Well, unless your ISP has come up with their own set of transport protocols, which they have not, ANY router will work within their system.
Most of the regulars here will recommend Linksys, D-Link, and Netgear for their very good tech support. I would hihgly suggest that whichever maker you decide upon, stay within the family products. By that I mean, do'nt get a Linksys adapter and a Netgear router simply to stop one group of tech support people from pointing the finger at the other. I have never heard of ZyXEL, by the way.
If it were me, I would order a PCMCIA wireless card simply becasue the antenna has better reception in my opinion. Check these resources for some basics in networking and wireless setups and post back with any questions: By the way, who is your ISP????
Thanks for the reply, and the URLs. Will definitely take a good look at them.
Is one of the routers you listed easier to set up than the others? Have never done this before so I have no idea, and I'm not even sure I should try switching to a different router even though I was told by a very knowledgeable person that I really should get rid of this router as it's not very secure.
As for your question about who my ISP is. It's a local ISP, and the first to offer broadband for my area. Depending on whether or not I can figure out how to set up a new router, I may have to wait until the contract with my ISP expires and then check out what DELL's broadband service is all about. Maybe I'll be able to get a new computer by then too and they can help me with what I need. This all seems so complicated. Anyways, thank you for responding.
I personally stay within the Linksys brand just to keep all the setups constant within my customer base, but that doesn't mean that Netgera and D-Link aren't fine products. I know that Linksys has some on-line setup documentation so browse over to their site and take a look.
I would still think you could use any router with you ISP. Now one thing to take into mind. Your ISP is looking for a MAC Address, whether it be a router or a computer. A MAC Address is a 12 digit alphanumeric numerber unique to any network device. Your service may only accept the address they assign to their equipment, which may be what you are interpreting that you can only use their equipment. This could stop you from using any other router, but if you didn't want to use a router, there's no way for them to know that the MAC address is not a router or a computer.
You might want to tell them you are not using a router anymore, get a Linksys router, and give them the MAC Address from the router as the address from your computer. There is no way for them to know the difference.
It looks like it is a modem/router. Do they offer just a modem with an ethernet connection? Or one with a USB connector. There is one Lan port on your ZyXEL Prestige 645 . Link to it
http://www.zyxel.com/product/model.php?indexcate=1022049050&indexcate1=1021877946&indexFlagvalue=1021873638 if you don't keep it you will have to get a modem and router or another combo with more lan ports. I would check around on the connections and see if you are already using the one lan port and go from there. Or add another ethernet card to the desktop and bind that to a wireless router or access point. You would be using ICF.
I've been looking at the hard wire LinkSYS routers and will definitely stay with a LinkSYS...that is, IF I feel like I can manage the leap from the ZyXEL to the LinkSYS. The way I see it now, it's more prudent to first figure out how, and if I can get connected with the wired LinkSYS, and then later worry about setting up a wireless connection between a new notebook and my Dimension 4100. Besides, I don't have a notebook yet. NOTE: The LinkSYS router I'm considering is the
*EtherFast Cable/DSL Router with 4-Port Switch* Model: BEFSR41
. Am assuming this is the correct router for me.
Also I went to the LinkSYS site, as you suggested, and read through their online set up wizard guide as well as doing a Google search to see what a MAC address was. At one point I called my ISP and told them that I wanted to get a DELL notebook computer and connect it wirelessly to my DELL desktop and asked what I would need to get. The techie didn't act like he wanted to help but he did tell me that I would have to tell whoever I purchased from, that I use the 10/100 ethernet card and go from there. Does that sound like they use a MAC address? If that was a dumb question, please remember that you are dealing with a newbie.
BTW, am not sure why you asked me earlier who my ISP was, but because it's a local ISP I didn't feel comfortable posting it. However, if it would help you to help me, and you don't mind, I would be willing to private message you with the name of my ISP and the URL to their website where they do post what my ADSL connection uses to communicate with their equipment...just let me know.
