Need help picking a router (specific needs)

[Darkmatterx]

Hi, sorry to ask such a common question but this is a bit unusual.

My mom picked up a Toshiba Laptop from "The Source" in Canada and needs a router to connect it to another computer that has cable internet. She also needs to get the router from "the Source" because she has a $100 gift card from that store to spend.

The laptop has a wireless card and uses Vista. The main computer that the cable internet is hooked up to is using XP Pro.

She doesn't game or anything like that, she just does normal "mom stuff" online so she doesn't need speed as much as reliability and ease of use.

Obviously we're a little tight on options since it has to be from "the source" and I'm guessing the wireless card in the laptop isn't exactly high quality.

Heres a link to "the source" web site and the page with the Toshiba laptops and they have a page for their routers.

http://www.thesource.ca/estore/SearchResults.aspx?language=en-CA&keywords=toshiba&pagenum=0

Considering the pre-made laptop and the limited options at that store, what would you guys suggest?

Thanks, from me, and my mom. lol

 

[Guest]

"needs a router to connect it to another computer that has cable internet"

Don't quite understand why she has to connect to the other computer. A router should be connected to the cable modem and then both computers connect via the router (whether by wireless or by ethernet lead) if the computers need to talk to each other that will also work via the router.

Any wireless router designed for cable should be fine for the purposes you describe so buy on price versus likelihood of needing support in future.

 

[Darkmatterx]

Well I wasn't really worried about speed for her but I did want something with decent reliability so it wouldn't cut in and out a lot or require a lot of rebooting.

 

[Guest]

The DLink brand (products listed on the link you provided) is respected. Though I found their wireless router rather harder to set up than the Netgear ones I have used previously, perhaps because it offered more features.

The difference I was pointing up before was that, in my experience, brand doesn't make a lot of difference to how the hardware performs -- extra price is sometimes later justified by the support available (firmware upgrades, drivers, documentation).

 

[Darkmatterx]

Well my mom told me she picked up a D-Link RangeBooster Gold WBR-2310 but hasn't opened it. Some reviews say it has a bit of a problem of disconnecting from time to time but since you seem to know your stuff I was wondering if you think it should be fine for her needs?

Thanks

 

[Guest]

I don't know the DLink range well and I couldn't comment on that product except to say thet the name implies good wireless reception, which could prove useful.

Well worth reading the manual before attempting to set it up. As I mentioned I didn't find a DLink the easiest to set up myself.