OK. Routers are actually for networking pcs. But if i dont want to network, i can use one with a built in firewall. Heres a couple of questions:

1- Will a hardware firewall slow my computer down?

2- Which uses less resources, a hardware or software firewall (assuming the hardware one uses any)?

3- Of the two, which would be my best bet for performance and speed, hardware or software firewall?

4- Should I use both simultaneously?

thanks!

1. No, its will not affect your pc in any way because its external.
2. Hardware because it doesent even run anything on your pc.
3. hardware
4. Your choice, but I don't

thank you sir.

couple more questions:

1- is a wireless as fast a connection as a wired?

2-which do you all recommend?

3-is a wireless safe?

4-can a wireless still be used with my dsl hookup?

thanks all!

1 - My wireless is rated at 125 Mbps. It's probably obsolete but I've never had a sustained data stream where the wireless was the limiting link.

2- I use wireless for two reasons: my house is a split-level (difficult to run wires), and the secondary computer is a notebook which moves around. Otherwise I would have wired.

3 - Reasonably safe if you use the available security features but I don't expect the CIA to be monitoring me. I'm using MAC authentication and 256-bit encryption.

4 - Yes.

Warning: 2.4 GHz devices (cordless phones, etc.) can interfere with most 802.11a/b/g wireless devices.

Thanks. thats good to know about the phones as all of my phones are cordless. i have a four level split, and am thinking about putting the other computer in the family room (my current one is in the basement). I have a crawlspace, so running the wires would actually be quite easy and out of the way, but i just thought maybe the cost of cable might be cost prohibitive, or the wireless might be easier to set up. Plus, i am still (about 25%) thinking of getting a laptop-but i cant seem to make up my mind.

thanks again Glenn.

Ethernet cables/wires are quite inexpensive. In addition, running the wires will increase your speed on the other computers. I don't have a place to run wires so the rest of my network is wireless. The wireless computers loose 1/2 of their download speed performance, which may or may not matter to you.

I'm going to check the 2.4GHz interference because I'm 90% positive that it's 2.5GHz that interferes. All of my phones are 2.4GHz, and I've never had a problem. I'll confirm that though.

Networking is fun!

My memory must be escaping me. I was wrong. Check this out...it's really helpful.

http://linksys.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/linksy...li=&p_topview=1

Wireless connections are slower than wireless ones. Thats just a fact no matter what because things can get in the way of the signal ect. But its not that much of a diffrence and you might not even notice it.

As far as security goes just keep it password protected(so no one can leech your connection) and use WEP encryption(allmost all routers have this).

For DSL you just run a wire from your modem to the router and then you can run connections fromt he router.(most have 4 ports for wired connections)

A hardware firewall since it isnt installed on your computer, it drains absolutely no resources at all from your computer.

For best performance and speed you should use a hardware firewall.

You can use both simultaneously if you wish to, or if you're paranoid.
But just using one should be fairly enough. Endlessly much more important to configure it correctly.

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As for wireless, it offers convience. However, a wired ethernet is or have the possibilty of being faster and also more reliable. You can have a LAN that is 1 gbit/s, you cant have a WLAN anywhere near that.

About security, there are WEP and WPA encryption to make wireless networks more secure. But encryption is possible to break, so wireless is less secure than a wired network.

WHAT?! Isn't wireless usually 56mbps? On LAN?

Standard 802.11g is 54 Mbps but some devices push to 100 Mbps using packet aggregation or 125 Mbps using framebursting. I think they're still trying to set the standard for 802.11n but some companies are claiming they'll be able to achieve 600 Mbps.

And then there was 802.11b at a blazing 11 Mbps, and 802.11a which was... very slow...

The really cool thing about 802.11n (if it ever actually becomes a standard) is that you can have different devices running at different speeds on the same wireless network. On current wireless networks, if one person has a 'b' card, and everyone else is using 'super g', everyone is still stuck at 'b' speeds; one guy can slow down the whole network! With the 'n' spek, multiple antennaes are used, so everyone can run at their maximum speed.

But once again, by the time it becomes a "standard", it may be obsolete. It is sure taking its good ol' time. grumble, grumble...