Which wireless router?

knightstyle

Here in France we have only got a wired modem. Just ordered a Macbook and fancy using it in the garden.
So which wireless router would you recommend or tell us to avoid?
Don't need all singing and dancing one, just good value and reliable.

Leopard

If, currently, you have only a broadband modem and have ordered a MacBook, buy nothing but an Apple Airport Extreme Base Station. Trust me on this; I'm not a rabid Apple evangelist, I'm a hard-nosed realist who recognises Apple kit's merits and Apple kit's shortcomings.

Your MacBook will come with the ability to use 802.11n wireless at 5 GHz with wide channels at 300 mb/sec. Only an Apple Airport Extreme Base Station can provide it with the ability to do this. (Which you will find to be marvellously fast. )

Others on here, for well-intentioned, MoneySaving, reasons will probably advise you to buy something cheaper or different. This will be because they like the piece of kit they they own themselves and/or don't understand that only an Apple Airport Base Station can provide your MacBook with what it needs to realise its full potential.

I know this because my companion and I have a number of modern, Intel, Apple MacBooks (Pro), we have experimented with other wireless routers, found them wanting, and have ended up with two Apple Airport Base stations (it's a large property!) because those are what work best with MacBooks.

Your call.

Order one.

(PS. Où, en France ?)

knightstyle

Thanks for the advice, am looking at the prices as pretty broke after buying the refurbished Macbook, bread and cheese for a while! Might stretch to some vin rouge though! We are about half way between Poitiers and La Rochelle, nearest town Parthenay.

Leopard

I understand.

But you don't need the latest model, which can run both 2.4 GHz band and 5 GHz band simultaneously: that now costs £140 (in Britain).

The previous model would do you fine, and these can be picked up, as new, on eBay UK for about £60 to £65. (Plus, the £ is now falling usefully against the € again, as I'm sure you're aware. )

Might be better to buy a French one though, for compliance reasons. (Not sure about that - maybe it's a false concern.)

Either way, the one to go for (second-hand) is the square one that has four Gigabit Ethernet ports.

Be careful when buying: there have been three versions of the square one (the previous, round one, was great but only 802.11b/g - no 802.11n).

The first square model had the type number MA073 and no Gigabit. I'd avoid that one.

The second square model had the type number MB053 and is Gigabit. That's the one I'd recommend.

The third, current, model has the type number MB763. It's nice but considerably more expensive. Not worth the extra if you don't need the simultaneous dual-band.


Did you, incidentally, order your MacBook refurb from the British Apple Online Store or the French Apple Online Store? And do you use the French keyboard or the British keyboard? A French keyboard layout drives me potty but, of course, it has dedicated keys for the accents. Conversely, applying accents on a British keyboard becomes annoyingly time-consuming. I guess that if I lived full-time in France I'd convert myself to the French keyboard but the worst thing in the world would be to have to use both types - switching from one to the other on different machines would get me hopelessly confused!


(PS. Un de mes favoris, près de vous: http://www.hotel-les-dunes.com/restaurant-la-tranche-sur-mer-vendee.html )

knightstyle

Thanks a bundle, lots of info. will check Ebay UK. The French one is no good, French people do not like auctions, they sell on "Le bon coin"
I bought from UK as we both use qwerty keyboards. Plus our son's business is in UK. Plus Macs are soooo dear over here.
When it arrives, it is being delivered to my son in UK who will install photoshop and a few other bits, the first thing will be to learn how to put accents on letters easily!

spud17

Plus Macs are soooo dear over here.

Heresy.

You must ignore the initial cost, and look upon it as an investment. :rolleyes:

Marty_J

knightstyle wrote: »

Macs are soooo dear over here.

They aren't "dear", they're reassuringly expensive.

knightstyle wrote: »

the first thing will be to learn how to put accents on letters easily!

Here you go:

http://www.apple.com/pro/tips/type_european.html