Router help needed please

ITFCNUT

I am a virgin broadband customer and currently run cables to various rooms in my house via my own router to desk top pc's.My wife has now got herself a laptop and asked me if i could set up a wireless router so she didnt have to trail cables into the garden from the house etc.I have searched on ebay and have come across this one but my questions are can I still have my desktop pc's connected through this router via wires to save me buying wireless cards for them if so has it got the ports to take my cables.If this actual router is what im after is it good value or is there a better one out there that will do the same job for me for less money?
Im sorry if it seems a stupid question but I really know very little aboutt he tech side of computing.
Thanks very much in advance

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Wireless-VIRGIN-Router-Super-G-eXtended-Range-108Mbps_W0QQitemZ140242170726QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item140242170726&_trkparms=72%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C65%3A12&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14.l1308

MercilessKiller

Wireless routers will have 4 ethernet ports in as well for wired connectivity.

There are wireless DSL/Cable routers and wireless broadband/cable routers. You'd need the latter to support virgin.

Wireless Access Points usually won't.

To quote the ebay description:

• 108M Wireless LAN Router, 2.4GHz, 802.11g/b, built-in 4-port Switch.
• Adopts 108M Super G™ and 2x to 3x eXtended Range™ technologies.

The "4-port switch" relates to the wired connection

M4RKM

any standard wireless router will give you 4 ports to wire in other computers..

however, 1 port will be used to hook up your virgin cable modem, to your new wireless router..


the other option is to get a cheap wireless access point just, and plug that into your current virgin modem router.

ITFCNUT

Thanks for your replies
So out of the two replies what would be the cheapest /easiest option for a novice ?

fitshase

Any DSL/Cable router (please note it is not an ADSL router) will work with Virgin Cable broadband.

I have a Netgear router on my Cable connection. It has 4 ports for the wired computers and a separate port for the modem connection.

Personally I would pay the extra and buy a router from a shop or online store and not eBay. If anything goes wrong with it you could be in trouble.

ITFCNUT

Any that you would be able to recommend from an online store then
Thanks

fitshase

Just noticed your reply.

The easiest option would be to buy a wireless router, not the access point (less things to configure). It is not the cheapest option but the difference between a wireless router and access point is not that much.

With Cable it is easy to configure the router. The Netgear one I have you basically plug the modem in to the Internet port on it, switch everything on and select, auto-detect connection. Job done. All that is left to do is to set the encryption for the wireless connection.

fitshase

I would go with one of the named brands (there is plenty of support available online from other users):-

Belkin
Netgear
Linksys

and buy it from somewhere like Amazon.co.uk, Dabs.com. Alternatively, look at a local PC store or PC World (make sure you check the price online at PC World as you can reserve the product online to pick up in store at the online price).

ITFCNUT

Thanks so much for your help ..If you never hear from me again you know it's all gone badly wrong :rotfl:

MercilessKiller

Fitshase, routers with modems in built will work with virgin media but are more expensive than the models without the modem thus I was recommending a wireless cable one

fitshase

MercilessKiller,

Sorry but I think I may have mis-read something here. I haven't mentioned a router with a modem built in.

A cable modem router (which is what I think you mean) is a very expensive bit of kit and very hard to come buy (you can't just walk into PCWorld and buy one).

You recommended a router or an access point. I just recommended the router as there are less things to connect. Either way, the cable modem from Virgin needs to be plugged in to the router.