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New wireless router/adsl modem

RohanRohan Registered User regular
My flat-mate and I are looking into getting a new adsl router. Our current one, given to us by our provider, is the Netgear DG834G, which is a fine router that gets the job done. We have a media pc hooked up to it and it provides ample bandwith over G playing HD videos, and it's fine for gaming also. However, every now and then we'll hold a LAN with friends and they've been getting ever bigger. Our last one had six people over and it was crazy - we had to install a wireless card in one of the pc's, because the Netgear comes with the standard four ethernet port setup. It's getting awkward, and because we often have to copy across large patches or mods across the network, G is just too slow. So, we thought we might get a new router.

Usually I will buy from Komplett.ie, a fantastic site, but if I search for ADSL modems, I get four-port routers like our current one. If I search for routers or switches, I get models with as many ports as is needed, but lose the ADSL function. So, what we're looking for is an ADSL modem with Wireless N, Gigabit Ethernet and roughly six to ten ethernet ports. Does anyone have any suggestions?

...and I thought of how all those people died, and what a good death that is. That nobody can blame you for it, because everyone else died along with you, and it is the fault of none, save those who did the killing.

Nothing's forgotten, nothing is ever forgotten
Rohan on

Posts

  • PirusuPirusu Pierce Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    I'm honestly not even sure what you're looking for exists in one product. The closest thing I know of is a 2Wire home gateway, and those you can't even buy directly. Is there a problem with getting a standard ADSL modem and then buying a seperate N/4+ port router? Phoneline -> Modem -> Router?

    Pirusu on
  • RohanRohan Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Pirusu wrote: »
    I'm honestly not even sure what you're looking for exists in one product. The closest thing I know of is a 2Wire home gateway, and those you can't even buy directly. Is there a problem with getting a standard ADSL modem and then buying a seperate N/4+ port router? Phoneline -> Modem -> Router?

    Iirc we tried this once, and it wouldn't work.

    Rohan on
    ...and I thought of how all those people died, and what a good death that is. That nobody can blame you for it, because everyone else died along with you, and it is the fault of none, save those who did the killing.

    Nothing's forgotten, nothing is ever forgotten
  • RBachRBach Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    You have the following options.

    1) Keep your current ADSL modem and buy a Gigabit switch (with as many ports as you need).
    2) Buy an ADSL router & modem with 802.11N as well as said Gigabit switch.
    3) Keep your current router and buy a separate N-capable wireless access point.
    4) #3 above along with a Gigabit switch.
    5) Somehow locate this fabled 10 port 802.11N ADSL modem.

    If I were you, I'd just get a Gigabit switch and connect it to your current modem/router. Based on what you've said, wireless is really only an issue because you've needed to use it to connect people and they've needed to get game patches and whatnot. If you end up with enough wired ports (gigabit or otherwise) then this is no longer a problem. A decent switch also won't be that expensive, either.
    Rohan wrote: »
    Pirusu wrote: »
    I'm honestly not even sure what you're looking for exists in one product. The closest thing I know of is a 2Wire home gateway, and those you can't even buy directly. Is there a problem with getting a standard ADSL modem and then buying a seperate N/4+ port router? Phoneline -> Modem -> Router?

    Iirc we tried this once, and it wouldn't work.

    Then someone did something wrong when they set it up. :) I do similar configurations all the time...although in each case the modem was nothing more than a modem--they had one port and one port only and didn't have any of the other functionality of a router/wireless access point. Things are somewhat more complicated in cases where you're trying to connect a separate router to a modem+router combo, but it's still perfectly possible if you've configured things properly.

    RBach on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • RohanRohan Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    RBach wrote: »
    You have the following options.

    1) Keep your current ADSL modem and buy a Gigabit switch (with as many ports as you need).
    2) Buy an ADSL router & modem with 802.11N as well as said Gigabit switch.
    3) Keep your current router and buy a separate N-capable wireless access point.
    4) #3 above along with a Gigabit switch.
    5) Somehow locate this fabled 10 port 802.11N ADSL modem.

    If I were you, I'd just get a Gigabit switch and connect it to your current modem/router. Based on what you've said, wireless is really only an issue because you've needed to use it to connect people and they've needed to get game patches and whatnot. If you end up with enough wired ports (gigabit or otherwise) then this is no longer a problem. A decent switch also won't be that expensive, either.
    Rohan wrote: »
    Pirusu wrote: »
    I'm honestly not even sure what you're looking for exists in one product. The closest thing I know of is a 2Wire home gateway, and those you can't even buy directly. Is there a problem with getting a standard ADSL modem and then buying a seperate N/4+ port router? Phoneline -> Modem -> Router?

    Kinda awkward... and the power sockets are already being used, so we thought a single device would be best. But I guess you're right, I've looked at a number of sites and can't find anything remotely like that.

    Iirc we tried this once, and it wouldn't work.

    Then someone did something wrong when they set it up. :) I do similar configurations all the time...although in each case the modem was nothing more than a modem--they had one port and one port only and didn't have any of the other functionality of a router/wireless access point. Things are somewhat more complicated in cases where you're trying to connect a separate router to a modem+router combo, but it's still perfectly possible if you've configured things properly.

    What we actually used was a four port pci router, which we used to use way back in the day. I didn't set it up myself, my flat-mate did, but I remember him telling me that using the pci router as an ethernet port on his machine, then connecting it to the external adsl router didn't work. No idea what he did, but he's competent in computing - he even worked as a tech support guy once so I trusted what he told me. Perhaps there was something he missed...

    Rohan on
    ...and I thought of how all those people died, and what a good death that is. That nobody can blame you for it, because everyone else died along with you, and it is the fault of none, save those who did the killing.

    Nothing's forgotten, nothing is ever forgotten
  • TaminTamin Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Pirusu wrote: »
    I'm honestly not even sure what you're looking for exists in one product. The closest thing I know of is a 2Wire Residental Gateway, and those you can't even buy directly.

    Fixed. If I have to troubleshoot the damn things all day, the least you could do is get the name right.

    Jeez.
    I'm not mad. :)

    Also, no Wireless N and only 4 ethernet ports.

    Tamin on
  • PirusuPirusu Pierce Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Fixed. If I have to troubleshoot the damn things all day, the least you could do is get the name right.

    Jeez.
    I'm not mad. :)

    Also, no Wireless N and only 4 ethernet ports.

    My parents have one that's about 5 years old. It's a PITA.

    Pirusu on
  • TaminTamin Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Pirusu wrote: »
    Fixed. If I have to troubleshoot the damn things all day, the least you could do is get the name right.

    Jeez.
    I'm not mad. :)

    Also, no Wireless N and only 4 ethernet ports.

    My parents have one that's about 5 years old. It's a PITA.

    I am resisting going into full fledged troubleshooting mode. My day is over; my weekend is beginning.

    If they are uVerse, and I'm only mostly kidding here, grab their billing number and I'll run some tests on Thursday, if you'd like.

    Tamin on
  • PirusuPirusu Pierce Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Oh, no, they aren't on uVerse. They were, loved it, and then moved and it was no longer available. And while I appreciate the offer, don't worry about it. :P I honestly think it's an age thing, as the thing has been moved numerous times, and is definitely one of the older models. I'm connected using it right now, but it will randomly drop connections on the other computers in the house, the other day it wasn't my brother's computer when he connected to the LAN ports, etc etc. For as much as it's frustrating, I know that a "reset" usually fixes the problems I have with it.

    Pirusu on
  • tsmvengytsmvengy Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    I would just get a gigabit switch with a bunch of ports. Plug it into one of the router's ethernet ports when you need it. That's the easiest solution.

    tsmvengy on
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