ADSL Wireless Routers and Bridges

wonder_lander · 11 Jul 2006 at 10:47

After years of NTL service I've moved to a BT only house.

I've ordered the Nildram 2mb service but the hardware that they have on offer is overpriced!

I've got a wireless laptop and a wireless card in my main PC so I'm looking for an ADSL wireless router.

Also I'd like to get a wireless bridge / gaming adaptor as I need to get my Xbox hooked up and my TiVo. Does a device exist with 2 or more ports to save me swapping cales?

I also didn't order Nildrams microfilters as I wasn't sure if the router and bridge would come with them, only have 2 phone points so would just be the 2 filters anyway. Is a filter a filter or are there any recommendations here?

wonder_lander · 11 Jul 2006 at 14:02

Should I be looking for a bridge and a router from the same manufacturer?

If there aren't any 2 port bridges do I need to be adding in a small hub if I want both to be constantly connected?

VeNT · 11 Jul 2006 at 14:39

if you just need ethernet ports for your TIVO and XBox then you can plug that into any wireless router with a standard ethernet cable.

if your looking for actual bridges (so you can connect them to a wireless hub, ie over the wireless) then I'd go for somthing from linksys or netgear, you can mix and match the bridge/hub but don't forget you may been to configure the bridge using the cable connection.
if it was me I'd slap a 4 port switch/hub onto the bridge to save having to swap the cables, I dunno if a normal wireless AP would work the same tho.

wonder_lander · 11 Jul 2006 at 14:44

VeNT said:
if you just need ethernet ports for your TIVO and XBox then you can plug that into any wireless router with a standard ethernet cable.

if your looking for actual bridges (so you can connect them to a wireless hub, ie over the wireless) then I'd go for somthing from linksys or netgear, you can mix and match the bridge/hub but don't forget you may been to configure the bridge using the cable connection.
if it was me I'd slap a 4 port switch/hub onto the bridge to save having to swap the cables, I dunno if a normal wireless AP would work the same tho.

Thanks for the reply, it's going to have to be a bridge as I can't run the cable to the router.

Are there any 4 port hubs that don't require power?

VeNT · 11 Jul 2006 at 15:42

wonder_lander said:
Thanks for the reply, it's going to have to be a bridge as I can't run the cable to the router.

Are there any 4 port hubs that don't require power?

no, they will all require power one way or another, as will any bridge.
I've used the Netgear 5 x 10/100 Compact Switch FS105, nice little box, works fine with the rest of my 10/100 kit too, but as I said, it WILL require power (bloody big plug block jobbie) as will the bridge.

wonder_lander · 11 Jul 2006 at 16:15

After some research it appears that a wireless print server like the Netgear WGPS606 would acheive what I want. Does anyone have any experience or comments?

VeNT · 11 Jul 2006 at 17:57

wonder_lander said:
After some research it appears that a wireless print server like the Netgear WGPS606 would acheive what I want. Does anyone have any experience or comments?

looks about right, odd that they would call it a Print Server rather than what it realy is, a Wireless Bridge WITH print server

wonder_lander · 27 Jul 2006 at 00:06

To come full circle,

ADSL was activated today. Netgear wireless ADSL router and wireless print server / bridge worked quite happily with my TiVo and Xbox360!