Broadband - Is it best to get a router?

Hi there,

I am about to sign up for braodband but I have been asked whether I want a
regular USB modem or a router.

I only have 1 PC but I may use BT BB Voice. So is it best to go for a
router? If the answer is yes what one would you recommend?

Many thanks

"Fiona Gilbert" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:416285f3@212.67.96.135...
> Hi there,
>
> I am about to sign up for braodband but I have been asked whether I want a
> regular USB modem or a router.
>
> I only have 1 PC but I may use BT BB Voice. So is it best to go for a
> router? If the answer is yes what one would you recommend?

(Excluding BB voice issues

'Yes - IMHO'

With a router you would have to fit an ethernet adapter to your PC if there is
not one on the motherboard.
Once done this would probably be trouble free. If you leave the router powered
up, your PC would be connected to the internet once it has finished booting. No
need for any manual intervention.

Some routers support wireless as well as 10base-T cabling.

Depending on your house layout it maybe feasible to site the router next to your
telephone master socket, and isolate any extension wiring using a filter. This
can improve the signal that the router gets and could be important if your are
on a long (poor quality) telephone line. (Not an issue on a short/good line)

USB modems are cheap, easy to install, there must be 1000s of them, but if you
do hit problems because of some compatibility issue there may be no fix.
Typically you will have to manually start the connection using a dial-up icon.

PCI adapters are a third option.

There is a good review of the hardware options on www.adslguide.org.uk

I bought a Speedtouch 510 from the shop linked to the Speedtouch web site. It
works fine, conservative approach using a well established product. Installing
cabling in my house to support several PCs is being a pain, and not cheap!


Michael Chare

"Fiona Gilbert" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>I am about to sign up for braodband but I have been asked whether I want a
>regular USB modem or a router.

Definitely - it hides your PC from the internet.


Peter.
--
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E-mail replies to (E-Mail Removed) but remove the X and the Y.
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In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Fiona Gilbert <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> Hi there,
>
> I am about to sign up for braodband but I have been asked whether I
> want a regular USB modem or a router.
>
> I only have 1 PC but I may use BT BB Voice. So is it best to go for a
> router? If the answer is yes what one would you recommend?
>
> Many thanks

Even with only one PC, there are advantages in having a router rather than
just an ADSL modem. These include:
* Built-in firewall which protects your PC from certain (but not all!) types
of malicious attack (so use a software firewall such as the free version of
ZoneAlarm too!)
* Always on - so you don't have to wait for the line to synch up when you
boot your PC
* They don't suffer from any of the problems of USB modems [If you don't
have a router, at least get an internal PCI ADSL modem rather than a USB
model]
* Expandable. If you add further PCs it is very easy to share the internet
connection using a router

As I understand it, BB Voice *requires* a router - so if you're considering
going that way, a router is an obvious choice.

You will need a router with at least 2 ethernet ports - one for the computer
and one for the BB Voice phone adapter. Routers tend to come to with either
one or four ports - so 4 ports would be the way to go. [Otherwise you'd need
a separate hub to connect BB Voice, which starts to get messy].

Unless you're desperate to set up a wireless network, I'd go for a
straight-forward wired router - since this will be cheaper and a lot easier
to set up.

For information on specific models, have a look at
http://www.adslguide.org.uk/
--
Cheers,
Tim
______
Please reply to newsgroup. Reply address is invalid.

"Fiona Gilbert" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:416285f3@212.67.96.135...
> Hi there,
>
> I am about to sign up for braodband but I have been asked whether I want a
> regular USB modem or a router.
>
> I only have 1 PC but I may use BT BB Voice. So is it best to go for a router?
> If the answer is yes what one would you recommend?

If they offer a free modem, take it and sell it on ebay, then get a router if
you want one.

In article <cjuhg5$fh8$(E-Mail Removed)>, Beck
<(E-Mail Removed)> writes
>
>"Fiona Gilbert" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:416285f3@212.67.96.135...
>> Hi there,
>>
>> I am about to sign up for braodband but I have been asked whether I want a
>> regular USB modem or a router.
>>
>> I only have 1 PC but I may use BT BB Voice. So is it best to go for a router?
>> If the answer is yes what one would you recommend?
>
>If they offer a free modem, take it and sell it on ebay, then get a router if
>you want one.
>
>
or knock up a minimum system (I use a K5-75 with 16Mb RAM, and an old
10base2 network card) and run smoothwall on it - use to run the usb
modem and give you a highly-configurable firewall/router.
--
robert w hall