As for telling them I'm not using a router anymore, I'm not sure that would work. LOL. They seem pretty strict with their service, and if they asked me any kind of question, it would take them all of 5 seconds to figure out that I didn't have the knowledge to know how to connect a router, much less get their service without a router...although I know you didn't mean that I wouldn't have a router at all. Besides, they do not object to their customers using a different routers, they just advise against it, and won't help with getting non issued equipment working with their service. Which leads me to this question: If I should decide to install a LinkSYS router, and it doesn't work, will I then have to try to reconfigure something so I can go back on the ZyXEL, or will everything still be there as it is now?
If you get a chance, you might take a look at the URL maggie99635 sent in her post. That is the router I have and will be posting a reply to her shortly. Maybe there will be something in my reply that might shed some light on what my connection setup is.
Thanks so much for you help!!!
Sandy
PS. Please excuse me if my posts are a bit confusing. I'm not only new at this, but fighting a flu bug on top of it which doesn't leave me with a clear head to begin with.
Message Edited by Kastaffen on 02-15-2004 08:27 PM
Thank you for your reply. The router in the URL you sent does look like the one I have. On the back of this ZyXEL, there's a place to plug in the power cord, a place to plug in what looks like a phone jack, with DSL imprinted below it, and the other end is plugged into the phone jack on the wall. Then there's a thick orange cord that plugs into the ZyXEL where it says LAN 10/100M and the other end is plugged into the back of my computer. Am assuming the orange cord is plugged into my ethernet card because the DELL Dimension chart shows a little icon that looks like a computer, networked to a couple more computers. There are two other things on the back of the ZyXEL too...the power switch and a tiny little reset button. All the little LED lights are on the front of the router.
In case this helps, my Dimension 4100 came with a Conexant HCF V90 56K RTAD Speakerphone PCI Modem and a 3Com EtherLink XL 10/100 PCI for Complete PC Management NIC (3C905C-TX) .
"Do they offer just a modem with an ethernet connection? Or one with a USB connector." In this area their service only allows for a router. Some of their service areas use only modems, others use only routers, and still other areas have a choice of either one...I have no choice, it has to be a router.
As an added note, I just looked on the bottom of my router and it says that it is a ZyXEL Prestige 645/ADSL Router. The ZyXEL Prestige 645-A1 Series New-Generation ADSL Router/Modem might be closer to it, but I don't think it's the same router with a different model number as this one I've had for a year. Anyways, here's the URL to the 645-A1 http://www.zyxel.com/product/model.php?indexcate=1037601390&indexcate1=1021877946&indexFlagvalue=1021873638
The pamphlet/manual that came with it says it is for Windows 95, 98, 2000 and ME, but before I installed Windows XP Home Edition on this computer I checked with my ISP to see if the router would work and they said that it would...obviously it does. LOL. Plus, I didn't have to configure anything, it just took off after Windows XP was installed. Now that's my cup of tea!
I think you would be able to hook a router/switch/hub to the ZyXel and run everything off of that. I'm only guessing but I think the ZyXel would be the DHCP Server since it is the router so whatever you pick will have to have DHCP disabled. I would get a wireless router so you can plug the desktop into that, most come with 4 lan ports for plugging wired internet and then the wireless can take care of the rest. Why they have a router with only the one lan port I don't understand. Right now you have a wired card in the laptop the 3com etherlink.
I use a Linksys WRT54G wireless router. It is hooked to my DSL modem. Two wired desktops and a wireless laptop. The Linksys BEFSR41 is a wired router, you can disable the DHCP and hook it to your ZyXel (So the ZyXel would be the gateway). I used the BEFSR41 for years with a wireless router(one port) as an accesspoint. I just bought the WRT54G.
I assume you are using their software to hook up to the internet. Maybe someone here could explain how to hook up through that system with a router. http://www.dslreports.com/forums/all have tons of forums with lots of people from all over. You should be able to find a one that deals with your type of setup. I lurked there a bunch before I went to broadband. Learned a lot just reading.
