adsl usb modem or router?

[luvvbuzz]

its time i swapped to broadband. i am not too familiar with the technology yet but i know i can get a usb adsl modem (since i will be using an adsl service) or a router. i have been told routers are good and they let you set up a network if you have other computers in the house.
at present i have only one computer. heres my question
1. which is best i.e fastest and most reliable usb modem or router?
2. can i use a router now with one computer and get another computer at a later date to set up a network?
3. whaich adsl modem do you use and are you happy with it?
thanks

[VCDHunter]

I have a BT Voyager and it sucks. Once connected to the internet I cannot disconnect and this also stops win2k from shutting down. I shut down my PC by holding the power button in for 4 secs.

[luvvbuzz]

ok i will avoid that one then!

[iooi]

Invest in a router is my advice. I started with a Fuji 310 usb modem and after 6 days went and got a router as i was sick of problems, even adding a powered usb hub did little to slove the problems. Routers can be had for around the same price as some of the usb modems so dont waste your money on usb....
Cant say which is best but i can recommend this Store Solwise as a good place to start looking.
Also try over at Adsl Guide which is a great resource for all things adsl.

You wont regret ever getting adsl....

[luvvbuzz]

i am still slightly confused, does a router still have to connect to a usb modem or is the router the modem itself? i have heard alot of people had problems with there usb adsl modems so i want to avoid the pitfalls beforehand so that it doesnt cost me an arm and a leg.
which router are you using iooi? are you happy with it? [/quote]

[fmctm1sw]

i am still slightly confused, does a router still have to connect to a usb modem or is the router the modem itself? i have heard alot of people had problems with there usb adsl modems so i want to avoid the pitfalls beforehand so that it doesnt cost me an arm and a leg.
which router are you using iooi? are you happy with it?

[/quote]

Be very careful about connecting multiple computers to one DSL modem. It's strictly forbidden by mine. This is a must read for you....

http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/sharingcable.htm

[redwudz]

I use a cable modem, but adsl is somewhat similar. Some modems incorporate a router. A router can function as a hardware firewall, which is very important when you have a fixed IP address and if you are connected to the internet full time. (As in a cable modem) Most of the time a router is a seperate device. It uses NAT to change your fixed IP address to one that is not easily available to hackers. It also allows you to have several computers hooked to the internet at the same time. Not sure how USB works with that but it is probably similar. You do need a good firewall, and a hardware one, as in a router is one of the best. Here's another site on adsl that you can check out: http://www.world-of-adsl.com/index.php

[gmatov]

You don't say what country you are in.
Most providers in the US will supply the modem, at a monthly rental of about 3 bucks.

You DO need to use a modem.

I'm not sure if, in the stores, I have ever seen a combination modem/router..

Personally, I would not buy a USB modem, nor router. Put a net card in the machine, or if your machine is fairly new, it most likely has built in NIC.

Do buy a router. It becomes a hardware firewall as well as allowing you to connect a ssecond machine, or third, and there is no problem connecting with the 2nd or 3rd machine.

Only the machine connected as Host is visible to the server That is the whole point of a router, to send/recieve data from/to multiple machines.

The data is sent to the modem, then to the router, then to the machine's address that requested it, unlike a hub which allows all machines to access the data.

In fact, I am not even sure if a hub will allow you to access the net with multiple machines. (I'm sure someone will tell me I'm wrong and what I did wrong, but everytime I used one of the other machines, my provider[Cable] told me my configuration had changed drastically, it must be a different machine, do I want it to be the machine I use, or, do I want to add that machine?)

With a router, the provider cannot see a second, third, tenth machine.

AsI said, it is a firewall, also, and you set your level of paranoia as you see fit.

Primary importance: change the password for the router. Each brand comes with its own default login/password, and they are general to the whole production run/line. Write it down in a safe place, but if you forget it, there is a reset button to clear CMOS and start all over.

Cheers,

George

BTW, I don't know if they do this with DSL anymore, but with cable most large stores, BB, CompUSA, CC, ssell you a modem for 100 bucks and give you up to a 100 bucks rebate if you sign up for the service through them. They get a commission as long as you are connected.

The only problem I see with that is that 1: The modem may become outdated, 2: the modem may break in the 13th month, you buy a new one.. At3bucks a month rental, you go almost 3 years for the 100 bucks own your own price.

If you have the option to get cable, instead, I think you should consider it. I always wanted to get DSL, but they would not put a DSLAM in my CO. So, when cable became available, I bought it, and the speed, which was double the best DSL could do, 1.54 mbs, vs the 768 kbs for DSL, and recently my cable provider doubled the throughput again to 3 mbs.

Cheers, again.

[iooi]

i am still slightly confused, does a router still have to connect to a usb modem or is the router the modem itself? i have heard alot of people had problems with there usb adsl modems so i want to avoid the pitfalls beforehand so that it doesn't cost me an arm and a leg.
which router are you using iooi? are you happy with it?

I have a Asus 6000Ev which is now discontinued but i am happy with it. You have to make sure you get a combined modem/router and not just a router.
As you are in the UK the only isp that don't like you connecting more than one computer to them is AOL (who the hell would use them anyway at their prices)
While many will say they don't support multiple computers connected to them its is purely a support issue and not the fact they don't like you doing it....They have enough support problems without trying to sort everybody's home networks as well.

[luvvbuzz]

thanks for all your replies. i am in the uk and i would never touch AOL even if they were the last isp on earth, they make me sick just thinking about them.
but that aside, i think it looks like the combined modem/router then for me. i had heard alot of people were unhappy with the usb modems, particularly the speedtouch usb modems, also i dont really want an internal pci adsl modem as i have heard the eat cpu power so i think it might be best to stick to an external modem.
at the end of the day, if i get a modem router and my isp says i cant connect another computer i wont be too annoyed about that because the computer i am building will be a second computer that i use for video/audio/dvd/svcd work. i just find it annoying sometimes when i aencoding some video and i cant use the internet whilst it is being done. i just thought it would be a bonus if the 2nd computer could use the internet on a network, but if it cant im not going to be too bothered.
thanks again for your replies.

[luvvbuzz]

thanks for your help people, in the end i bought an origo adsl modem/router, it had a good write up from people that have bought it, i read around on alot of sites trying to find different opinions. the model is ASR 8400. it wasnt very expensive, but like i say it had a good write up from people that are already using it. i hope it goes well for me, i hope to change over to broadband within the next 2 weeks.
thanks for your help, i found your opinions really useful in finding what i needed.