Recommendations for a wireless modem

[Gary S]

Hi everyone,

Question: What, in your opinion is the best Wireless modem out there right now that works the best with Macs?

Now that it's 2013, I've decided that it's time I get a wireless modem and move into the future of more radio waves going through me.  

TIA

[RNKIII]

Making an assumption here, that you already have a cable modem, and are looking to add a wireless network to your location?!?  Hoping that is the case.

If so, adding an Apple Express or Extream  is very easy, and in the case of the Express, very cost effective.
Have had an Express network running at our home for a number of years and it is very robust, supporting two Macs on two floors, wireless printing from one of the Macs and my iPad and iPod Touch from anywhere in the house and beyond for 50 - 75 feet into the yard.

Can't speak to the Extreme, but couldn't see it being any more difficult or less powerful, it just adds extra wireless storage of 2tb, I' believe....

Again this is based on my original assumption.

Bob K.  rnkiii

[Xairbusdriver]

QUOTE

Can't speak to the Extreme, but couldn't see it being any more difficult or less powerful, it just adds extra wireless storage of 2tb

I believe you're talking about the Apple Time Capsule which has a 2 or 3TB hard drive in the box and basically the Extreme ports. The Airport Extreme ($180) is just the WiFi part but with four Ethernet ports (1 In, 3 Out) and a USB port. The Express ($100) is the less expensive model with one Ethernet port (1 In/1 Out) and one USB port. I'm not quoting a price for the Time Capsules as you didn't ask about that option and there are much better prices on drives (directly connected/wired so faster transfer rates, IMHO) than from Apple.

All that said, the Apple hardware is extremely easy to setup. And obviously better supported than those 'off-brand' modems!

[RNKIII]

ABD,You are, as usual, correct, thank you for the clarification.

Bob K.  rnkiii

[Paddy]

Gary, if you need more than one item hard wired for Ethernet (always faster than wifi) then go with the Extreme. I have one and it's great - better than the wireless modem/router that our ISP provides. I just turned off the wireless part of the modem and use it in bridge mode with the AirPort Extreme.

[Gary S]

I have a Motolrola router, and would like to keep the 2 computers hardwired.

Thanks everyone.

Anyone for Belkin?

[Shades of Gray]

I have a Linksys Wireless-G (2.4 Ghz, 54 Mbps) modem and have used for five years; paid I think $59 for it at the time. Simple set up, moved from Missouri to California with different carrier and never a problem. I can hardwire up to four through Ethernet.

[Gary S]

Thanks everyone.

Sorry I haven't answered earlier but I have the flu. I'll be back in a few days.

[Xairbusdriver]

Eeww! I hope you washed your hands well before typing that message!!!

Just take it easy and get well!!!

[Paddy]

QUOTE(Gary S @ Jan 9 2013, 10:21 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have a Motolrola router, and would like to keep the 2 computers hardwired.

Thanks everyone.

Anyone for Belkin?

So...just to clarify, you currently have a modem of some sort (wired) and a wired Motorola router? And you want a wireless router/modem combo or perhaps just a wireless router - which is actually all you need if your current modem is ok and up to date - check to make sure it's DOCSIS 3.0 compliant, as that's what most of the cable companies now require if you want to get the best speeds. But...you want to keep the computers hardwired? What's going to be using the wireless network then? Sam's MBP, when he's home? Anything else?

If your current setup works ok, then I'd just add an Airport Express for the wireless part. If, on the other hand, you're looking to consolidate, you can certainly go the route of one box for everything. My SMC D3GN works ok - it's just doesn't have the range of my trusty Airport Extreme. The SMC has 4 ethernet ports, so I could hardwire the same 2 Macs that are currently hardwired to the AE.

You do need to check with your cable company though to make sure that whatever you get is compatible. Time Warner, for instance, has a list of acceptable modems; it really depends on the cable company. Rogers, here, only allows the SMC modems, period.

[Gary S]

The flu was a crusher, I still feel weak as well as my brain. It was the respiratory type. Anyways I'm going to try to answer your responses as well as possible.

First of all, I don't have Motorola Router as I previously mentioned. I have a Dynex router that I bought when my Belkin no longer worked. It's been working fine for a couple of years.

I'm going to start all over.

I am running 10.6.8-Snow Leopard. I have Lion sitting in my Applications folder but haven't installed it yet but I'd like to. I didn't erase the 1T hard drive and partition it when it came but I wish I had.

Sometimes I get the words modem and router mixed up.

My cable company is Charter and I was using my own Motorola Surfboard modem, but I called them to see if I could get my Cable/TV/Internet bill lowered and I got on a new package from them but they told me I needed a new modem, they don't support third party modems anymore. So while I was sick they delivered a new Motorola Surfboard SB6121 modem That I installed today with the help from Charter, it took about an hour,
they couldn't get the new modems ISP address right but we solved it and I'm getting 45.13M download speeds with this modem compared to my old modem that was getting around 26M.

So I have the new Motorola Modem and it 's connected to the Dynex router, both of which are hard wired and reside behind the back of the iMac. The router also runs a G4 that we hardly use, We have some programs and games on it that only work w/the Power PC.

QUOTE

And you want a wireless router/modem combo or perhaps just a wireless router - which is actually all you need if your current modem is OK and up to date - check to make sure it's DOCSIS 3.0 compliant, as that's what most of the cable companies now require if you want to get the best speeds. But...you want to keep the computers hardwired? What's going to be using the wireless network then? Sam's MBP, when he's home? Anything else?

Sam's MBP, when he's home, he lives permanently in Madison, WI now but does come home from time to time, and my wife's PC that she brings home every night form work.