I also need to make a correction. In my earlier post I said the phone jack (which is actually a phone cord I guess) is plugged into the back of the ZyXEL and then into the wall. Well, that's not quite right, it plugs into a splitter and then the splitter is plugged into the wall jack. Hope that makes sense.
Sandy
Message Edited by Kastaffen on 02-15-2004 10:37 PM
Yes, I *am* planning on adding another machine...a new notebook computer. I haven't ordered it yet because I want to get my Dimension 4100 fixed up with a new router first and then get a notebook with everything I need to wirelessly network to the desktop. Sorry for the confusion. This is all new to me so I'm sure that isn't helping with trying to keep everything straight.
Bottom line, I'm hoping to dump this ZyXEL and get a LinkSYS because I understand it's better to have the same brand of everything if one is going to be networking other computers off the primary computer. I am thinking that a wired LinkSYS might be best for this 4100, and then connect the notebook wirelessly off the desktop. Thing is, one needs to know what they are doing, and I don't. I do have a brother in law who is both a Microsoft Technician and a Computer Engineer, but he lives out of state and is even further away on a job. Where are these brother in laws when you need them anyways?! LOL.
I do so appreciate the help you and jmwills are giving. Thanks.
OK. If all you have is the one computer I wouldn't bother with buying anything right now. Your modem/router is just fine. I use Zonealarm also. Somewhere along the line I thought you were adding a machine to the mix.
Thanks for replying. What I'm trying to do is get away from the ZyXEL as I've been told that it's not a good router and doesn't offer much protection for my computer, although I do use ZoneAlarm. Presently I don't have a notebook/laptop computer but plan on getting one...just can't purchase both a new desktop and a notebook right now.
"I would get a wireless router so you can plug the desktop into that, most come with 4 lan ports for plugging wired internet and then the wireless can take care of the rest."Would this require and additional card of some sort? I think the wired LinkSYS router I'm looking at has 4 lan ports as well, but I do know the Linksys WRT54G is supposed to handle faster connections speeds or something, and am not sure if the same thing would apply to the wired LinkSYS router.
"Why they have a router with only the one lan port I don't understand. Right now you have a wired card in the laptop the 3com etherlink." I don't know either unless because at the time I got the ADSL service, I wasn't considering a laptop/notebook so they figured a one LAN router was all that was necessary. BTW, the 3com etherlink card is in this Dimension 4100, not a laptop/notebook as I don't have one yet.
"I assume you are using their software to hook up to the internet. Maybe someone here could explain how to hook up through that system with a router." Actually, I had dialup with this ISP before going to ADSL, and as far as I know, the technician that hooked this up didn't use any software disk except the disk that came with the ZyXEL router. Also, my dialup connection was all entered in by hand, I knew how to do it so I didn't need the software for that. However, ADSL is a whole nuther ball game. LOL.
Thanks for the URL to the DSL Report forum, I will check them out.
It looks like you are stuck with that equipment, if this is the ISP you are using. If you buy the BEFRS41 it is also a wired router but it has 4 ports one will be used to hook to the router from your ISP leaving you three ports to hook to the computers. You will have to use it like a hub. Or buy a wireless router 4 port wired and do the same thing, with the wireless disabled until you get wireless. I garantee you will want wireless in the future, especially if you get a notebook. Less wires all over the place. I ended up with one because I found myself using a fifty foot ethernet cord and it can get dangerous stringing it all over the house. This was years ago and I already had a wired router so I just tacked the wireless to it. My desktops sit in the computer room and the notebook goes anyplace in the house. Works for me.
You still have to find out how your ISP tracks your connection.
jmwills
2 Intern
•
12K Posts
0
February 13th, 2004 12:00
Well, unless your ISP has come up with their own set of transport protocols, which they have not, ANY router will work within their system.
Most of the regulars here will recommend Linksys, D-Link, and Netgear for their very good tech support. I would hihgly suggest that whichever maker you decide upon, stay within the family products. By that I mean, do'nt get a Linksys adapter and a Netgear router simply to stop one group of tech support people from pointing the finger at the other. I have never heard of ZyXEL, by the way.
