Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[grumpy old man]

My secretary of some 20 years has retired and can no longer read her e-mails, no home pc.  As a retirement gift I am going to treat her to a laptop and broadband connection so that she can get back on line.

She won't be spending alot of time on the internet, probably only getting e-mails. Won't buy anything over the net doesn't trust it!  I am looking for advice on a router, nothing fancy, doesn't need to be all bells and whistles, any suggestions.  My own is a netgear DG834G which seems fine, although a little old now. 

If anyone has suggestions on laptops,  I would welcome those as well

Thanks

gom

[Weaver]

The DG834 _v3_ is still a classic. The v4 devices are those currently selling, but the older v3 units can still be had on eBay.

Thomson Speedtouch is another outstanding device. Zyxel devices worth a look too.

The router isn't everythin though, by no means. A top-notch 'faceplate'-type microfilter such as that from ADSL Nation (for around £14 from) is very important for success. An alternative is the BT Pressac type faceplate microfilter from http://www.clarity.it/telecoms/adsl_bits.htm for example. I've had very good results with both, which is better perhaps depends on your line and on the number and type of phones plugged into it.

Minimise extension wiring, keep cables short. Use twisted pair phoneline cable to the router (clarity.it [above] carry it).

[geep]

Possibly the DG834v3 isn't happiest on ADSL2+. The v4 has a Broadcom chipset which reportedly is, as Thomson.
Cheers, Peter

[Weaver]

> Possibly the DG834v3 isn't happiest on ADSL2+.

As Geep says - I'd certainly think that's sound advice.

I would and do prefer to use the Broadcom-based v4s on all short lines, even if they are only ADSL1 not ADSL2/ADSL2+.

The DG834v3 uses the TI AR7 chipset and every exchange round here is TI, so there's synergy here which might not hold for you.

It is possible to look up the DSLAM hardware type.

[roseway]

If you buy a DG834G now you'll almost certainly get a v5, which uses a Conexant chipset and isn't a particularly spectacular performer. If you can get a DG834Gv4 that would be the one I would choose, otherwise DGN2000 would be a solid choice.

[HPsauce]

If anyone has suggestions on laptops

Yes, seriously, don't. Get a desktop.

I presume "retiring" means 60-ish, and she's probably used a desktop at work anyway and is a proficient typist.

I see so many "silver surfers" who have been bought laptops by well-meaning family and almost invariably it's an ergonomic disaster on so many fronts. Unless she has a VERY good reason for wanting the portability of a laptop, just don't get one.

PS If you do get her a desktop then the bog-standard router supplied by the broadband provider will be fine, and she won't need wireless.   What ISP are you looking at?

[waltergmw]

That's very sound advice from HPs. If it's imperative that a laptop is provided I suggest one with a bluetooth capability so that at least a cordless mouse (if not full keyboard as well) can be added.

Kind regards,
Walter

[Weaver]

> Yes, seriously, don't. Get a desktop.

Absolutely agree. I spend a lot of time trying to dissaude my own customers from buying laptops when a desktop is what they need.

As said earlier, laptop keyboards are bad for your hands, their small displays make you less productive, they are mechanically terrifyingly fragile (although this issue can be improved by buying motion-sensor or accelerometer-equipped models or fixed completely by using non-mechanical solid state drives), they are horrifically slow compared to desktop machines that are half of the price... the list goes on.

Laptops are a current fad that people may well grow out of, when they realise that speed, big displays and nice keyboards are worth paying extra, oh no, wait rather less money for.

Having said all that, if you need a machine to be mobile, then that's what you need and you just have to live with the limitations, even if you spend a fortune on a laptop. But even in that case, having _only_ a laptop is dangerous as you have all your eggs in a very fragile basket.

[grumpy old man]

Sorry haven't been on the site for a while.

Thank you for all your replies, alot of food for thought including the suggestion to not get a laptop.  I am not sure that this is that important as I don't think it will be used that much, and it is more clutter!

gom

[BritBrat]

I always advise against laptops unless you need portabilty.

But they never listen.

And desktops are easy to repair and upgrade.

You can get small desktops now and with flat screens take up not much more room than a laptop.

[HPsauce]

Small desktops do however tend to use laptop components, the smaller they are the more this is the case.

Saw a nice neat new Dell system recently which was a very powerful business workstation; the disks (it was raid-ed and encrypted) were laptop types and the DVD drive from a laptop but the RAM was desktop variety.

[kitz]

>> I am looking for advice on a router, nothing fancy, doesn't need to be all bells and whistles, any suggestions. 

Which ISP is she going to go with..  you may well get a half decent one free when you sign up. 

[HPsauce]

Indeed, no response yet to the earlier question on that topic.....

If you do get her a desktop then the bog-standard router supplied by the broadband provider will be fine, and she won't need wireless.   What ISP are you looking at?

[grumpy old man]

Hmmm 

I am sorry HP when I read through the replies missed your query re ISP.  It will probably be plusnet.

Desktop v's laptop.  I take the points made regarding screen size, keyboard etc.  I have opted for laptop not so much for portability but more for size, a desktop does take a bit of room and not sure she would like to have one sitting in corner of room.  The point about typing is a valid one although I don't think alot will be done.  Could always get a keyboard to go with laptop.  Having said that I will take a look at desktops as well. 

I have a laptop and doesn't seem fragile to me, have dropped a couple of times and still working fine.  I agree that they are less easily repaired if components fail.

gom

[waltergmw]

Hi GOM,

At the risk of ridicule over cost and that it's not a Windows machine, you might just like to glance at this solution:-

http://store.apple.com/uk/configure/MB950B/A?mco=MTM3NDc3MDM

Kind regards,
Walter