I'd also like to see if I could get Netflix to my Widescreen TV that's in the living room about 45 feet away. I have a Samsung Blue-Ray player that is Internet ready (it has a Cat-5 connection and is wireless ready also).

Since I'm getting such fast speeds with the hardwired modem, I'd like to keep these speeds, but still have wireless capabilities.

What do you all think?

Paddy et al,

I hope this clear, if not let me know. I'm not in a big hurry and knowing my son he'll probably go for the cheapest wireless router he can find and I don't want to do that. Netflix is kind of important because I'd drop HBO and Showtime to save some money. My cable bill is $140 a month with internet and TV. I do like to watch Bill Marr though, when he's on.

Thanks.

[Xairbusdriver]

First, good to hear you're on the mend! I wouldn't tell your wife you're more than 50% of normal, just yet, however. You might want to wait another week or two!

So, the Dynex router is simply an Ethernet router, it does not include any wireless capabilities. Is that correct?

If so, Paddy's statement still applies, at least the part about the wireless. You can ignore the comments about the Modem, Charter took care of the DOCSIS part.

The only thing I can see you might need would be an Ethernet cable between your Dynex and the Airport Express. And you probably have one laying around. I think all you need to do is plug the wireless (router-something that lets several hardware items connect to whatever it's connected to) into the Dynex (router-see previous definition).

You may be able to connect that TV through the Blue-Ray box. Just try running some cat-5 (Ethernet) between the Dynex and the Blue-Ray (which is probably already connected to the TV, right?). I've just signed up with Netflix but it doesn't connect to any TV. I think they could probably help you with that setup, if a real expert doesn't show up here, shortly.

BTW, congratulations on getting that faster speed! I'm sure you'll enjoy it!

"Modem" is a leftover term from when we connected to phone lines. The word comes from what the box does; it Modulates what you send to it and Demodulates what you get from the phone line. They just took "Mod" from Modulate and the "Dem" from Demodulate and dropped one of the D's! Even though the cable line is not limited to phone traffic, the "Modem" term still is often used. And it does more that just pass the signals back and forth, just like the modem did.

A "Router" can be thought of as basically like your electrical circuit breaker or fuse box. It just sits there and accepts what comes in and passes it along to whatever might be connected to it. The advantage is that you can have multiple 'things' connected to that single incoming wire.

And then there are wireless routers... and switches... and hubs...

[Gary S]

QUOTE

First, good to hear you're on the mend! I wouldn't tell your wife you're more than 50% of normal, just yet, however. You might want to wait another week or two!

QUOTE

So, the Dynex router is simply an Ethernet router, it does not include any wireless capabilities. Is that correct?

•That is correct.

•Ethernet cables I've got

QUOTE

...Just try running some cat-5 (Ethernet) between the Dynex and the Blue-Ray (which is probably already connected to the TV, right?). I've just signed up with Netflix but it doesn't connect to any TV. I think they could probably help you with that setup, if a real expert doesn't show up here, shortly.

•Correct,the Blue-Ray is connected to the TV.

QUOTE

BTW, congratulations on getting that faster speed! I'm sure you'll enjoy it!

On their TV commercials they offer the fastest internet service available at 30mb. I just tested it and it was 49.8mb. God is it fast.
Running Cat five 45' to Blue-Ray player might be possible. There is a finished ceiling in that portion of the basement but I may be able to fish it through.

However that was one of the reasons for getting wireless, so I wouldn't have to run that much cable and still get Netflix, although I must admit NetFlix
would most likely be much faster wired.

[Gary S]

And now for the end of the story.

Charter told me I needed either a NETGEAR or Linksys Wireless router.

I went to RadioShack the salesman told me the same thing my son told me. The NETGEAR wireless routers come in three flavors: N150, N300 and N600. The salesman told me that the N300 would be sufficient

for 50', which is how far my Samsung Blue-ray player and Vizio TV are from where my computer and Wireless router are physically located from each other.


I was going to buy the N600 which is 300+300 duel band for $99.00. Instead I purchased the N300 for $44.00 on sale when I finally trusted the salesman, he told me that's the one he uses and that he purchased a N600

for his parent's and he could see no noticeable difference.

Anyways, I bought the N300 and set it up, then went through the set up for the Samsung Blue-Ray player and it works very well. I can stream Netflix flawlessly along with all the apps that are available

through the Samsung Blue-Ray player. I didn't even know the Samsung had it's own apps, some free like Crackle, YouTube, old movie channels and news channels and more.

It also has some pay apps like Hulu etc.

I hard-wired the 2 computers to the N300 and at the moment I'm just using the wireless for streaming to the Blue-Ray player.

So to end the story for now, it works and I'm satisfied for now. I have 30 days to make up my mind as RadioShack told me I could return it for an N600 and pay the difference and they'd include my 1 yr service contract

along with it. I'm figuring if it works don't fix it.

Questions:

Do you leave you wireless modem 24/7 or do you shut it down when it's not in use?

Are the radio waves that are coming out of this wireless router dangerous to my health? I'm sitting 2' from it in my computer room.

Lastly, Thanks for all your help!

Gary

[RNKIII]

Gary S....

1st of all.... congratulations on getting everything tied together and working...

Questions... 1 - NOTHING connected to my computer or network EVER gets shut down... on 24/7/36*....   Hate to wait when I want to use it.

                  2- Have been setting as close to mine as you are for 5+ years and haven't noticed any health or mental problems (but don't ask the wife!).


Again glad you have it all going...


Bob K.   rnkiii