Buying a wireless router

Question

ok. so im planning to have a wireless router and i know most of them have 4 wired connections. i prefer the wired connection on my 2 PCs (XP) but i have a PDA (palm TX) and a laptop (XP) also that id like to be in a wireless connection. can i use BOTH wired and wireless connection on the wireless router at the SAME TIME??? will it cause any problem??? btw a cable company provides my connection

Answer 1

You go to the head of the class.  First in a long time someone actually provided all the information necessary to answer the question they posed. The answer to your question is yes, you can use both a wired and wireless connection at the same time or when ever you wish.  

Each device has a Mac address for a wired connection and another for wired-meaning, each device has one Mac address "built in" to receive it either way.  

I personally have had many computers and devices on my single router  at one time. I have a VOIP telephone, and one computer with a wired connection and two more computers that are wireless working in my house.  When friends come over I also set them up to receive wireless or wired connection if they want.  The most I had at one time was 12 computers- 4 wired and 8 wireless, this didn't included 2 PDA, that wer also going.   If you are curious what router I have, it's a DIR-655.  I believe it has the greatest range and gives the strongest wireless signal-is rated as the top in the market-Only $90.  Instead of ethernet, I use CAT 7E line that gives 30% faster throughput over ethernet-(the wire between the router and your computer). Hope that helps.

Most, except the most expensive routers will slow down to the slowest speed on the network.  That means,if T ha a pre-N router, as I do, and my computers are all Pre-N, than if I have a friend that has a G, the entire system will "Step Down" to the G and the rest of my computer will also run at the slower speed

Linksys use to be the premier router brand and it stilled used by most companies, but for home use, the other router companies has caught up in quality and service.  Now D-Link has the strongest router for home use.

Once you do get your router, keep in mind, many people have a lot of wireless signals in your neighborhood. If your signal does have some problems, you may have o switch channels depending on you local situation.  Given that, the most important then you should then do it make sure your security is set.

Answer 2

the purpose of the router is to be a "traffic cop"  directing signals either between users on your home network , to users from the internet and connecting two networks  - in this case the wan of the internet and your home network

routers are set to handle a ton of traffic - wireless routers are set by default to handle the 4 wired ports and either 128 or 256 wireless connections- lots of capacity

The limitation of most is their internet bandwidth not the router

All router brands are fine

The major brands are linksys and  d-link ( more of a retail brand)

the majority of wireless  routers use the same frequencies as standard cordless phones

Even the oldest standard b is faster than most internet connections

g is the most common standard format - its a souped up b

to handle internal transfers to the psp its a benefit to have the faster g

( if its wireless is g not b)

no need for the store to talk you into a new expensive n router

only if you have vista and your network cards support that - not even then

all brands are fine -

big box stores have routers on sale all the time

Premium brand is linksys

If the  store tries to talk you into a faster speedboost or propietary speed increase router - it has to a matched network adapter

so it will not make a difference with your psp

Most important thing is to change the channel on the wireless router from the default 6 to 1 or 11 to reduce interference from neighbors

Make sure router is high and uncluttered

Speed falls rapidly with wireless with any distance

cable ethernet connections are always faster