for shared network access of the printer to all networked computers. Buy online, Best Buy or Apple Stores.

If you need more help, PM me. Not that far away and I've done "a bit" of tech support on-site and phone.

[the86d]

Whatever you select, if you have an enabled wireless access point DO NOT RUN WEP ENCRYPTION...

WEP is cracked in less than 5 minutes in most cases.

[xibunkrlilkidsx]

so many post to read. and i need to runt o school but simply...
running wired is kind of out as far as i know, the building is prob 60 years old or so and the walls are masonry(which i know does bad things to signal) so its not super simple. that was a suggestion i brought up when he 1st asked me about it and you could see the hesitation in his face.

security is a biiiiiiiiiiig thing for the boss(which is why i suggested wired connection). As we work as a locksmith we have a lot of info on customers that if someone got ahold of it could be very very bad. most of it is billing stuff that he is worried most about.

ill get back tonight and go through the posts and try to get u guys more info on what we need.

[paul0660]

Whatever you select, if you have an enabled wireless access point DO NOT RUN WEP ENCRYPTION...

WEP is cracked in less than 5 minutes in most cases.

How much better is WPA2-PSK [AES]?

[xibunkrlilkidsx]

How much better is WPA2-PSK [AES]?

thats something i was wondering as well. what does it take to hack through these things.. not being a hacker im not really sure what it would take.

A lot depends on what risks your business faces. If you are an attractive target then I'd spend the time, effort, and money to have a wired network. If running network cables is out of the question then I'd consider 5ghz 801.11n and use strong security settings. But not all routers or devices support 5ghz, that's also the beauty - most war drivers are looking for open 2.4ghz routers. Finally whether you go with 2.4 or 5ghz wireless use WPA-2 security and super strong network keys. The last thing that you want is some hacker going through your data or downloading kiddie porn over your wireless connection. If there are only a half dozen or so of you you may be able to get by with a small-office/home-office (SOHO) router like an Asus Black Diamond (~$130). They also have matching USB wireless adapters for your computers.

Finally you'll want a way to keep employees off of porn sites. Not only does it cut into productivity but it opens you up to very expensive lawsuits. Probably the cheapest solution is a free or low cost premium DNS provider like OpenDNS and either their low cost corporate filtering or their free parental controls.

Our provider is At&t, for now it seems they kind of screwed us over on the website they were making for us so may not be with them much longer. I can talk with the book keeper and see if she can call att to see if they have a router.



her office has 3 solid walls and one wall is a wood wall, which is towards the shop, with just some paneling on the other side but it doesnt go all the way up to the ceiling. And where the computer is, it is tucked in by a door way. so its not fully enclosed.

Did not get a chance to talk to my boss any further today so we will see next week.