New to wireless

truescot

Really sorry to post a question which I am sure must be answered somehwere else but I couldn't find an accurate answer.

Basically, I am currently with Virgin on their basic broadband/tv/phone package, just bought a laptop for the first time and want to go wireless.

Question: Should I just phone Virgin and pay the £60 for their Media Hub which I presume will include someone to set it all up, or is it cheaper and simpler to buy another router and set it up myself (bearing in mind I have no idea what this would involve, although I am not bad at techie stuff when I learn!).

If buying seperately, any ideas on the best routers?

Ta

staffie1

Are you on Virgin's cable network or copper wire?

truescot

Cable, I think. How do I tell? Sorry!:(

staffie1

truescot wrote: »

Cable, I think. How do I tell? Sorry!:(

If you're on cable you usually have a grey rectangular box on your wall outside seperate to your BT landline, and will have a white cable (like a TV aerial cable) coming into your house. (Also your internet speed will be fast!)

truescot

Don't have the rectangular box outsidebut have got the white cable which goesinto a wee box under the house (same thing) and splits into two - one to TV, one to modem. Sounds like cable right? Not my area of expertise clearly!

staffie1

truescot wrote: »

Don't have the rectangular box outsidebut have got the white cable which goesinto a wee box under the house (same thing) and splits into two - one to TV, one to modem. Sounds like cable right? Not my area of expertise clearly!

Yes, you're on cable.
I just wondered as you're in the same position as me so I'd be interested in the expert's views

truescot

staffie1 wrote: »

Yes, you're on cable.
I just wondered as you're in the same position as me so I'd be interested in the expert's views

You tease - I thought you were going to advise me and save me loads!! :rotfl:

staffie1

truescot wrote: »

You tease - I thought you were going to advise me and save me loads!! :rotfl:

I'd love to be able to do that.

I do know that there are wireless cable modems / routers on the market, and I'm pretty sure you can just get one of these and use it to replace your existing fixed wire modem.

I guess you just need to plug the white cable into the wireless modem and go through the set-up routine. But I'm not sure myself so don't take my word for it!

However, have a read of this http://www.avforums.com/forums/virgin-media/510072-suitable-wireless-cable-modem-router-virgin.html

Toxteth_OGrady

You need one of these that connects to your existing Virgin cable modem via an ethernet cable:

http://www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk/Shop/ShopSearch.asp?CategoryID=65

DCFC79

I use a netgear wgr614 and am also on virgin, i think you can get them pretty cheap these days. It was easy to setup, just a process of plug in the router to the modem then the pc to the router and setup a wifi password and away you go.

awacko

We've currently got phone and broadband via a btphone using a modem.
Can I ask a few questions please :

I'm I right in saying that you need a ADSL router for a phoneline to make it wireless ?
How straight forward is it to set up ?
I was thinkin of switching to BT for phone and Broadband as they keep phoning saying I could get a wireless hub and calls and broadband for an extra tenner a month - do Virgin have a wireless hub for phonelines and if so if I threaten to leave do you think that they would give me one for nothing ?
If I go wireless, does this mean that I can connect the wii to the internet - probably a really daft question?

Sorry for all the questions .