Router same brand as network card: Do I care?

How important is it - if it is important at all - to pick a wireless router
that's the same BRAND as the wireless network cards that I'm using in the
client computers?

Are there brands of routers that are known to be particularly troublesome
when mixed with networking hardware from other vendors?

Thanks for any suggestions, or pointers to other online resources!

-Doug

douglasl wrote:
> How important is it - if it is important at all - to pick a wireless router
> that's the same BRAND as the wireless network cards that I'm using in the
> client computers?
>
> Are there brands of routers that are known to be particularly troublesome
> when mixed with networking hardware from other vendors?
>
> Thanks for any suggestions, or pointers to other online resources!
>
> -Doug
>
It's not supposed to but if you are running 'N', I've heard it can be an
issue. But I've got a built in intel wireless G card in my laptop so
there are no routers to match me, and I've traveled and had no problem
in hotels & airports. So in practice, I'd say that it makes little
difference. But when I bought my PCMCIA card and router, I did buy
Netgear for both, just in case.

douglasl wrote:
> How important is it - if it is important at all - to pick a wireless router
> that's the same BRAND as the wireless network cards that I'm using in the
> client computers?
>
> Are there brands of routers that are known to be particularly troublesome
> when mixed with networking hardware from other vendors?
>
> Thanks for any suggestions, or pointers to other online resources!
>
> -Doug
>

If you have an adapter or a router that is advertised as giving better
performance than the spec (e.g., 108 Mbps for 802.11G), then -- in
general -- you will only get any enhancement if the brands *and* model
lines of the router and adapter are the same. For example, if you have
a standard wireless-G router and a "108 Mbps" adapter, you'll only get
standard wireless-G performance.

Even though 802.11n has *still* not been ratified by the IEEE, the WiFi
Alliance (the manufacturers' group) has a program to "certify"
interoperability of 802.11n products of different brands. In fact, the
WiFi certification is also supposed to "ensure that products from
different vendors work together" for all wireless specs. See:
http://certifications.wi-fi.org/wbcs...ts.php?lang=en



--
Lem -- MS-MVP

To the moon and back with 2K words of RAM and 36K words of ROM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer
http://history.nasa.gov/afj/compessay.htm

"J.H. Holliday" <doc@ok> wrote in message
news:d--(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> Main advantage is if they're different brands, you have a problem and call
> tech support, the router manufacturer will tell you it's wireless card
> issue--- and vice versa....

Wait a minute... calling clueless tech support who's good at nothing but
pointing fingers is an advantage?

With .n standard using a Belkin router, Trendnet adapter on one machine and
Dell adapter on the other without any problems.

"douglasl" wrote:

> How important is it - if it is important at all - to pick a wireless router
> that's the same BRAND as the wireless network cards that I'm using in the
> client computers?
>
> Are there brands of routers that are known to be particularly troublesome
> when mixed with networking hardware from other vendors?
>
> Thanks for any suggestions, or pointers to other online resources!
>
> -Doug
>

Hi
While differences of performance between Laptop's Wireless card are almost
none existence, there is significant differences between the performance of
Wireless Routers.
Ergo I would nor choose a Router just because I happened to have card X in
my laptop,
Tell us what is the model and the make of the card and may be some one would
come wit6h a solid recommendation.
Jack (MS, MVP-Networking)

"douglasl" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:8945D163-8578-430F-BC27-(E-Mail Removed)...
> How important is it - if it is important at all - to pick a wireless
> router
> that's the same BRAND as the wireless network cards that I'm using in the
> client computers?
>
> Are there brands of routers that are known to be particularly troublesome
> when mixed with networking hardware from other vendors?
>
> Thanks for any suggestions, or pointers to other online resources!
>
> -Doug
>