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Modem advice

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I am looking to buy a new modem. I don't really know what I'm looking for. Can anyone give me some advice? What kind of minimum spec am I looking for?

 

I have a broadband connection and use Windows XP, although I'm considering upgrading to Vista in a few months.

 

I mostly use the internet for message boards and email. I rarely download/upload large files, and could set them going overnight on the rare occasions that I do.

 

I'm worried about security with a wireless connection. Are there (dead simple) ways to keep the connection secure?

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Having wireless on the router will increase the price. It is fairly easy to secure a wireless connection though. Not to mention all the routers I know of allow you to disable it when it isn't in use.

 

I'd probably go with Belkin's Wireless G+ router if you can afford it. It has a nice easy to follow setup and is fairly self explanatory when it comes to most options whilst been a very fully featured router. I'm presently running the Belkin N1 Wireless Router but it is a lot of extra expense and I doubt you would ever get any benefit from it. I'm wondering if I really do. Main advantage of my present router is that it has nice lights across the front that show the status of everything. Hence it is easy to find out when a PC won't connect to the internet for some reason where the problem lies.

 

Another brand that I've always found to be good is US Robotics. Only company I've had problems with is NetGear. Their products I don't think are built as well. In terms of quality of build however Belkin are my favourites by a long way.

 

EDIT: Should have perhaps mentioned that one thing you might like to check out is if you'd ever want faster internet. If you do you may like to consider a modem that meets the ADSL2 standard rather than just ADSL.

 

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/labs/94250/belkin-wireless-g.html

Edited by David Matthew Baker

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I've got a BT Voyager 2091 Wireless ADSL Router when I wanted to be able to run the laptop wireless at same time desktop was being used. It was very tricky to set up software to get it working properly - i don't think I would ever have got it working if I'd been doing it on my own! I've also noticed that the signal range isn't that great. I can only go about 1 or 2 rooms away befor I lose signal on laptop, so I should have got a more poweful router.

 

How can you tell if it's secure or not? I guess by security you mean spyware/adware and virus etc. I just run spybot, adaware and anti-virus software in addition to the windows firewall. Is that enough?

Edited by MichelleW

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I meant that with wireless, other people can access your connection, and I don't know if they could access your computer while you were online. Someone came round with a laptop and found 3 possible wireless connections from inside our house, they could have used to access the internet on their laptop, and none of them were mine! Yet my parents have had trouble with using a wireless connection throughout the house . . . it seems that whichever problem you wish to avoid, you will get.

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I know that you can link up to someone else's router if you are in the vicnity and their router is powerful enough. But I'm not sure that it is likely to happen, and it shouldn't be a way to access your actual computer - but I can't be sure.

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I must admit when I last checked I could access 3 other networks because they were unsecured and could see another couple that were. If you activate the security and provide a WEP code it would be hard for anyone to log onto the net using your connection. Unfortunatally different routers are setup differently so it is a bit hard to give a run through on how to do things. However a good way to start is to find your gateways IP address and enter it into internet explorer. That will allow you to login into the router and access any settings. Alternatively most routers come with software to access the router.

 

On a side note if you don't have security setup on your router and you run a home network it would be possible for people to access those computers. That said with a fixed IP address if someone wanted to they could hack in through the internet in anycase as far as I know. Wouldn't know how to do it myself but I have heard of it been done.

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OK, so . . .

 

Wireless is not bad if I set up security, but nothing is ever 100% secure anyway.

 

Belkin and US Robotics are recommended brands. Stay away from Netgear . . .

 

I think I can cope with that :) Thanks!

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