Almost OT: Router questions

[teriba]

US Robotics 8000 4pt Router
$89CDN at Futureshop.ca

Anybody have any experience with this? I have seen a couple reviews on the web and it looks good. I have never used a router before how well does it play with things like instant messaging? I would be using an ftp server on at least one computer, can it do more than one? Web and mail server on one computer and instant messaging on 3. Any problems?

If I get this I will have at least one more computer in the fleet perhaps, 3 more. Thanks for all of your help as always🙂

 

[Engineer]

Not sure about this router...

Practically Networked review of it though....

You could set up one FTP server, but I don't think you could do more as most routers only allow port forwarding to one PC (using NAT)...Others here may have better info than me though...

I'll look around for more info...hmmmm?

 

[teriba]

That was the review I was talking about. It's such a good price I am very intrigued. What about the instant messaging then? That is instantiated internally so it will work without port forwarding, correct?

 

[Bigwoofer]

As usual I can provide some possible completely non-helpful information:

I can recommend the Linksys 4 port router/switch for $79 at best buy 🙂

3 friends and myself use them. Whatever you choose, please get those pc's up 🙂

 

[teriba]

That's $89 Candian though which is about $55USD. Thanks for the recommendation though.

 

[Engineer]

teriba,

I'm not really up to snuff on "Instant Messengers", but I would guess since "Each PC" is starting the program, the router would simply work with them....I don't use them...maybe a little post in the Networking forum would get a fast answer too....Sorry, I would think so, but not sure...and then again, each router can act a little different.

Anyone else...

I can add this...it has 12 positive user reviews and 0 negative reviews on the site above...very nice...and since it's a SMC twin (same hardware), it should be a good router. 🙂

 

[teriba]

Alright, whenever it gets here I will have a couple more crunching. One old computer will be doing full-time web/mail serving and SETI! W00t! First time I ever had a server, it's so dreamy😛