OT: router question

[Rolando]

Even after 25 years of using computers I still can amaze myself with my ignorance. A Friendlynet wired router that I've been using for many years finally gave up the ghost and I've been thinking that I should replace it with a wireless router. But I know almost nothing about wireless routers.

My Mac has Airport Extreme built in, but up to now I've been running a long wire to go from the router to the computer. Could I get a wireless router and connect my ethernet printers by wire to this new router and have it connect wireless to the Airport Extreme in my computer?

This isn't a big deal but it would let me clean up some wiring. And if I wanted to locate the printers more remote from the computer later I would be able to do that? I guess I always thought of wireless routers as a way for a portable computer to have access to the internet connected computer. I didn't know if you could use a second wireless router to connect to the wireless router in my computer.

[raleighross]

Routers are a messy subject with lots of emotional ties to specific vendors at times. Many times as the result of less than mediocre support or rapid failure.

Anyway, there are a LOT of options.

If you goal is to print to networked printers via computer connected to said network via wireless then in general you either need to stick to all Apple wireless and USB connected printers or have all printers support TCP/IP or learn a lot more about networking. You didn't say what printers you have.

Most, but not all, wireless devices out there only support TCP/IP over the wireless connection. Which means printers wired into your network and set up using AppleTalk will not be seen from the wireless side of things. Asante units used to and may still support AppleTalk over wireless. Apple in general does. A few others might but maybe not on all units.

In a Mac all or mostly environment, USB printers connected to Airport express units work well.

And in my NERHO it's a bad idea to connect ANY computer directly to the Internet. Always use a router is my creed.

I like Apple and Linksys, with Netgear coming in a tight 3rd place. Most of the other brands have caused me way too much grief to give them another chance.

Apple is simple to setup and use but a can be a real PITA if you need to get past simple. Linksys has legions of support all over the place and if you want to explore you can get a WRT54GL and have lots of fun. (Google WTR54GL firmware to get an idea.)

Most important is to make NOTES and keep them where you can find them so when a thunderstorm in the area makes a device "forget", you can get back to work without re-inventing the wheel, axle, spokes, etc...

David

PS: While I'm not an expert in every model or even 1/2 the choices out there I've set up about 100 routers since I got Bellsouth DSL back in 97 or 98.

PPS: The # 1 and 2 reasons folks get upset with a router or the person setting it up is a failure to tell said person everything they wanted to do with their network or buying "what Joe told me to get" and asking someone else to set it up.

[Rolando]

I have the HP750c large format printer which I know supports TCP/IP, but the other printer is the HP LaserJet 8000 and I'm not sure about it. They both have ethernet cards. The only thing I can tell now is that their location is 'Local Zone'.

I've been looking at the Airport Extreme Base Station on the Apple web site. It also has a USB port, as well as 3 ethernet ports. I also have a Canon PIXMA iP6000D printer, a Dymo LabelWriter Twin Turbo, a Kyocera 7135 cell phone base station, and a Fujitsu ScanSnap scanner all connected to a USB hub. Would I be able to connect that hub to the USB connection on the Airport Base Station and have everything connect wirelessly to the Airport Extreme in my computer?

[raleighross]

[John Cruet]

One thing to remember about wireless connections is that they are not bulletproof. I've had some issues with connect-disconnect to the internet with my AirPort Extreme network and my wireless off my laptop. And the file transfer speed isn't nearly as fast as gigabit ethernet across a local network.

Other than that, while working, wireless is nice. Setting up the laptop is a real snap- no ethernet cable to plug in and get in the way.

[huc]

Another thing to remember about maintaining wireless speed/performance, particularly with Airport Extreme N (AE-N) base stations...

If the AE-N base is setup to be 'smart' and allow both 802.11 g and 802.11 n devices to connect, your overall speed will drop to the lower standard. To maintain performance, segregate the traffic so all 802.11 a/g traffic connects to a dedicated wireless router for that traffic, and setup the AE-N base for 802.11n traffic only.

In effect you setup two wireless highways to keep traffic moving at the best possible speeds. I have a setup where all my 'slow' wireless devices connect to my Apple Extreme 'G' base station (iphones, older laptops (Mac's and Dell's, etc.), and an Ethernet printer (connected via an Airport express device) are on their highway. My faster devices (Apple TV, MacBooks, MacBook Pro's, etc.) are connected to the Apple Extreme N base station. The two base stations are bridged together via an ethernet cable.

The setup sounds confusing but I actually see very fast performance with the traffic segregated that way -- and it is NOTICEABLY faster than if using only the AE-N base setup as 'smart' to allow both 802.11 a/g and 802.11N devices to connect

Apple did (does?) have a tech note somewhere I recall reading a year or so ago that described that recommendation as well (sorry can't recall the link).