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Hardware - Advice on linux friendly wireles router

wegface - 15.10.2006, 10:39 Uhr
Titel: Advice on linux friendly wireles router
Me Mrs has started a degree and needs internet in the bedroom.... So i need a decent wireless router. Never having dabbled in wireless networking, anyone recommend models that will work (well) with 2 kanotix boxes.... One of which actually does have a belkin wireless pci card in it. Im gonna keep my pc wired tho...
Thanks.
mzilikazi - 15.10.2006, 14:58 Uhr
Titel:
I can't say enough good things about a OSS firmware called DD-WRT. It provides some extremely advanced features and runs on several inexpensive routers. (Yes your router can run Linux too). Personally I have 2 routers, 1 Linksys WRT54G & 1 Buffalo WHRG54S both running DD-WRT firmware. This is not the original firmware for the devices but has to instead be flashed onto the router. Fret not it is very simple to do. There are several models listed at the DD-WRT site that are capable of running the DD-WRT firmware. They even offer some pre-flashed models for sale.

As far a Linux compatibility goes there really shouldn't be any issues. A router is a router and it sends a wireless signal. Your wireless card will be of more concern than the router itself. That's where you might find compatibility issues.

I run my network in a slightly different fashion. The Linksys router is the AP (Access Point) that distributes the wireless signal to the network. The Buffalo is actually a client on the network and provides network to any machine connected to it by acting as a transparent wireless bridge. So..... I can have several machines in another room all getting network from the Buffalo which does the sending/receiving of the wireless signals for all the pc's instead of using a wireless card for each pc. This is not the ideal setup for laptops since the intent is of course to be wire-free.

You probably want to have a look at the latest security features for wireless like WPA. I won't go on too long about wireless security as there are far more knowledgeable persons out there than I to address that issue. Wikipedia has some good info on wireless security. I will say a few things:

DO NOT leave the default password.
Turn off DHCP - use static i.p. instead.
Limit the number of available i.p.'s to the number of clients you actually wish to be on your network. If you have windows boxes on the network you can configure them to connect only to your network. Default settings for windows are to attempt to join any network it finds available. My wife has a Windows laptop. It automatically joins our network and she's not even aware that her connection comes from a Linux router (nor does she care for that matter) Winken

If you bribe Kelmo he might be willing to share some knowledge on wireless security.

ON a slightly related and yet not really note...... The other day I happened across an Apple store where they sell the 'Airport' router for $200 US. YIKES - what an overpriced under-featured piece of hardware that is! Well it's from Apple - what more should I have expected?
slh - 15.10.2006, 15:07 Uhr
Titel:
"DO NOT leave the default password." is obviously a must, disabling DHCP (static leases over DHCP are nice) or limiting IP addresses don't gain any additional security but make your own live harder (properly tuned DHCP ranges and static leases don't interfer with static IPs at all, but are very convenient for test installs etc.).

Besides that alternative firmwares like dd-wrt are really a lot more convenient and offer options most commercial vendors never thought of - but any good router will do the basic job of connecting a bunch of clients to the net - independent of the running operating system (as long as those ship proper drivers for your desired network card).
jiro - 15.10.2006, 15:15 Uhr
Titel:
routers do not care which OS you use. they just put out a signal which any wired/wireless card can use. i use an old dlink router which works fine with linux, winxp, and osx. my computer-illiterate dad bought and installed by himself a linksys router. get the fastest one you can afford. with 802.11(n) on the way, 802.11(g) routers should be steeply discounted these days...
wegface - 15.10.2006, 19:55 Uhr
Titel:
Excellent responses from everyone thanks a lot. Smilie
Kanotix recognises the belkin wireless card in the wifebox so i guess im good to go in that respect. One thing tho, my current router is a router+modem combined, as long as i can find a wireless router thats also the modem then great Smilie I suppose i could always use the old router as the modem then connect that to the wireless router.... :-S

I'll read up anyway, as u can tell im not very wireless savy to say the least, hehehe good old wires thats what i always say...

Lachen

(edit) Considering this one:
http://www.microdirect.co.uk/ProductInf ... oupID=1072

any good?
jiro - 16.10.2006, 00:52 Uhr
Titel:
i don't have an opinion on Belkin

what about this one:
http://prices.cnet.co.uk/0,39100441,20664068,00.htm
wegface - 18.10.2006, 19:38 Uhr
Titel:
I ended up buying a belkin (same as one i posted but with integrated modem). Set up very easily, all working nice. Smilie
The manual even states Linux as compatable- nice they bothered to mention us Winken
DeepDayze - 18.10.2006, 20:00 Uhr
Titel:
I'd use static IP's for the wired boxes and DHCP for the laptops. Its possible to mix static and DHCP on same network by just setting the DHCP address range you want, then using addresses outside the DHCP range you set for the static addresses.

Most routers have an option to set DHCP address range (ex. 192.168.1.100~192.168.1.125). You can then use 192.168.1.126 and above for your static IP's as an example.
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