which router is best for me?

Hi,
I'm replacing an old old router and am wondering what I should buy.
It's for a small businessin the Sothwest US.

We've currently got 1.5M DSL but may move up to 6M Comcast cable. We
have 5 hardwired machines and two wireless and want the ability to add
1-2 more hardwired and 2-3 wireless machines. All but one are Macs
running OSX, the other running XP. The office is a medium (80'x80')
two story warehouse with some of the space taken up bunch of separate
offices.

We share files and printers between machines, though I understand that
may be difficult if we switch to Comcast. I'd want the wireless
network to be secure from the other offices next door. Budget is
$250, I'm assuming that's doable.

Thanks,

G



Grip

Well routers themselves add a layer of security, creating a subnet that is
unreachable unless you know where each port is going. If you wanted more
security than this then this setup may not be your best option. What I would
do is buy a linksys wireless G/ 4 port router (WRT54G) which is relatively
cheap ($60) at sam's club, then connect that to another 10/100 switch with
as many ports as you want. This will give you all the wired connections as
you decide to buy (the 3 extra ports on the linksys + the X number of ports
you get on the switch) and as many wireless as you want as well (I think it
is along the lines of 300 and some wireless connections?). The linksys isn't
a Enterprise level piece of equipment, but I like it and it works for me. As
far as the switch goes I don't know any 10/100 switch u can find will
probably do, and will definitely support your internet connection.

As far as wireless security goes, the best security for a wireless network
is not having a wireless network at all, that being said there are 3 things
you can do. You can use mac address filtering, which means that only the
computers that you designate will be able to connect to the network. You can
set up web encryption, and you cand disable your SSID broadcast from the
router so it will be more difficult to pick up the connection. This should
ward away all the amateurs.

"Grip" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) ups.com...
> Hi,
> I'm replacing an old old router and am wondering what I should buy.
> It's for a small businessin the Sothwest US.
>
> We've currently got 1.5M DSL but may move up to 6M Comcast cable. We
> have 5 hardwired machines and two wireless and want the ability to add
> 1-2 more hardwired and 2-3 wireless machines. All but one are Macs
> running OSX, the other running XP. The office is a medium (80'x80')
> two story warehouse with some of the space taken up bunch of separate
> offices.
>
> We share files and printers between machines, though I understand that
> may be difficult if we switch to Comcast. I'd want the wireless
> network to be secure from the other offices next door. Budget is
> $250, I'm assuming that's doable.
>
> Thanks,
>
> G
>