Wireless networking

[chequita guevara]

I'm looking in to getting a wireless router and setting up a wireless network at home.

I've done a little research, and 11g seems to be the best right now, but I'm led to believe it doesn't handle streaming video too well. I've seen some "pre"-11n routers, but no matching network cards, and I'd rather not have to turn around and buy new cards a few months down the road.

Any ideas?

[Ramo]

11g works great for me.

[Imran Siddiqui]

I got to get a router too... as for standards, I'd be interested in it as well (as per the previous thread I started, I'm looking at Linksys or D-Link for a router though).

[Urban Ranger]

Stick with the standards. That means 802.11 (a, b, and g).

Just don't forget to lock the wireless network down.

[chequita guevara]

Well, 11n will be a standard.

[Urban Ranger]

Yeah, but nobody knows what 11n exactly will be. Thus, getting any equipment based on it is likely to get yourself stuck.

[PLATO]

I have an 11g network at home running through a linksys router with 4 wireless computers, 1 wired computer, a wireless printer, two wired printers, and an ipaq that connects occasionally. I have never had the first issue with streaming video.

[Kuciwalker]

Get 11g, it works fine. We have four or five computers hooked up to it.

[Mrs. Tuberski]

Tuber and i have a lynksys, course he knows more about it then i do. It has cababilities of 5 wirelss connections at home it ran 4 desk tops and my wirless laptop. In oregon it runs the deskstop down stairs
the xbox wireless and my laptop upstairs so its got pretty good range.

[Sava]

I recommend the D-Link DI-624

we've had it for over a year... perfect

Also, you don't necessarily need to get a PCI wireless network card. Although I use a cord most of the time (because my PC's are connected to our LAN via a gigabit switch), when I go wireless, I use a wireless USB adapter that has great range and gives me great transfer speeds. It's a Motorola WU830G. It was around $20 I think... maybe $14.99. It is larger than most USB wireless adapters, but that's because it has an antenna for longer range. It got great review on a few sites, so I got one. It's worked perfectly and I get great download speeds (from usenet) when I go wireless. When I'm plugged in, I get around 450kbytes per sec... with the wireless, I get around 350-400... and that's with the router on the second floor and my PC on either the first floor or the basement.

I got both the router and the wireless USB adapter from newegg.

[DanS]

I might wait for the 802.11n standard to settle down and the cheap hardware to be manufactured, if I could afford a half year wait or whatever. 802.11n is supposed to be a rock solid and fast technology and should quickly supplant all 802.11g gear.

[Kuciwalker]

11g routers are cheap, though, so it's not too much of a problem to just get them now and get 11n later.

[DanS]

11n routers will be just as cheap soon enough. Right now, the Linksys pre-n routers are about $150 apiece, and that price should fall quickly as they push volume once the final standard hardware.

[Kuciwalker]

But is the extra $50 worth six months of having a wireless network? (IMO yes.)

[Mrs. Tuberski]

gosh i didnt pay that much for our router ours is a lynksys wireless g 2.4 ghz and we only paid 50 buck brand new its pretty fast and does the job.