Urgent Help with router

I am about to go back to mexico where I live and hopefully taking back a new laptop with me. I want to get a new router to replace the one my ISP in Mexico gave me so I have two questions

1) Can I just change the router I was given by my ISP for the one of my choice or I have to connect the new to the old one? I use a DSL connection

2) Since my new laptop has wireless N, what is the best N router available. I know its an unfinished spec but I still want to get one

Thanks in advance

 

What sort of wireless N card does your laptop have? You should try and match the chipset:

Broadcom chipset in laptop --> Broadcom chipset in router
Atheros chipset in laptop --> Atheros chipset in router

And so on. This gives the best results with the N stuff from what I see.

 

Im going to get the Vaio SZ6 it says:

Networking/Modem
Ethernet Protocol : Fast Ethernet (RJ-45)
Ethernet Speed : 10Base-T/100Base-TX/1000Base-T
Modem Type : Integrated V.92/V.90 Modem (RJ-11)
Wireless LAN : Intel® PRO/Wireless 4965AGN Network Connection (802.11a/b/g/n)3
Bluetooth® Technology : Integrated Bluetooth® Technology5
Wireless WAN : Optional Sprint® Mobile Broadband service18

which doesn´t mention those brands

 

Make sure your cable company gave you a DSL modem AND a router. Some cable/DSL companies started putting wifi and networking capabilities right into their modems.

As long as you keep the MODEM the cable company gave you, you can connect ANY router to it that you wish. Linksys, D-Link, Belkin, and Buffalo are the companies that come to mind when I think router. Any of them would probably sell a fine N-router, except for the fact that no N router is really that great. Nobody has been able to reach the proposed speeds of wireless N.

 

the router my company gave me is wireless already so I dont know if I should disconnect it so i dont get two wireless signals. I want to replace it to use the pre N spec

 

Check the documentation, it may contain info on the exact chipset used.

 

Am I missing something?
http://www.intel.com/network/connectivity/products/wireless/wireless_n/overview.htm

 

11g exceeds the ISP connections speeds, so you will not see any speed increase. If you are using the 11n to move files between PC then you may see an increase. BUT if it sees any 11g hardware it will drop out of MIMO and may even drop to 11g. You distance may not be any better than 11g. If you buy a 11n router make sure it comes with v2.0 spec, pre-loaded. If so you have a better chance of it meeting the spec when ever it's finalized. I would avoid Belkin at all cost. They do not have a very good track record.