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Jay Petersen - Head Geek In Charge.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Saturday, January 10, 2009
What router should I buy?
I had a woman who saw me on TV ask me which wireless router she should buy for her home.
First, she asked which consumer router had the best support. Unfortunately, I had to tell her that they all had pretty bad support. Then came the more important question: which one has the best signal?
I have to admit, I hate wireless overall. Things like cordless phones, plumbing and metal beams through your house can play havoc on your signal. I prefer hard wire. But that's just not practical for some people, although if you can swing it, I think you'll save money on service calls and you'll save lots of headaches if you just hard wire.
If you must have wireless, put your wireless router upstairs for the best signal spread. The signal kind of has an umbrella effect, so you get the best results with the router up high.
Anyway, I prefer Netgear as a brand, although their support is at least AMONG the worst, if not THE worst. These guys are bad. You should never call them for support. But their routers are alright, and so's the price (usually).
A good model for everyday usage just so your kid's laptop can get online is the Netgear WGR614. It has worked well for us regularly. Remember these two things, though:
1.) Netgear tech support is awful.
2.) Most consumer-grade wireless routers only last about a-year-and-a-half.
Bear that in mind, and you won't feel like you're getting a raw deal.
Talk soon,
Jay
First, she asked which consumer router had the best support. Unfortunately, I had to tell her that they all had pretty bad support. Then came the more important question: which one has the best signal?
I have to admit, I hate wireless overall. Things like cordless phones, plumbing and metal beams through your house can play havoc on your signal. I prefer hard wire. But that's just not practical for some people, although if you can swing it, I think you'll save money on service calls and you'll save lots of headaches if you just hard wire.
If you must have wireless, put your wireless router upstairs for the best signal spread. The signal kind of has an umbrella effect, so you get the best results with the router up high.
Anyway, I prefer Netgear as a brand, although their support is at least AMONG the worst, if not THE worst. These guys are bad. You should never call them for support. But their routers are alright, and so's the price (usually).
A good model for everyday usage just so your kid's laptop can get online is the Netgear WGR614. It has worked well for us regularly. Remember these two things, though:
1.) Netgear tech support is awful.
2.) Most consumer-grade wireless routers only last about a-year-and-a-half.
Bear that in mind, and you won't feel like you're getting a raw deal.
Talk soon,
Jay
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