If it were me, I would order a PCMCIA wireless card simply becasue the antenna has better reception in my opinion. Check these resources for some basics in networking and wireless setups and post back with any questions: By the way, who is your ISP????
www.homenethelp.com
http://www.theeldergeek.com/quick_guide_to_simple_file_sharing.htm
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,1277020,00.asp
Kastaffen
35 Posts
0
February 13th, 2004 23:00
Thanks for the reply, and the URLs. Will definitely take a good look at them.
Is one of the routers you listed easier to set up than the others? Have never done this before so I have no idea, and I'm not even sure I should try switching to a different router even though I was told by a very knowledgeable person that I really should get rid of this router as it's not very secure.
As for your question about who my ISP is. It's a local ISP, and the first to offer broadband for my area. Depending on whether or not I can figure out how to set up a new router, I may have to wait until the contract with my ISP expires and then check out what DELL's broadband service is all about. Maybe I'll be able to get a new computer by then too and they can help me with what I need. This all seems so complicated. Anyways, thank you for responding.
jmwills
2 Intern
•
12K Posts
0
February 14th, 2004 15:00
I personally stay within the Linksys brand just to keep all the setups constant within my customer base, but that doesn't mean that Netgera and D-Link aren't fine products. I know that Linksys has some on-line setup documentation so browse over to their site and take a look.
I would still think you could use any router with you ISP. Now one thing to take into mind. Your ISP is looking for a MAC Address, whether it be a router or a computer. A MAC Address is a 12 digit alphanumeric numerber unique to any network device. Your service may only accept the address they assign to their equipment, which may be what you are interpreting that you can only use their equipment. This could stop you from using any other router, but if you didn't want to use a router, there's no way for them to know that the MAC address is not a router or a computer.
You might want to tell them you are not using a router anymore, get a Linksys router, and give them the MAC Address from the router as the address from your computer. There is no way for them to know the difference.
maggie99635
285 Posts
0
February 15th, 2004 20:00
Kastaffen
35 Posts
0
February 16th, 2004 00:00
jmwills,
I've been looking at the hard wire LinkSYS routers and will definitely stay with a LinkSYS...that is, IF I feel like I can manage the leap from the ZyXEL to the LinkSYS. The way I see it now, it's more prudent to first figure out how, and if I can get connected with the wired LinkSYS, and then later worry about setting up a wireless connection between a new notebook and my Dimension 4100. Besides, I don't have a notebook yet. NOTE: The LinkSYS router I'm considering is the
*EtherFast Cable/DSL Router with 4-Port Switch* Model: BEFSR41 . Am assuming this is the correct router for me.Also I went to the LinkSYS site, as you suggested, and read through their online set up wizard guide as well as doing a Google search to see what a MAC address was. At one point I called my ISP and told them that I wanted to get a DELL notebook computer and connect it wirelessly to my DELL desktop and asked what I would need to get. The techie didn't act like he wanted to help but he did tell me that I would have to tell whoever I purchased from, that I use the 10/100 ethernet card and go from there. Does that sound like they use a MAC address? If that was a dumb question, please remember that you are dealing with a newbie.
BTW, am not sure why you asked me earlier who my ISP was, but because it's a local ISP I didn't feel comfortable posting it. However, if it would help you to help me, and you don't mind, I would be willing to private message you with the name of my ISP and the URL to their website where they do post what my ADSL connection uses to communicate with their equipment...just let me know.
As for telling them I'm not using a router anymore, I'm not sure that would work. LOL. They seem pretty strict with their service, and if they asked me any kind of question, it would take them all of 5 seconds to figure out that I didn't have the knowledge to know how to connect a router, much less get their service without a router...although I know you didn't mean that I wouldn't have a router at all. Besides, they do not object to their customers using a different routers, they just advise against it, and won't help with getting non issued equipment working with their service. Which leads me to this question: If I should decide to install a LinkSYS router, and it doesn't work, will I then have to try to reconfigure something so I can go back on the ZyXEL, or will everything still be there as it is now?
