Routers , Broadband , Adsl

[taxexile]

at some time during the next month or so TOT in hua hin will provide me with broadband (or adsl ? ?are they the same thing ??).

they tell me that i will need to buy a router , either from them or independantly

i dont know what a router is , other than it is a box that connects my computer to the phone line.

could somebody explain to me exactly what broadband / adsl is , and what a router does , why i need one and possibly recommend a reliable brand or specification for the router.

i use a sony vaio laptop with XP pro.

the one phone line will supply broadband and a phone line , and i will be using a combined phone fax machine. only one computer will be used at a time.

if someone elses laptop is connected to the router (not at the same time as mine) , will it "set itself up" or is there a complicated setting up process to go through ?

is there anything else i should be aware of to avoid problems and conflicts when setting up and using all this ?

many thanks in advance for any answers to my queries ,advice and help.

[monty]

Broadband A very widely used term for any connection delivering higher speeds then dial-up.

In Thailand 256kbps is considered broadband internet (6 times faster then dial-up). In the Western world most people would expect 1 mbps (25 times faster then dial-up) the minimum for broadband internet. The Thai version of broadband would be suitable for streaming audio, but at most times is not fast enough for streaming video...

ADSL Is the technology used to deliver broadband internet to the user by way of the normal telephone lines already in place. Other means of delivering broadband might be sattelite, fiber cable,...)

router A router is a device which sits between the internet and a network of several PC's (or just one PC). It literaly "routs" traffic from your pc's to the internet and vice versa. It will keep track of which PC requested which information, retrieve this information from the internet and then send it to the PC which requested this info (might be a file, a webpage,...)

Most routers sold nowadays have an ADSL modem built in. This means that all the info needed to establish an adsl connection (username, password,...) is stored in the router.

As such there is no PC needed to establish the internet connection. Just plug the phoneline into the router, and the router will connect to the internet.

Then you can plug any PC or laptop into the router and pronto, you have internet access. Hooking up another PC, another laptop, or several PC's and laptops simultaniously requires no change of settings at all. Plug and Play

An ADSL router (=router with the ADSl modem built in) definately is the way to go. As you probably understood from the above explenation, the router sits between your PC and the internet. Only the router is visible from the internet, your PC is hidden behind it. The router is a go between who will on your PC's request retrieve information from the internet. This is an inherrently safer way then hooling up your PC directly to the internet...

To use your fax/telephone, your incoming phoneline will first have to go into a microfilter/splitter.

This device seperates the adsl signal from the regular phone signal.

It has 1 input (your phoneline) and two outputs. One output goes to the adsl router, the other output will go to your phone/fax.

This way your equipment will not interfere with each other, and you can phone/fax without loosing your internet connection...

[Abandon]

And if you thought that you spent too much time on your computer before .........

[stumonster]

if your vaio has wifi (802.11 b/g ) you also might consider an ADSL/router that is also wifi enabled. this will allow you to use your laptop on the internet without the need for an ethernet cable plugged into it.

where do you intend to buy your router? hua hin?

tell us what models your local shop has and what price they are charging and we can give you an opinion.

[taxexile]

thanks for the helpful replies , i will probably be looking for routers at panthip next weekend , a wi fi enabled one seems the best option.

is there a decent computer shop in hua hin with knowledgeable staff ??

[justwilliam]

Monty's reply describes the components very well. The only comment I would make is that although my fax machine and router share the same telephone line, I found that I didn't need the splitter -- just a simple one-in-two-out telephone wire connector.

Regarding computer shops in Hua Hin, this same question was raised in a Hua Hin forum a couple of weeks ago, and the poster received no replies, which I presume to mean that there aren't any. I live in Phetchaburi and we have a handful of computer shops, but while they offer good (even excellent) service, their selection of products is quite limited and their prices are above Pantip.

Regarding routers, Pantip will confront you with a wide chioce of products, from around Baht 2,000 to around Baht 5,000 (for the more expensive wireless varieties). Since you have a Sony Vaio PC, I presume you are not seeking the lowest price solution, in which case I would suggest you avoid the local manufacturers -- not because they don't work well, but because the user interface may be difficult to navigate unless you have some prior experience with these devices.

I use a Linksys wireless router, model number WAG54G v2, which I purchased at Pantip for about Baht 4,800 nine months ago (I believe it is less expensive now). The setup took no more than five minutes, and it has been rock-solid ever since.

[astral]

thanks for the helpful replies , i will probably be looking for routers at panthip next weekend , a wi fi enabled one seems the best option.

is there a decent computer shop in hua hin with knowledgeable staff ??

If you do go the Wireless route you will need to learn about setting up the security feature

or risk sharing your Broadband link with your neighbours, at no cost to them.

[taxexile]

once again , thanks for the advice , but TOT hua hin called me yesterday and told me that due to a shortage of paperclips or wire or something , the promised installation wait of three to four weeks has been extended to five or six months.

so i have plenty of time to research routers between now and then , but any further replies to this topic will be more than welcome.