adsl usb modem/router/pci

which of these is considered the best to have, i have a usb modem at the
minute. should i be looking to change this?

what benefits will i get from switching to a router or a pci modem?

> what benefits will i get from switching to a router or a pci modem?

A router uses NAT to distribute the data from the "internet" side to an
IP address only the router knows "locally" (which will typically be
assigned to your machine when you plug a PC in to the router).

As a hacker doesn`t know your "real" IP address they can`t hit your
machine directly - and unless the router was expecting data from a remote
address it will ignore it - a PC based software firewall essentially
becomes useless, as port attacks / probes are blocked by the router (as
it isn`t expecting data from the attacking IP address) but may be worth
leaving on so you can monitor outgoing apps.

It also makes connection sharing a pleasure rather than a pain ! - just
plug in and go, the router does the rest - just tell the PC to connect
via LAN

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Colin Wilson wrote:
>> what benefits will i get from switching to a router or a pci modem?
>
> A router uses NAT to distribute the data from the "internet" side to
> an IP address only the router knows "locally" (which will typically be
> assigned to your machine when you plug a PC in to the router).
>
> As a hacker doesn`t know your "real" IP address they can`t hit your
> machine directly - and unless the router was expecting data from a
> remote address it will ignore it - a PC based software firewall
> essentially becomes useless, as port attacks / probes are blocked by
> the router (as it isn`t expecting data from the attacking IP address)
> but may be worth leaving on so you can monitor outgoing apps.
>
> It also makes connection sharing a pleasure rather than a pain ! -
> just plug in and go, the router does the rest - just tell the PC to
> connect via LAN

I've just switched from a USB modem and ICS to a modem / wireless router.
Pretty easy to set up and the firewall seems robust. You may need to fiddle
with port settings for some applications. I'd think that a pci modem gives
no real advantage over a USB modem if the latter works OK.

Colin Bean wrote:
> which of these is considered the best to have, i have a usb modem at
> the minute. should i be looking to change this?
>
> what benefits will i get from switching to a router or a pci modem?

The disadvantage with usb modems is that often they can be too power hungry
and use too many resources from your pc. This can cause pc slowdown,
disconnections and in severe cases crashing of the system. This is not the
case for all usb problems so please dont take it as a generalisation of all
models.

"Colin Bean" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:c25c2q$1omo2a$(E-Mail Removed)...
> which of these is considered the best to have, i have a usb modem at the
> minute. should i be looking to change this?
>
> what benefits will i get from switching to a router or a pci modem?
>
>
Having had a PCI modem previously (but never a USB one), I much prefer my
router/modem. My feeling is that throughput varies slightly across the three
solutions and I'd put the router at the top of the list, PCI a close second
and USB squarely at the bottom, just because of the way the drivers in your
PC use resources, and some physical matters associated with USB interfaces,
but the speed of the PC might make the differences appear insignificant.

The router/modem seems to give you a more immediate connection (provided you
leave it switched on even while the PC is off), and most routers will give
you a firewall facility, so that's another bit of background software you
can get rid of from your PC.

And as another poster has pointed out, if you want to share your connection,
e.g with another PC or an X-Box, etc., then it is far easier with a router.

Minus is you need an ethernet card. But a lot of PCs have these built in and
if not they're dirt cheap (from a fiver or so).

Ian.



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"Colin Bean" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:c25c2q$1omo2a$(E-Mail Removed)...
> which of these is considered the best to have, i have a usb modem at the
> minute. should i be looking to change this?
>
> what benefits will i get from switching to a router or a pci modem?
>

You won't get any (or limited) benefits going from USB to PCI. The benefits
won't be *THAT* noticable unless your PC is quite slow/old - in which case
it probably wouldn't support USB in the first place!

Give me an external solution anytime (USB isn't an external solution - even
though the kit is outside the PC). Anything which takes the burden from the
PC processor has to be better.

Its such a shame that the major ISPs go down the free USB kit route. Its
probably because, since its plug-and-play and load a driver, its the
simplest solution to install - but it hogs the PC resources, and gives many
people an experience of broadband that they'd rather forget - IMHO.

A free Ethernet Modem/NIC card (and better Customer Support for those who
can't/daren't open their PC box) would be *FAR* better. But then we get into
invalidating warranties in new PCs etc. etc..... Oh why bother - giv'em kit
they can just plug in........ Sad but true.
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