need help choosing a wireless router

i just bought a new macbook pro... and i want to make my house wireless. i want the best wireless router i can get (without always disconnecting) in a reasonable price range... preferably under $100 or less. any help would be appreciated!
also, would i be able to hook my wired desktop up to a wireless router?

 

If you want the absolute best, go Cisco Systems. However, their routers tend to be many times above $100.
Other good brands include Netgear and Alcatel, even Apple's Airport Extreme Base Station is a good router (although it is also above $100).
All you need to connect a desktop wirelessly is a wireless network card. They are relatively cheap, and are easy to install by just sticking into a PCI slot in your computer.

 

you could check linksys since its owned by cisco and is more a "home" use brand for cisco models

 

This may be a good sticky or post to link folks to that are curious or beginners. I sure could have used it when I first got into the wireless world recently.

You should put your Book's configuration in your signature (see mine below) to better get opinions or advice, and as always use a grain of salt.
If your book came with an "Apple Airport Extreme Wireless B/G/N" built in then all you need is a home router. Perhaps a home Apple Airport Extreme B/G/N router to match up nicley ? But the money is more than you want to spend.
I use the most sold router out there, Linksys WRT54G @ around $50.00. There is a WRT54GS, "S" indicating speed booster but you need the Linksys matching adapter in your book with the "S" to take advantage.
So..... If your book has an Airport adapter built in your money ahead in buying a Linksys or off brand no name router. And money ahead of buying both needed Airports.
If you have neither, the cheapest is an off-brand USB adapter for the book and the same in a home router. Good luck getting a RELIABLE off-brand or mixed setup.
There other main stay brands, Netgear, D-link, and such. I would advice making an effort to match up brands all though you can get lucky. The internal IntelPro Wireless 3945ABG adapters with or with out Bluetooth seem to work with all kinds of routers.

I'll tell you my setup and the pro's and cons’.
Home (XP Home): Linksys WRT54G older Version-2 with the latest available factory firmware 4.21.1.
Notebook (Vista Home Premium): IntelPro Wireless 3945ABG & Bluetooth, Driver version 11.1.0.86.
Setup: Adapter and router are secured with Type WPA-Personal, Encryption Type, AES and matching Shared Keys. / I have Network Type, set to "G-Only" on both. Don't want to waist or reserve bandwidth having it searching for A or B or N. / Firewall setting is enabled.
I use Comcast owned Adelphia cable to a MOTOROLA SB1500.
For software protection on the XP PC is ZoneAlarm Security Suite 7.0. It performs very well with no problems for spy and virus protection. Fresh install is fine but if you upgrade from previous you need to check their site. The VISTA note book has no after market protection as the ZA through the router, and the router's hardware firewall do great. When away from home the VISTA updated security system works fine. I just remember to change from "Trusted" to "Internet" zone when not on the home wireless network.

Pros': Good distance reception. I picked up and used my neighbors Linksys WRT54G network at a full 5 bars from 100 feet house to house. I told him he should secure it and he did.
It never drops out without a power failure.
Cons'. Just one. After a power failure it has to have a rear button hard reset. I have to go into setup and redo the custom things such as the security setup and the G only thing. No biggy, it only takes a minute once you memorize your setup and have a shared key generator handy. Power failures are not frequent here. The router has to be reset at the rear button but the settings can be reset from the notebook afterwards via http://192.168.1.1/ or what ever address your router uses.


Now, when I was learning I could have used the above but also what I could not understand was why no one could put a name on "THE BEST ROUTER / ADAPTER SETUP OUT THERE".
Why? All PC's are different, and router types and mfg's will do better or worse depending what kind of computer you have and what operating system , software or junk you are running on your system.
Software firewalls and anti-virus programs can reek havoc on your network performance.
The above said, good luck. I feel my setup is as generic and basic as you can get minus the ZoneAlarm firewall.

Aska again and let us know how you come out.

 

thank you all for the help! my macbook does have built in wireless capabilities so i was looking at a netgear router at best buy for around 40... i didnt know if that was too cheap and if it would lose connection. basically all i need is a basic wireless setup because i will only be home half of the time this year since i am going off to college. i looked at the airport express and that looked appealing but i didnt know if my desktop would be able to manually hook up to it.

this is the router in question
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage...=cat01028&type=product&tab=1&id=1051826245223

i see that it has ethernet ports in the back so maybe i could hook up my wired desktop?? this is all so confusing to me

 

If you decide to go with linksys ONLY get the WRT54GL model. The other models are now JUNK.

I would look at Dlink, Linksys or even a cheap Airlink is better than linksys WRT54G or GS model.

 

uhhm blue68f100 you know you contradict yourself several times in that post right?

 

LOL, that's a very funny post by blue68f100. Kudos to him.

 

Get the Netgear Rangemax... I used to have dead spots and occassional spotty performance with my old Linksys router. I switched to Netgear Rangemax and have never had a problem since! I even get "excellent" reception in the basement when I got nothing from Linksys!

Just my .02

 

My Dlink DGL 4300 has not let me down yet. Fantastic router.