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Accesspoint and/or router - help!

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f0dder:
Okay, so I'm getting tired of having a long RJ45 cable lying all over, for my girlfriends laptop. It feels especially stupid with all this clutter as her laptop has built-in wlan. I borrowed an old access-point from a friend, but it's too unstable, so I'm looking for something decent.

And this is where I get frustrated - there's a myriad of different products :stars:

My base requirement is a stable accesspoint of at least 54mbps, able to cover a 50m2 apartment without signal strength dropping (the does mean handling a single wall splitting the bedroom and living room). WPA-PSK/WPA-2 are also required.

A four-port built-in 100mbit switch would also be nice, so I can get rid of my current switch and save a bit on clutter and power requirements. I'd rather have no built-in switch than something retarded that only runs ~50mbit even though it's wired.

I think it should be possible to find something that meets these requirements, but I haven't really been too successful - there's always been something wrong with the products I've found, like reviews indicating retarded signal strength or flaky connection :wallbash:

It would be even nicer if I could find a device that has routing, too - but then my requirements probably become too demanding: I need PPPoA support (which only seems to be available for a few devices?) and a built-in modem, since my current solution is a combined router/modem (ZyXel prestige 650) - and I want as few devices as possible.

Help? :)

EDIT: forgot to mention that I have ADSL. Currently 4096/512, will get upgraded to 8092/512 in March - so a router/modem should be able to handle that high speeds and be stable.

jgpaiva:
I can't help you with the rest, but have some advice about this:
It would be even nicer if I could find a device that has routing, too - but then my requirements probably become too demanding: I need PPPoA support (which only seems to be available for a few devices?) and a built-in modem, since my current solution is a combined router/modem (ZyXel prestige 650) - and I want as few devices as possible.
-f0dder (February 05, 2007, 04:01 AM)
--- End quote ---
I do understand the "as few devices as possible" idea. But having a router that includes a modem might not be the best of ideas. I say this because, at least here, there are about 3 different systems being used and 2 more coming in the future. If you have a router like that, you are sort of tied up to one internet connection device (i suppose you're referring to ADSL, right?). I prefer to have them separated, so that i won't have to buy a new router if i switch ISP.

f0dder:
It's because of cable clutter and also a bit due to power consumption - and the heat generated by transformers/adapters, those little power bricks can get relatively hot.

Have modem and router separate can make sense (adsl vs adsl2, pppoe vs pppoa vs whatever), but I'd like to combine at least as many of router/switch/accesspoint. And as my current zyxel thing is combined modem/router, I'd like to either combine everything in one, or just the accesspoint/switch. (But hmm, the zyxel can be configured in bridge mode... I guess a router/switch/accesspoint device could be attached then, and the zyxel would function just as a dumb modem?)

jgpaiva:
If you already have the modem/router, i suppose the right option would be to buy a wireless access point, which would complement what you already own and would spare you some money.
I also notice that recently (at least over here), ISPs are already distributing modem/router configuration, which means that if you switch isp, you'd maintain the current config.

As for what you mentioned about making the modem play dumb, i think there's something called DMZ (de-militarized zone, or something) which allows you to connect another router and give it that IP, so that only the other router will do NAT. I know my linksys router has that, but i'm not sure how it works because i've never used.

For a 50 sqr meter appartment, you shouldn't have any trouble with signal, even my old linksys router (which sucks, BTW), can handle my 100sqr meter appartment with VERY thick walls (old building).

f0dder:
DMZ is one option, "bridging mode" is another (but then the 2nd router would still need PPPoA support, afaik).

I had signal problems with the old accesspoint, but it was pretty broken :)

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