Best router for Apple & PC

Parent Cafe
21

<p>We have no issue with the wireless router speaking to the PCs in the house in any room and all the iPhones and MACs will connect some times and then other times not. For example DDs new iPhone says it is connected, but nothing comes in, she goes to mobile networking and gets 24 hours worth of emails etc. Yet her phone says it is connected.</p>

<p>When DS made a SKYPE call on an iPAD he had to reset the router to make it connect. So it appears to connect, says it is connecting, but functionality does not happen. Rather like the way I sometimes cannot send email from my phone and other times I can.</p>

<p>I am reading all the posts to figure out where to go. I actually had to pay for a month of Comcast’s concierge service so had them work on this, they connected DDs phone, then it stopped working, we tried it over three or four calls. The final call he suggested getting a NetGear or LInkSys. I don’t want to spend a bunch of money, but I hate the hassle every time the kids come home and hate the data overage when DD cannot use wi-fi. If I buy a new one, I want it to work.</p>

22

<p>Our Netgear cost around 100.</p>

23

<p>Somemom,</p>

<p>Have you and your family tested out those macs on other non-mac routers in friends’ homes? </p>

<p>Have you had close friends with macs having the same issues when they tried connecting wirelessly? </p>

<p>How old are the macs and what wireless encryption settings are you using if I may ask(i.e. WEP, WPA1, WPA2, etc)?</p>

<p>WHat’s model of D-link router are you using atm?</p>

<p>Oldfort,</p>

<p>Out of curiosity, what model and how well has it worked for you?</p>

24

<p>Re: the suggestion of a repeater, do you just plug it in or does it need additional connectivity of some sort? Our house is modest in size but the Wifi does not work on the second floor toward the end farthest from the modem/Linksys. Any suggestions for make/model of repeater would be much appreciated.</p>

25

<p>Do you have a Wireless B, G or N router?</p>

26

<p>BCEagle, it’s an N.</p>

27

<p>Cobrat, my kids say they do not have issues elsewhere there have been older MACs as well as DDs brand new phone this holiday.</p>

28

<p>I need to check the model.
The online tech tested various encriptions</p>

29

<p>To extend a wireless network should be a matter of plugging the thing in and selecting the option of adding it to the existing network. </p>

<p>BTW, if you want to spend the money, you can get routers that allow you to set up an encrypted network along with an unencrypted one. A service organization I’m involved with does that for “guests”.</p>

30

<p>Thanks, Lergnom. I will have to investigate the repeater options.</p>

31

<p>We have always used secure networks. When we moved to our single story house found the distances from the end with the Verizon hookup to the other made a difference in connectivity strength. Have PCs and used our old D Link-N setup (we bought the upgraded version when N first came out) to help with distance issues. No problems with Mac users who have been given our password when they are here for a while.</p>

32

<p>Recently made the plunge into wireless networking. Finally choose an inexpensive brand called Philcomm. Did have a slight problem with set up due to the usual Taiwanese or Shenzhen version of English as regards the user guide. But after consulting with my ISP, NO PROBLEM. Don’t know why I didn’t check with the ISP first. Got the router online from Microbarn, an outfit I’ve been using for cables and such for a couple of years. Very price competitive and they stand behind what they sell.</p>

33

<p>I have a new Mac laptop and a new iPhone 5. My D has an older Mac laptop and we have an older Dell laptop. I never have any problems with connectivity on my ancient Linksys. I was considering replacing it just because of its age, thinking a new one might be faster or more secure, but now I’m rethinking it based on posts here.</p>

34

<p>

</p>

<p>While I do have a spare wireless router to do a “guest” open wireless, I don’t want to deal with the possible legal hassles if some neighbor or random wardriver driving by my area decides to use my internet connection to do something illegal and brings me grief over it.</p>

<p>There’s already several cases in the last several years of folks who ran open wireless getting their doors kicked in by cops/FBI and hassled by arrests/possible prosecution before they found that the actions were done by a wireless piggybacking malicious neighbor or wardriver. </p>

<p>Moreover, some jurisdictions have also passed laws which assigns some liability for any illegal activities happening on unsecured open wireless networks on its admin/owner. Effectively, such laws strongly encourage everyone to go to secured encrypted wireless networks as that’s the only way to avoid having such liabilities placed on your head. </p>

<p>

</p>

<p>Only reasons in my case to replace the current linksys wireless router other than it conking out is if I started doing frequent massive file transfers between computers on my network. Since I rarely do that and the occasional large batch can usually be completed overnight easily over ethernet, I don’t really see a need.</p>

35

<p>Right you are Cobrat. These unauthorized “free rider” internet service cases are not uncommon, although less common than they used to be, perhaps because of the notoriety of cases wherein the free-loading neighbor tapped into a non-secure network and downloaded dirty pictures and such.</p>

36

<p>The most basic encryption/password protection on a wifi router can eliminate a lot of free riders. You can of course register mac address and not broadcast ssid to get the maximum security.
I did wire the entire house with cat 5, so that is the best security of all.
Now a days, you can use house wire for internet connection and that device can move from room to room, it costs about $45 each.</p>

37

<p>I have CAT6 in the basement and CAT5 to the first floor. CAT6 performance is very nice. I don’t care to go through the effort to put it upstairs though and nobody has asked for it.</p>

38

<p>

</p>

<p>So long as encryption is not the obsolete and extremely insecure WEP standard from the early 00s. Not to mention its protocol can add much more processing overhead on the client’s machine/connection which makes for a slower user experience. </p>

<p>All the newer encryption versions are not only more secure, but don’t have this processing overhead issue. </p>

<p>Registered mac addresses can actually be faked very easily so I wouldn’t rely on that as any form of real security. Too many techie websites provide instructions even non-technical folks can understand. </p>

<p>Not broadcasting SSID is a great way to increase one’s security. Unless they’re war drivers who are fixated on your network, few other folks would even know the network exists. :)</p>

<p>That’s one of the first things I did when I set up my own wireless network and those of most clients/friends. </p>

<p>Of course, there are a few who “need” SSID to remain open so they can “find” their wireless network so I need to make some allowances for them despite the lower levels of wireless network security from having it broadcast.</p>