If you get a chance, you might take a look at the URL maggie99635 sent in her post. That is the router I have and will be posting a reply to her shortly. Maybe there will be something in my reply that might shed some light on what my connection setup is.
Thanks so much for you help!!!
Sandy
PS. Please excuse me if my posts are a bit confusing. I'm not only new at this, but fighting a flu bug on top of it which doesn't leave me with a clear head to begin with.
Message Edited by Kastaffen on 02-15-2004 08:27 PM
Kastaffen
35 Posts
0
February 16th, 2004 01:00
maggie99635,
Thank you for your reply. The router in the URL you sent does look like the one I have. On the back of this ZyXEL, there's a place to plug in the power cord, a place to plug in what looks like a phone jack, with DSL imprinted below it, and the other end is plugged into the phone jack on the wall. Then there's a thick orange cord that plugs into the ZyXEL where it says LAN 10/100M and the other end is plugged into the back of my computer. Am assuming the orange cord is plugged into my ethernet card because the DELL Dimension chart shows a little icon that looks like a computer, networked to a couple more computers. There are two other things on the back of the ZyXEL too...the power switch and a tiny little reset button. All the little LED lights are on the front of the router.
In case this helps, my Dimension 4100 came with a Conexant HCF V90 56K RTAD Speakerphone PCI Modem and a 3Com EtherLink XL 10/100 PCI for Complete PC Management NIC (3C905C-TX) .
"Do they offer just a modem with an ethernet connection? Or one with a USB connector." In this area their service only allows for a router. Some of their service areas use only modems, others use only routers, and still other areas have a choice of either one...I have no choice, it has to be a router.
Thanks again for you response.
Sandy
Kastaffen
35 Posts
0
February 16th, 2004 02:00
As an added note, I just looked on the bottom of my router and it says that it is a ZyXEL Prestige 645/ADSL Router. The ZyXEL Prestige 645-A1 Series New-Generation ADSL Router/Modem might be closer to it, but I don't think it's the same router with a different model number as this one I've had for a year. Anyways, here's the URL to the 645-A1 http://www.zyxel.com/product/model.php?indexcate=1037601390&indexcate1=1021877946&indexFlagvalue=1021873638
The pamphlet/manual that came with it says it is for Windows 95, 98, 2000 and ME, but before I installed Windows XP Home Edition on this computer I checked with my ISP to see if the router would work and they said that it would...obviously it does. LOL. Plus, I didn't have to configure anything, it just took off after Windows XP was installed. Now that's my cup of tea!
Sandy
maggie99635
285 Posts
0
February 16th, 2004 02:00
I think you would be able to hook a router/switch/hub to the ZyXel and run everything off of that. I'm only guessing but I think the ZyXel would be the DHCP Server since it is the router so whatever you pick will have to have DHCP disabled. I would get a wireless router so you can plug the desktop into that, most come with 4 lan ports for plugging wired internet and then the wireless can take care of the rest. Why they have a router with only the one lan port I don't understand. Right now you have a wired card in the laptop the 3com etherlink.
I use a Linksys WRT54G wireless router. It is hooked to my DSL modem. Two wired desktops and a wireless laptop. The Linksys BEFSR41 is a wired router, you can disable the DHCP and hook it to your ZyXel (So the ZyXel would be the gateway). I used the BEFSR41 for years with a wireless router(one port) as an accesspoint. I just bought the WRT54G.
I assume you are using their software to hook up to the internet. Maybe someone here could explain how to hook up through that system with a router. http://www.dslreports.com/forums/all have tons of forums with lots of people from all over. You should be able to find a one that deals with your type of setup. I lurked there a bunch before I went to broadband. Learned a lot just reading.
