Router suggestions

I will be buying a laptop fairly soon and I'll need a router to go wireless in my house.

Can anyone provide me with suggestions for a good yet affordable router? I've never had wireless at home so I don't know what to look for.

Also, I could use some instructions on how to set "the whole thing" up. I already have a desktop (cable modem) and I'm not sure how the whole thing should be configured. What do I do about security?

Thanks!

 

Thanks! I have a question though. Can I keep my desktop wired and just add the router to go wireless? The desktop isn't moving anywhere. It is in the office and that's where it will stay. I need wireless for the laptop I'll buy.

Or do I have to go wireless for both computers?

 

Best router around ( guess not N) is the older Linksys WRT54G now sold as a WRT54GL
You can apply 3rd party firmware to give advanced features
If not then most routers are fine
Big box stores have them on sale this time of year with rebates
Most brands are fine
Setup is fairly easy now with the setup discs that they give you
Cable is a lot easier setup than dsl

If you would like to set it up manually - then lots of help with diagrams here

http://portforward.com/guides.htm

Proper setup makes all the difference

1) change the ssid from default settings
2) change the channel from the usual default of channel 6 to anything else
channels 1 and 11 are first other picks
3) Make sure router is high and not cluttered

 

Before I saw Visionof's post, I was going to pimp the same router. I've had one for almost two years and it's literally been flawless. Maybe the Cisco buyout of Linksys really did reap some benefit.

If you look here at Newegg, you'll see that this router gets 5 eggs (stars) after about 2,400 personal reviews and has won the Customer Choice Award 27 times.

Based on the above, saying that this router walks on water is a gross understatement.

And...if you don't want to get involved with third-party firmware, the WRT54G is an awesome router as well.