Member Avatar for DaveSW

Hi
I'm looking to purchase an 802.11G wireless router to share an NTL cable/dsl connection (in the UK).
Does anyone have any recommendations, preferably emphasizing the value for money aspect (it's for a student friend)?
NTL guy said it had to be a cable router, rather than a dsl one, so I don't know whether the broadband ones I've been looking at would work.
Cheers
Dave

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A few practical points to follow up on ’s question and ’s reply.

Given that NTL already supplied a modem with an Ethernet jack, the simplest, lowest-cost route is a basic wireless NAT router with a WAN (RJ‑45) port rather than a combined DSL modem/router. Before buying, confirm how the existing modem behaves: connect a single PC to the modem, power‑cycle the modem, then check the IP the PC receives. A private address (192.168.x.x, 10.x.x.x, or 172.16.x.x) means the modem is doing NAT/DHCP; a public address means the modem is effectively bridged and the new router can take the public IP. If the modem is routing, avoid double‑NAT by putting the modem into bridge mode (ISP help may be needed) or by using the new box as an access point.

Quick compatibility checklist (value-for-money focus): ensure the router has a dedicated WAN Ethernet port; support for the required WAN type (DHCP for most cable, PPPoE for many DSLs); easy-to-use firmware and regular updates; the ability to clone a MAC address if the ISP expects a specific device; and at least 802.11n (preferably AC) for future-proofing rather than buying G-only kit. For a student budget, a well-supported used model from a mainstream vendor or one with aftermarket firmware support (OpenWrt/DD‑WRT) often beats a cheap no‑name unit.

Setup and safety notes: change the admin password and default SSID, enable the strongest available WPA (WPA2 or WPA3), disable WPS, and keep firmware current. After major changes or upgrades, reboot modem and router in sequence (modem first). Since reported firmware headaches with some D‑Link kits and had a poor out-of-box experience, preference should go to vendors with a clear update history and active community support rather than the lowest price alone.

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Member Avatar for chrisbliss18

Some of the broadband routers have the modem built-in. If your friend already has a modem that has a network jack on it, all he needs is a standard broadband router.

My experience with wireless routers is limited, so I don't know of a specific router to recommend. I don't recommend that you get a D-Link router however. I have worked with a few different wireless D-Link routers, and they have all been terrible (their firmware always seems to have major problems). I had really good experiences with wired Linksys routers, but that doesn't say anything about their wireless products.

Member Avatar for DaveSW

Hi Chris
Actually the friend is a 'she' lol.
Thanks anyway for your suggestions - NTL fitted some stray modem with ethernet and usb, so it looks like a standard 'broadband' router will do the job.
I have actually used a Dlink wireless kit including modem for a neighbour - the control panel and instructions are hardly impressive - the quick guide doesn't say to restart the router after setup, so I wasted a while there.

I've never tried updating firmware on a Dlink, but I did stumble across a forum where people were reccomending australian and russian updates, so it must be a fairly big problem!

Linksys here we come!

Cheers

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