Kastaffen
35 Posts
0
February 16th, 2004 02:00
I also need to make a correction. In my earlier post I said the phone jack (which is actually a phone cord I guess) is plugged into the back of the ZyXEL and then into the wall. Well, that's not quite right, it plugs into a splitter and then the splitter is plugged into the wall jack. Hope that makes sense.
Sandy
Message Edited by Kastaffen on 02-15-2004 10:37 PM
Kastaffen
35 Posts
0
February 16th, 2004 03:00
Hi maggie99635,
Yes, I *am* planning on adding another machine...a new notebook computer. I haven't ordered it yet because I want to get my Dimension 4100 fixed up with a new router first and then get a notebook with everything I need to wirelessly network to the desktop. Sorry for the confusion.
This is all new to me so I'm sure that isn't helping with trying to keep everything straight.
Bottom line, I'm hoping to dump this ZyXEL and get a LinkSYS because I understand it's better to have the same brand of everything if one is going to be networking other computers off the primary computer. I am thinking that a wired LinkSYS might be best for this 4100, and then connect the notebook wirelessly off the desktop. Thing is, one needs to know what they are doing, and I don't. I do have a brother in law who is both a Microsoft Technician and a Computer Engineer, but he lives out of state and is even further away on a job. Where are these brother in laws when you need them anyways?! LOL.
I do so appreciate the help you and jmwills are giving. Thanks.
Sandy
maggie99635
285 Posts
0
February 16th, 2004 03:00
maggie99635
285 Posts
0
February 16th, 2004 03:00
Kastaffen
35 Posts
0
February 16th, 2004 03:00
Hi maggie99635,
Thanks for replying. What I'm trying to do is get away from the ZyXEL as I've been told that it's not a good router and doesn't offer much protection for my computer, although I do use ZoneAlarm. Presently I don't have a notebook/laptop computer but plan on getting one...just can't purchase both a new desktop and a notebook right now.
"I would get a wireless router so you can plug the desktop into that, most come with 4 lan ports for plugging wired internet and then the wireless can take care of the rest." Would this require and additional card of some sort? I think the wired LinkSYS router I'm looking at has 4 lan ports as well, but I do know the Linksys WRT54G is supposed to handle faster connections speeds or something, and am not sure if the same thing would apply to the wired LinkSYS router.
"Why they have a router with only the one lan port I don't understand. Right now you have a wired card in the laptop the 3com etherlink." I don't know either unless because at the time I got the ADSL service, I wasn't considering a laptop/notebook so they figured a one LAN router was all that was necessary. BTW, the 3com etherlink card is in this Dimension 4100, not a laptop/notebook as I don't have one yet.
"I assume you are using their software to hook up to the internet. Maybe someone here could explain how to hook up through that system with a router." Actually, I had dialup with this ISP before going to ADSL, and as far as I know, the technician that hooked this up didn't use any software disk except the disk that came with the ZyXEL router. Also, my dialup connection was all entered in by hand, I knew how to do it so I didn't need the software for that. However, ADSL is a whole nuther ball game. LOL.
Thanks for the URL to the DSL Report forum, I will check them out.
Sandy
maggie99635
285 Posts
0
February 16th, 2004 04:00
It looks like you are stuck with that equipment, if this is the ISP you are using. If you buy the BEFRS41 it is also a wired router but it has 4 ports one will be used to hook to the router from your ISP leaving you three ports to hook to the computers. You will have to use it like a hub. Or buy a wireless router 4 port wired and do the same thing, with the wireless disabled until you get wireless. I garantee you will want wireless in the future, especially if you get a notebook. Less wires all over the place. I ended up with one because I found myself using a fifty foot ethernet cord and it can get dangerous stringing it all over the house. This was years ago and I already had a wired router so I just tacked the wireless to it. My desktops sit in the computer room and the notebook goes anyplace in the house. Works for me.
You still have to find out how your ISP tracks your connection.
Kastaffen
35 Posts
0
February 16th, 2004 04:00
***snip***
Sorry, not sure I was clear and to tired to try again.
Sandy
Message Edited by Kastaffen on 02-16-2004 02:06 AM