Paper on routers

My manager has asked me to provide him with a paper on why we should roll
out wireless ADSL routers to our user base to use at home instead of issuing
them with USB ADSL modems for their laptops.

Any ideas where I start please ? The pros and cons ?

Thanks

"?uzzled" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:421b8e1d$0$10951$(E-Mail Removed)...
> My manager has asked me to provide him with a paper on why we should roll
> out wireless ADSL routers to our user base to use at home instead of
> issuing
> them with USB ADSL modems for their laptops.
>
> Any ideas where I start please ? The pros and cons ?
>
> Thanks
>
>

Pros:
Users can roam around their house whilst working (garden/garage etc). With
USB routers, you can not do this.
Router can be installed out of site and be un-intrusive when installed in
the users house.

Cons:
Security - You have to make sure that the config for each router is secure
enough so that no-one can see the router. I would buy the same type of
router for every user (and have the same config).
Some properties suffer from RF interference from other radio masts/DECT
phones. The 2.4GHz wireless band is shared by other RF users (microwave
ovens/CCTV cams/DECT phones etc).

On Tue, 22 Feb 2005 19:55:48 -0000, "?uzzled" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>My manager has asked me to provide him with a paper on why we should roll
>out wireless ADSL routers to our user base to use at home instead of issuing
>them with USB ADSL modems for their laptops.
>
>Any ideas where I start please ? The pros and cons ?
>
>Thanks
>

Pros: A wireless router will provide the user with an indirect NATted
connection to the Internet, which creates a pretty impervious barrier
to Internet-borne problems like worms, whereas a USB modem makes the
operating system on the laptop the first (and often weakest) line of
defence against such attack. The first home worker to "catch a cold"
will spread it inside the office LAN when they connect directly or via
VPN.

Cons: See above - any cons, which your manager will argue is based on
cost, is ruled out by the pros.

Jake

On Tue, 22 Feb 2005 19:55:48 +0000, ?uzzled wrote:

> My manager has asked me to provide him with a paper on why we should roll
> out wireless ADSL routers to our user base to use at home instead of issuing
> them with USB ADSL modems for their laptops.
>
> Any ideas where I start please ? The pros and cons ?

Why just those 2 options?

I would suggest two different pro/con discussions:

(1) USB modem vs. modem/router

if the modem/router wins, then

(2) Wired vs. wireless router.

There isn't much in favour of a USB modem - less secure because your PC is
connected directly to the Internet whereas a modem/router interposes NAT
between your PC and the outside world. Better routers incorporate a
firewall as well.

Wired vs. wireless.
Wireless is very user friendly and removes the need for extra wiring, but
can be insecure unless managed well. Wireless routers cost a little more
than wired, but not a massive amount.

If the laptops are new, they are likely to have wireless built in, which
strengthens the case for a wireless router.

If they are older, then they are more likely to have Ethernet built in.

My brief conclusion:

forget USB modems - the gain in security from even the cheapest single
port modem/router with NAT justifies any extra cost (although the costs
are likely to be very similar). Installation is much the same, with the
same limitations on wiring and location.

IF you trust your workforce (and can exert some control over them when at
home) then go for the wireless option - but be aware that they could
expose themselves to outside attack if they don't configure the wireless
security.

I suspect that the question is not this simple - when the choice is stated
so briefly there is usually a hidden extra or two which nobody
bothers to mention (e.g. of course we will want remote management of your
PC over a VPN, and your kids can't play games on our ADSL, and we want to
be able to password protect the firewall configuration, and....).

If your boss's phone is in the kitchen and he wants to work in the 3rd
bedroom but his wife doesn't want any more wires around the place then
security issues may suddenly be less important than neat and easy
installation. Is your boss asking you to justify a decision s/he wants to
make or is this a 'best of breed' study?

Cheers

Dave R

Thanks all for the quick replies.

Nicely pointed out about the intereference ABC. I had not considered that. I
can just imagine the call into our support teams about the ADSL not working
when they have their coco is in the microwave. :-)

Muxton, you're right about costs. I work in a partnership and one of the
partners is having no end of trouble with his USB modem. It has been
escalated to the IT director and he now wants this partner's problem sorted
ASAP. However with a partnership, what one partner gets all the others will
want as well. I guess costs will escalate so this paper will go some way in
justifying those costs and getting the budget allocated.

Dave, I guess the reason for this paper is above. I suppose wireless is the
way to go as some of our users have already bought their own wireless
routers and are now expecting us to support them as well. I guess if we can
standardise, it will give IT support an idea of the kit that is being used
by our user base instead of trying to support a multitude of makes and
models.

I was thinking that if we were to roll out the routers to our user base, the
routers will all be preconfigured with the user's account details (yes the
company provides [pays for] the ADSL connection as well). We would also set
up all the security side of things as well so that the users can just take
the laptop and router home, plug it in, and away they go. If they have their
own home PCs, we don't mind too much how they use the ADSL line as it is not
something that we can monitor but we do have group policies in place to stop
the users loading unauthorised software onto the company laptops. But how
easy is it to support a router ? Are these home networking kits reliable ?

I guess this paper is supposed to be biased as the decision to purchase the
router has already been made for this partner. But we have to be prepared
with the justification when demand spirals upwards and the budget has to be
found from somewhere.

If you know of any studies or implementation along the same lines, I'd be
grateful if you can point me in the right direction. Thanks again for the
replies so far.

"?uzzled" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:421b8e1d$0$10951$(E-Mail Removed)...
> My manager has asked me to provide him with a paper on why we should roll
> out wireless ADSL routers to our user base to use at home instead of
issuing
> them with USB ADSL modems for their laptops.
>
> Any ideas where I start please ? The pros and cons ?

Wireless Pro:

User can sit watching cricket on Sky Sports while "working"

Says he who works from home on a wireless network ;o)