Wireless routers
 

G'day gurus.
Having become thoroughly disenchanted with my AOL b/b setup, I phoned the membership cancellation number to ask for my MACode. Usual blathering about why I was leaving and finally was offered a revised contract at £10 GBP LESS per month PLUS a free wireless router on a 7day 'cooling off' arrangement. I know ABSOLUTELY nothing about routers ... so, does anyone with experience of these things have any helpful advice, please?
TIA

It depends a bit on which wireless router it is, and on what you want to do.

If you have one PC, connected directly to your broadband, and that's all you want - then the router isn't much use. You could always sell it on eBay...

If you want to use your broadband with more than one PC, and especially if one of them is a laptop (or a palmtop etc) then the wireless router can be very useful indeed. I have one here, and various family members use it when they come visiting with their wireless-enabled laptops.

You will want to know what security features it has. Running a wireless access point with no security is probably OK in a house out in the country, but not a good idea in a block of flats.

You've got a chance to get away from AOL and are hesitating because they're offering you a poxy £35 router? :ooh:

Thank you Keef. Certainly the ability to use the laptops away from the main 'pooter could be useful. As a generality, are there any major problems with the setting up?
ORAC - yes, take the point but I've been with them since '98 and the hassle of trying to get rid of their software plus re-programming my brain (well worn and increasingly less agile :confused: ) made the offer worth considering.

Slightly off-topic, but I would seriously ditch AOL. We were with them for about 7 years. Dial up and BB. Went to BT and been happy ever since!

Generally: setting up a router can be as easy as plug it in - tell it your user-ID and password - go. The instructions that come with the devices are usually straightforward and no problem to follow.

It can sometimes be a bit trickier - with instructions in High Klingon, or silly pictures that don't make it clear. A question on here will usually elicit a solution.

I'd recommend getting it all plugged together and working with the "main" or "desktop" machine, all cabled together (assuming you're planning to use wire to connect them). That should be pretty easy.

Then try connecting the second machine - plug-in or wireless. Once you've done computer number two, subsequent ones should be a doddle.

The third stage is getting the machines so that they can see each other, swap files, etc - if you want to do that. Still not difficult, but some more bits to learn.

Somewhere in there, you need to set up your firewall - with a decent router, there's a hardware one already. I would also use ZoneAlarm, because even hardware firewalls can let one through. Don't bother with the Microsoft firewall.

The usual recommendations apply regarding anti-virus and anti-spyware etc - there are plenty of threads on those. It seems to become more important when you have a network running.


As for AOL - I've helped several folks break out of the prison, and most have been amazed at the world they've found outside. One was terrified, cancelled the "real" broadband contract, and went back to AOL. Whatever works for you.

The 'gotcha' with AOL is the MTU size. It has to be 1400. I think AOL will send you a Netgear router, and if so, the setting is on the WAN setup page. You get to the router setup by typing 192.168.0.1 in your browser address box and pressing enter (assuming everything on the LAN side is connected and working per keef's post)

Many thanks Keef and Slim Slag.
Sounds as though it might not be too far beyond me - as long as I keep :ugh:
I may well be back for rescue advice.:O

joe2812

S'truth! You really are a glutton for punishment!

BOFH

They were fine for the first 4 or 5 years while we had dial-up and I was too young to know better. Then when we went to Broadband and they gave us a free upgrade, failing to tell us we'd have to upgrade all the cabling in the house to support it.

Nightmare. Absolute ......... the lot of 'em. And cancelling? Jeez...

Update ....
Router received and installed and WORKING!!!:eek:
So far have installed as modem only - no wireless function yet.
Some queries for the 'techies' - this modem function appears to be constantly on-line whereas my previous device was only on-line when I activated my AOL connection. Additionally, the Tx/Rx arrow indicators on the task bar show constantly red with "DSL modem No Device" showing - no upload/download speed. The connection itself seems, subjectively, to be a little faster. Any thoughts as to whether this is standard operation and is there any way in which I can ONLY go on-line when I wish to?
TIA

Your PC used to be connected to the internet via an ADSL modem. The modem went online when you activated AOL, and went offline when you deactivated AOL.

A broadband router works differently. When first power the router up, it connects to the internet. You can turn your PC(s) on and off as many times as you want, but the router will always stay connected to the internet.

If you only have 1 PC, it's all a bit academic. If you have several PCs (maybe some wired and some wireless) then the router stays connected because it never knows what PC is going to want to do what!

You could power the router off, or there is usually a function on an admin screen somewhere to disconnect / recycle the router. Not sure why you'd want to.

I think that's old software (relating to your old ADSL modem) that you no longer need. The ADSL modem isn't connected/isn't switched on any more, and the indicators are reporting that. Your PC doesn't care that the ADSL model has gone, because it is talking to the router instead.

RC

Thank you rotorcraig.
Still trying to get my head around the principle of "always on-line". Does that mean that if I manage to pick up some malware, which is programmed to contact its source, will there be any indication of this happening? As a dyed-in-the-wool conspiracy theorist, I would much prefer to have COMPLETE control of what my 'pooter does.:suspect:
Again, TIA

Jack - welcome to the world of real modem/routers ;)

Mine has been on permanently for some years. It means any of my computers can connect to the internet when required. I just switch off the ones I'm not using. Likewise the kids when they're here, etc.

If it's a decent router, it will contain a NAT firewall, which is a lot more effective than any firewall in your PC. I would still run a firewall in the PC (ZoneAlarm for example) for "belt and braces" protection.

A malware operator trying to connect would come up against the NAT firewall, and be repelled. He may not even know that there's anything at the end of that bit of wire from the internet.

You can check that here - well worth doing. Go to "Proceed", then "Common Ports" on the next screen. If it reports perfect stealth, stop there. If not, you already had the problem but maybe (just maybe) we can sort it.

I would suggest you don't want control - you want competent software looking after you! Shields Up! will tell you...

Hi Keef. I have just done that test and it says my Ping Reply has failed the test, meaning I reply to pigs whilst online. How do I stop this? Thanks.

Hi BRL!

Sadly, it depends on your router, or modem, or software. If you have a router, browse the destructions for how to tell it not to answer pings. I never got round to sorting it before I had a router, so have no idea how to do the same with a modem.

NAT firewalls are the bees knees (as it were).

Many thanks Keef. Most reassuring!! Also the reminder about 'Shields Up' - I checked my previous set-up with them and it was fine but a repeat call will be in order. I'm using Zone Alarm and AVG Free at the moment so feel reasonably confident.
Have just completed the 'Shields Up' check and all is green.:D

http://www.bbc.co.uk/berkshire/outdoors/pigs/pigs1.jpg

I'll get my coat.

RC :}

A slightly more useful post ... I've found that the firewall built into my Netgear router spots GRC scanning my PC and goes into an "anti Denial of Service (DoS)" mode, whereby it ignores all incoming traffic from GRC for a period.

During this time, GRC report all ports as Stealth - even ports that I know are intentionally open - because the anti-DoS behaviour is in force.

So I always try a few services to make sure that I'm getting credible results - eg try
http://probe.hackerwatch.org/probe/probe.asp and http://www.speedguide.net/scan.php for a 2nd and 3rd opinion.

RC

Regarding "stealth mode" wrt ping:

You should read this Robin Walker's very useful broadband site

SD