What type of router should I get for Live?

alfonsosoriano

alfonsosoriano

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I have an iMac if that makes a difference. Anyways, what router should I get? I'd like one that isn't too expensive and hooks up easily.

Can you try and provide a link?
 
I've got the Linksys WRT54G router upstairs, and my Xbox, PS2, and HTPC are connected via a Linksys WET54GS5 bridge downstairs. I've had the router for a couple years, and it has been rock solid. I'd say the router is one of the most popular you'll find, which is good if you ever find yourself needing support for Live or anything else.
 
God, why is this so fucking confusing to me. Is an ethernet switch just something that hooks up routers to different things, or modems to different things? AH!
 
[quote name='alfonsosoriano']Would an ethernet switch work too?

http://www.circuitcity.com/rpsm/oid/47262/rpem/ccd/productDetailReview.do#tabs

Like that? Basically I want my mac and Live connected to the internet.[/quote]

I wouldn't mess with just a switch. What you need is a full-fledged router that includes a built-in switch for your two devices. A router will be equipped with a configurable hardware firewall, and contain its own DHCP server.

The WRT54G is wireless, but if you don't need wireless you can get just a router that has a built-in switch for cheaper, but anymore the cost difference is negligible.

Here, this explains it better than I could: http://compnetworking.about.com/od/homenetworkhardware/f/routervsswitch.htm
 
Now, does being on a mac make any difference at all as to if a router would work, or is it all the same unless specified?

Also, how does the wireless one set up?
 
[quote name='alfonsosoriano']Now, does being on a mac make any difference at all as to if a router would work, or is it all the same unless specified?

Also, how does the wireless one set up?[/quote]
No, you could have a Mac, a Windows PC, an a Linux PC all hooked up off the same router if you wanted to.

A wireless router will benefit you if you don't want ethernet cable run to all the devices you're going to have hooked up off the router. However, they also make most wireless routers with a 4 or 5 port switch so you can take advantage of wireless if you want to, and have your main computer hard-wired with an ethernet cable to the router, and if the Xbox is in another room or another floor you can buy a wireless switch for that to communiate with your router.

If you ever decide to get a laptop you can be connected the network with a wireless card (or most laptops you buy now have built in wireless), so you're not tethered to the router with an ethernet cable. Also, if you ever plan to get a Nintendo DS or a Sony PSP a wireless router is all you need to get online with that.

Personally, I can't imagine buying a router and not going with one that is wireless, it really isn't much more at all.
 
I found this at CircuitCity.com

System requirements
PC: Windows® 98SE/ME/2000/XP, 200MHz or faster processor, 64MB of RAM, Internet Explorer 4.0 or Netscape Navigator 4.7 or higher (for Web-based configuration), CD-ROM drive, network adapter

Mac® N/A

I hope that just means the requirements aren't available or something. Anyways, would I have to buy a wireless switch if the XBox is in another room? What's that all about? Can I just have the mac with internet connection, xbox, and the wireless router? *smacks self for being so n00bish on this matter*
 
that's very odd. I had a roomate last year that was on a mac and didn't have any problems setting it up with a wireless router that we got from a local phone/dsl company.

The only thing I can think of is that those requirements are for whatever is on the cd. Routers work with anything.
 
I think I'm going to have to write my uncle an email, lol. He knows about computers and macs in particular.

Hmm, actually, I might be going to see him this weekend.

Keep giving any help you can though guys, lol.
 
I just found this in a review of it on Amazon:

Was a bit wary because the software is Windows only and I have an iMac. But everything worked out for the best.
 
I just rebuilt my main computer, and I never installed any software for the router. You just connect to the admin panel of the router through the localhost by typing 127.0.01 in your address bar on a browser. The admin panel is installed right on the hardware of the router.

If your Xbox is in another room you have to have it connected through the wireless router one of two ways.

1. Run an ethernet cable from the Xbox to the router.
2. Run a short ethernet cable to a wireless switch (sold separately), and the wireless switch communicates to the router.

I went with method two because mine is down a floor from my router, and it will eventually be moved down another floor. So I didn't want to go through the hassle of running an ethernet cable through the wall, if I was going to just be moving it in a few months.
 
So then, it's only truely wireless if you have one of the wireless switches, correct? My XBox is a room over, so I could probably get the cord just running to there and not in the way of things.

How much is a wireless switch?
 
[quote name='alfonsosoriano']So then, it's only truely wireless if you have one of the wireless switches, correct? My XBox is a room over, so I could probably get the cord just running to there and not in the way of things.
[/quote]

Well, if you have a wireless router it's not going to do anything wirelessly unless you have another wireless device. Think of it like a cordless phone. The router is like the cordless phone base unit, by itself it doesn't do anything wirelessly unless it has the handheld receiver, the phone, turned on and communicating with it.
 
Update: I just realized that I have an Airport Extreme that isn't hooked up, that is basically a router. I got it hooked up and working. At one point it had gone down and we never plugged it back in. We used it to get internet on a computer upstairs.

Anyways, I talked with my uncle, and he said I can now just buy a hub/switch and some Cat5 cables and I should be set to go.
 
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