Currently I have a Motorola SB5101e cable modem, which is plugged straight into the desktop. There's going to be a laptop accessing the internet too, so I'd like to know am I doing it right.

I'm intending to get a wireless router and use it like this:
- internet connects to cable modem
- cable modem connects to wireless router via ethernet
- desktop connects to internet via ethernet
- laptop connects to internet via ethernet, but so that I can unplug the cable and use the latop anywhere in the house instantly

I won't need gigabit ethernet and I'm not bothered with torrents being slow, so even a cheapo router will do as long as the wireless doesn't disconnect frequently. Will this plan work, will any wireless router do the job?

I'm considering a Netwjork TWL542R+ router among other things. I'll probably end up getting it if I don't need any fancy.

Which cables do I need btw? I believe the cable from the modem to the desktop is straight-thru, and the modem's ethernet wires are in fact reversed. This would mean I need one straight-thru and one crossover (to the router)?

Netwjork TWL542R+
http://www.pc210.com/prohtml/44-110-6722-TWL542R-.html

Cheers

Any wireless cable router will do, if it's the same as ADSL routers, you will no longer need your cable modem, because the router will replace it.

Basically, you should only need a single CAT5 cable to connect the router to your desktop, and that should be included with the router, obviously, if you want to connect your laptop to the router, you'll also need another CAT5 cable.

The router doesn't have anywhere to plug the cable to, because it's completely different from an ADSL RJ-11. It's one of those coax cables. The modem and router should connect via rj-45s from the modem to the router's WAN port, afaik.

Dunno about cable routers, maybe you do need to keep the modem, with ADSL ones, they replace the modem

Whatever, it's pretty straight forward and simple to do.

Quote from danowat :

Dunno about cable routers, maybe you do need to keep the modem, with ADSL ones, they replace the modem

Whatever, it's pretty straight forward and simple to do.

how can a router replace the modem?

The router connects to the modem, to serve as a switch with name translation. meaning: you can connect more than one pc to your internet as the router "routes" the info to the corresponding pc. which inturn makes u being able to have two pc's sharing one ip to the Net.

You can NEVER replace the modem (if u dont get a adsl modem with built-in router) with a router as it cant connect neither to the telephoneline nor to the "cable-line"..

for you to use a router, for the most part, u need a modem that has a rj-45/patch cable port, so u can interconnect the two

hope it made any sense

Quote from Feffe85 :

how can a router replace the modem?

Because most (all?) ADSL routers have built in modems.

You're spot on NotAnIllusion

In theory any old wireless home router will do, however in practise some do perform better than others.

Can't say anything about that particular one given that I've not used it, other than it "it looks standard".

Righto, so it's just down to the brand and model then. I had a quick look at some comments about the router, it appears to be the exception to the router rule 'you get what you pay for'. I suppose I can sacrifice 20-ish euro to have go, my main worry is it dropping wired connection which would suck. I have a static IP though, and I the modem hasn't disconnected since purchase a year ago Maybe I'll get lucky.

Thanks all, I'll remind myself to post how it turned out.

Quote from danowat :

Because most (all?) ADSL routers have built in modems.

d-link dl604, is a broadband router. no modem in it. also have a dl624 wireless, no modem there either..

tbh i have never seen a router with built-in modem, on the other hand, telia and bbb here in sweden sends out modems with built-in routers... but thats another thing..

Quote from Feffe85 :

tbh i have never seen a router with built-in modem, on the other hand, telia and bbb here in sweden sends out modems with built-in routers... but thats another thing..

Plenty of modem routers here > http://www.ebuyer.com/cat/Wireless/subcat/Routers---ADSL

Quote from danowat :

Plenty of modem routers here > http://www.ebuyer.com/cat/Wireless/subcat/Routers---ADSL

yes, modem routers.. but it aint a ROUTER.. its a modem, with a router in it.. and i have heard of like.. one of those on that site... anyway, what i meant with my first post was that u cant REPLACE a MODEM with just a ROUTER...

sorry if that wasnt clear

but yes ur right, if it has built-in router it works..

Posting this on a laptop, using wireless

The update so far:
- Went to buy the Tenda/Netwjork router and cables
- Plugged router in, desktop connected instantly
- Set up WLAN SSID and WPA2 with AES, switched to static IP addresses; took about 1 minute
- Opened up the laptop, an Aspire 8930G w/ P8400, it's still setting itself up
- Laptop discovered my WLAN instantly (among 5 others of which one is unsecured) and connected with no drama

No complaints at this point. I haven't installed anything that requires port forwarding, but I had a look at the router's forwarding page and it looked a doddle.