8 port router

Any of them will be fine. No gigabit switched ports on a budget router that I am aware of and for LAN parties, offers you zero performance improvements. Doesn't really add much on your internal LAN unless you have very fast disk subsystems on your workstations. If you really want gigabit just buy a single port router and uplink that one LAN port to a gigabit switch, then run your workstations off that. Your last question is a bit confusing. Your computer arrangement will definitely change and the router will be the primary inbound firewall. You can run software firewalls on your workstations if you like, primarily for outbound traffice. Perhaps you can elaborate on that statement if you want more advice on it. It's going to change. No getting around that if you buy and use a NAT router instead of using a PC as a host machine sharing internet machine. All the changes are positive by the way, not negative.

You can still find the Linksys BEFSR81 at places like Best Buy. Good solid 8 port router with NAT for about $80.

He that but looketh on a plate of ham and eggs to lust after it, hath already committed breakfast with it in his heart. -C.S. Lewis

They are now supported by Cisco Systems, as Cisco bought out Linksys Routers.

They still make some of the best routers, IMHO.



Spec:
Intel P4 2.4B
MSI 645E Max-U Mobo
1GB DDR333
R9600XT 128MB
SB Live 5.1
WD 60GB
Maxtor 120GB
LG DVD+-R/RW
WIN2K PRO SP4