Can anybody recommend a product [Wireless, 8 ports, router]?

Wireless, 8 ports, router

for small network.

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated!

 

router

I use a Linxys 4 port it work fine. i think they have a 8 port for $80.00

 

could you give the specific model?

 

I agree with Tony. Don't limit your router options by looking only for routers with 8 ports. I like Netgear routers and have had less problems with them than I have with Linksys routers. As for model: it depends on your broadband connection: DSL or ADSL; and whether you need Wireless (and if so what flavour of wireless). If you want something a little better than a basic router, I think Draytek routers are a good option. They have better firewalls than basic routers and also provide reasonable VPN access for remote connection.

I'd get a larger switch - 12 or 16 ports. Two reasons:

1. it is always worth getting more ports than you initially think you will need. Even if there are only 8 users, you only need one of them to want to add a network printer or external hard drive (NAS) and you'll be wishing you had more ports.
2. Put all the users on the switch if you can and use the ports on the router as spares to use if you have to. You'll get better performance user to user that way. Particularly if you go for the gigabit switch option.

 

Thank you guys very much!

 

Question is - are all the 8 computers wireless or is 8 computers with wires + extra wireless.
You can connect a switch to a lan port of the router to expand the number of lan ports.
You can add another router to add extra lan ports by turning off the dhcp in router number 2 ( and probably wireless) or perhaps you can use the same ssid locked onto another channel ??
By adding the dumb router to a lan port of router number 1 you will in effect have a 7 port router.
The 2nd router will act as a hub. Router number one will act the control cop so to speak of the 7 port router.
Routers are the cheapest way to go - these are what are on sale with mass marketers.
All are ok. The major products are Linksys and D-link. All brands are ok.
You can mix and match the 2 brands of routers and diffirent wi fi cards.
Wireless speed numbers are imaginary.
The speed drops down rapidly with distance.
Unless you are transferring large files between computers the faster speeds are not necessary. Any wireless speed you will get should be faster than your internet.
If speed is an issue then use cables to connect.
It is said that within a network a switch is faster than a multi purpose device - a router which will have a switch built in as part of its function.

 

Thanks Visionof,

Currently, only wired connections. The wireless is option for the future extending.

 

Linksys WRT54GL with DD-WRT software replacing the Linksys Software.

Sweet!!!

 

Linksys WRT54GL

The WRT54GL is a good idea but not the easiest to find.
The standard Linux router the WRT54G is the standard router you will find at your retail stores.
The WRT54G router was updated in a marketing move to cut costs ( due to volume of sales ) to a diffirent chipset with a propietary ( diffirent than the Linux based 3rd party firmware upgradeable system).
The newer ( version 5) Linksys WRT54G routers that you will find in retail stores for the past year and 1/2 or so are version 5 and have been rated actually as a poor router.
People gave them time and firmware updates and the newer Linksys WRT54G routers have not been given good grades.
The WRT54GL is the older WRT54G router that was preferred with a new badger.
You will have to hunt though for them on ebay or by mail order generally.

try here: http://www.ncix.com/search/?q=wrt54gl&minprice=Min.+Price&maxprice=Max.+Price


http://froogle.google.com/froogle?q=wrt54gl&btnG=Search+Froogle

 

DEFFINETLY !!!

Mr. Experience speaking.

BillyBob

 

WRT54GL Routers on Newegg.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16833124190

 

Just out of interest.
You may run into an older Linksys 54G router with one antenna.
It was bundled with a Linksys Pcmcia wireless g card.
You may well think it your good fortune that you have found an older wrt54g firmware upgradeable router ( version 1).
However this is a diffirent model which is very similar to the newer version 5 WRT54G routers and is not 3rd party firmware upgradeable.