Wireless router question

[SteveS]

We are installing harwood flooring and don't want to drill holes through it for a cable.  We decided to go the wireless route.  I am aware that there are several different formats, so I would appreciate any advice on what works well.  Thanks.

[roo_ster]

802.11g-compatible gear is the current market leader.

802.11n has greater bandwidth, but is not common and may not yet have had its standards nailed down (anybody know for sure?)

802.11b is an older standard and 802.11a is a short-range alternative to 802.11a (more to it than that, but that's close enough)

If it were me, today, I would run with 802.11g gear.

Exactly what hardware you'll need depends on how you get the fat pipe (broadband) into your house.

Assuming you have a fat pipe, most folks go with a combo wired/wireless router.  I use older Linksys WRT54G hardware I find on ebay for several reasons (google "ddwrt").

If the router is near a desktop, please do use CAT5 or CAT6 to connect.

The other very important part of the deal is directional antennas.  I like to have my router in a corner of my house with a 90deg, 14db directional antenna bathing my home in 802.11g goodness.  Stock antennas are usually 2db and have a much more limited range.

Last, any computer must have a wireless card / antenna of some type.

[Manedwolf]

You also want to do things like have WPA-2 encryption, and don't let the router broadcast its SSID to the public.

If you don't have it locked for a password and with encryption, you're not only providing free wireless to the public, but a hacker can sit across the street or even several blocks away with a can antenna, hacking into your stuff.

[cfabe]

We are installing harwood flooring and don't want to drill holes through it for a cable. 

Have you considered installing a wall plate? Wired networks will always be more reliable than wireless, and probably cheaper to install unless you have many users. Of course if you have a laptop, wireless is the way to go for mobility around the house.

[SteveS]

We are installing harwood flooring and don't want to drill holes through it for a cable. 

Have you considered installing a wall plate? Wired networks will always be more reliable than wireless, and probably cheaper to install unless you have many users. Of course if you have a laptop, wireless is the way to go for mobility around the house.

No, I hadn't thought of that.  We thought wireless because we also have a Wii and PS3 and they are't near the computer.  We also may end up moving them at some point.

[Gewehr98]

Ditto on finding older Linksys WRT54G hardware, Version 4.0 or earlier.

DD-WRT and Tomato firmware take them to a whole new level.  I've been going about 30 days without a hiccup since upgrading my WRT54Gv1.0 with the Tomato Linux internal operating system:

http://neuralmisfires.blogspot.com/2008/03/linksys-wrt54g-and-tomato-firmware-are.html