Going used Router shopping next week, need an easy way to identify one.

[Killrose]

Obviously i'm new at this. I'm trying to set up a reliable and fast home network and everyone say's get a router. The State has a surplus wharehouse here and every Wed. they open the doors to the public. I've bought a lot of good thing there cheap. $35.00 15in monitors (that look like new), $45 for business type printers, ect.

Anyhow, I know what a hub looks like as I already have one, but a router panel will have what on it to ID it from something else? And should I really worry about a 10Mbit as oposed to a 10/100Mbit.

 

[ojai00]

You should obviously get the 10/100mbit one because it will allow you to transfer files faster across your home network. If you look at a 4-port router, it should have 4 ports for your LAN connection and one port for a WAN connection. There should be a power light, a WAN light, and 4 lights for the LAN connections. Some have print servers, so there could be a parallel port on the back of the router. The SMC Barricade routers are gray and have all the lights and LAN connections on the back, and the WAN and printer connection on the back. The Linksys is blue and black has all its connections on the back with the lights on the front. The Netgear is blue and has all the connections on the back. Here is what they look like, as well as the features Routers, the link is courtesy of JackMDS. Hope this helps.

 

[Killrose]

Hey thanks. That helps a lot and hopefully there will be one in surplus.

 

[Garion]

Just remember what you find at that kind of a place is probably going to be a WAN router, not one designed for Internet/SOHO use. In all honesty, I'd just lurk in Hot Deals until you find a good buy on a router that's meant for what you're trying to use it for, not some big old WAN box which you'll never be able to figure out and probably won't do what you want it to.

- G