Part 2.
In the last section, I talked about the pit falls of Comcast Home Networking and the problems that arise when a customer subscribes to such a service.
What options is there for a Comcast customer or future customer?
Let me put it this way, until Comcast gets its’ act together and provides a more professional installation with leading market hardware, I would suggest putting that 150.00 + 5.00/mo to better use and purchase your own router from an electronics store. The only downfall to this, especially for those less technically inclined, is that your only support and instruction to get your home networking up and running is from the manual that comes with the router, and the technical support for the manufacture of the router. But hey, here’s something that will save you money: A quick call to Comcast to schedule a technician to install it for you comes at a price of only about 50.00! Yes, you see, usually, if there is something wrong with the Comcast service or Comcast equipment, there is no fee. Everything else, there is a 50.00 charge, and for those in the North East, it’s half of that. So you really do win in the end when compared to Comcast’s own Home Networking service. Be advised though, that fees can vary depending on market.
So you’ve decided now, to take my advice, save yourself some money, but what router do you purchase? Well, really any router you wish. There are budget wireless routers out there and there are routers that are more expensive that offer more features and better hardware.
The most common wireless router out there is the Linksys wrt54gs, and is pretty inexpensive and proves to be a great router. This particular router is an 802.1b/g router and offers good reception in medium sized houses. However, with my experience talking with customers, I have noticed that the standard 802.1b/g routers are not sufficient. This being because of the size of the house, or other factors such as other wireless networks causing wireless interference. In that case, I would greatly recommend an 802.1n router. I personally own the D-Link dir-655 and am very satisfied with it. What the 802.1n routers offer over the 802.1b/g routers is range and speed. Now some manufactures will make claims on the packaging, and for the most part, they hold true. However, like any wireless device, one has to factor in other constants that may degrade the performance of the router, this being, other wireless devices, floors, walls etc. I will tell you that the N routers do tower over the b/g routers and is definably worth the money. This of course goes without saying that your computer has the capability of the N technology. If you have a desktop, you are most likely going to have to purchase an 802.1n wireless card to take advantage of the extra range and speed. You don’t have to limit yourself to the same brand, but it helps. If you have a new(er) laptop that has an Intel Chipset, then you may already have the N capability built into the laptops card. Also, all newer Macs, should already have this capability already. This would be something for you to inquire about at the store or with a friend or your computers manufacturer.
After you have done all the necessary checks, and planning, you will be all set to go, and trust me, you will be glad you went with the alternative over Comcast’s offer.
