Need a router, don't know whats what.

[Gorgon]

So, I have a socket in the wall with an internet connection. I would like a wireless router and a cable splitter in one. Preferably with USB c and LAN cable in one so I can use that with my tablet PC (only physical connections are USB C)

 

Internet cable goes into router,another cable continues from router to PC. Router has firewall and provides a wireless hotspot. 

 

Anything like that exist ?

[Elerond]

I think that simplest solution for you would be to go with Wireless router that has also LAN hub and USB to RJ45 adapter.

[Gorgon]

That's probably what I meant then. 

[Elerond]

Most decent priced wireless routers have firewall controls for inbound and outbound traffic and VPN support and parental controls etc. features

 

Like for example

https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Wi-Fi-Gigabit-Router-WNDR4300/dp/B008HO9DK4/ref=sr_1_3/156-5321114-0197645?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1484229707&sr=1-3&refinements=p_n_feature_keywords_browse-bin%3A4787664011&th=1

 

If you need more advance firewall features then you probably need to look bit more expensive routers

 

Most USB - RJ45 adapters most likely work in your pc, but for safety it is wise to check that they have drivers for your OS.

 

Here is one example of such adapter

https://www.amazon.com/Linksys-Ethernet-Chromebook-Ultrabook-USB3GIG/dp/B00LIW8TBG

[Bokishi]

Netgear's Nighthawk series has been good for me. Still rocking the original Nighthawk and it's a streaming champ

[Gorgon]

So turns out I can get a wireless router for next to nothing and if it has more than one LAN connector (if it's a hub/switch) it's like price x 10. A simple hub/switch is also dirt cheap.

 

It's two things though and more clutter underneath the desk. 

[Humanoid]

You're probably not comparing apples to apples if there's that much price differential. You can get a 4-port wireless-N router for under 20EUR these days, though it'd be a cheaper Chinese brand with a less polished UI. Something like this would absolutely do the job, and I run TP-Link gear no problem, cheap and cheerful but not as idiot-proof as the established brands in terms of setup.

 

The primary price driver besides brand would be wireless capability. These days devices will come either with just the older wireless-N support, or with the newer wireless-AC standard. In the latter case they'll still have wireless-N as a fallback, it just means the device won't be operating at its maximum throughput. But that's not all, because there's a numerical rating attached to the standard, whether it be N or AC, e.g. N300 or AC1200. These numbers are a measure of their speed, but is not a direct representation of it.

 

Now for the N standard it's pretty simple. The number just means the theoretical maximum throughput, i.e. N300 is 300Mbps. You will never hit that theoretical value of course, but it's easy enough to compare various products with that figure.

 

The wireless-AC products though are misleadingly labelled because the number is the sum of two separate wireless bands that will be operating. When you operate an AC1350 router, you're not getting 1350Mbit, you're getting (theoretically of course) a 450Mbit wireless-N network operating concurrently with a 867Mbit wireless-AC network (and 1317 is rounded up to 1350 because reasons). This is why they are marketed as "dual-band". Modern devices will have the option to connect to the AC network and only get the 867Mbps or to the slower N network, you cannot connect the same device to both simultaneously. Older or cheaper devices such as game consoles would just connect to the wireless-N network and act as if the AC network wasn't there.

 

 

EDIT: The USB ports on routers are not designed for you to connect a PC to them, rather they are intended for things like printers or an external hard drive to share between the other devices connected to it.

Edited January 15, 2017 by Humanoid

[Malcador]

Looking for one myself, have heard good things about Ubiquiti routers - anyone here use them ?

[Sarex]

My recommendation is to go to the support page of the router you are considering and check how often it gets firmware update.  Never used Ubiquiti routers, but they do seem to be great with their device support, I see firmware versions going back till 2017.

[Malcador]

5 hours ago, Sarex said:

My recommendation is to go to the support page of the router you are considering and check how often it gets firmware update.  Never used Ubiquiti routers, but they do seem to be great with their device support, I see firmware versions going back till 2017.

That is a good point.  Leaning towards them as a couple friends rave about them, even if they seem overkill for my house - maybe 10 devices.  But pricewise, is about the same for the router+AP as an ASUS, so may be worth it.  Funnily enough problem is shelf space for the AP and router.

[Ethics Gradient]

I'm totally going the Ubiquiti route next time I'm upgrading.  I currently have a Synology RT2600 and MR2600 providing wireless across across a pretty large space, but the gear isn't ideally located based on how this 100-year-old house has been wired-up.

Things would be a lot cleaner if I could put the cable modem and router at the point-of-entry in the basement instead of 100 feet of coax and two splitters deep into the house.   Being able to separate your router from your access points has some nice physical advantages. 

[RachelCarlisle]

On 6/18/2019 at 3:52 PM, Sarex said:

 I see firmware versions going back till 2017.

Is it the latest versions?

[Sarex]

On 8/30/2019 at 7:49 AM, RachelCarlisle said:

Is it the latest versions?

All the models I looked at had a recent version of the firmware, if that is what you are asking.

Edited August 31, 2019 by Sarex