I'm setting up a wireless network at home, but I'm confused about what are the best products to buy. Advice?

I know that I need a router and some wireless network adapters for all the computers I want to connect to network, but I don't know which products to by or how to connect them to my computer.I'm setting up a wireless network at home, but I'm confused about what are the best products to buy. Advice?
Linksys WRT54GS or GL (the GS is being phased out, so you might not find any) router. Plug it in, connect it to the modem.





DO NOT install any of the software on the CD that comes with the router.





WMP54GS adapter for desktops. Turn the computer off. (Remove the power cord so it can't be turned on accidentally.) Open the case. Find an empty slot. Follow the directions that come with the adapter to plug it in. Make sure you secure it - put the screw back or put the clamp on, whichever means your computer uses to secure cards.





When you power the computer up again, it'll want the driver for the new hardware it found (the adapter). The driver is on the CD that comes with the adapter.





Any laptops you have probably already have adapters built in.





Once everything is working, read the manual that comes on the CD with the router. You want to use WPA2 security. Make up a key (password) that's at least 20 characters long - it can be more than 1 word. Write it down and tape it to the router - but don't cover the ventilation holes. You'll have to reset the computers to use the key.I'm setting up a wireless network at home, but I'm confused about what are the best products to buy. Advice?
For the computer, you need a PCI card (desktops only) PCMCIA card (older laptops only) or USB adapter. I've used the Linksys WUSB54GC adapter on one of my computer because it was on sale, it doesn't always work but it works most of the time. I wish I had spent more on another brand like Belkin, although it's not as bad as the Netgear one I had.





To host the network, you need a wireless router that you can connect to your modem. I assume you already have internet from Cable or DSL.





I like the Belkin 54G router because it's the cheapest name-brand one I've found ($39 at most office stores) and I know it works (I've installed 3 of them) but the brand is really up to you. Only one of those Belkins has gone bad, and Belkin replaced it for free. I don't know if all routers include this but the Belkin one comes with a setup CD that guides you through plugging everything in correctly and automatically programs the router to work as well as guiding you through enabling security.





If you only care about internet, 802.11b (11Mbps) is plenty fast. They don't really sell these anymore but what they do sell is 802.11g (54Mbps) which replaces and is backwards compatible with 802.11b. This is also what most built-in WiFi laptops and handhelds sold today use. I wouldn't get anything else because it's just a waste of money. Residential broadband internet is usually only 1-5Mbps so even WiFi-b is plenty fast.





If you plan to do file-sharing, you care about the wireless speed more so go with 802.11g (54Mbps) or the new 802.11n (108Mbps up to 300/600Mbps). I should say I've never actually seen 802.11n in action but from what I understand it's compatible with all 4 standards (a/b/g/n) and claims to be wider-range.





Put your wireless router as high up as you can and as far from electrical and metal things as you can, that'll give you the best coverage. Try to put it in the middle of where you expect to be (usually the middle of the house). If you have 2.4GHz cordless phones you may want to replace them with 5.8GHz, 900MHz, or the new DECT6.0 phones that won't cause interference. Also, wireless video senders, or wireless cameras that run on 2.4GHz should be set to the farthest channel from your router (e.g. set video sender to 1 or A and put the router on channel 11). Channels 1, 6, and 11 are preferable because they don't ';overlap'; with each other.











P.S. I'd stay away from WalMart, simpley because I've had problems getting them to exchange defective computer accessories. BestBuy, CircuitCity, and Staples are usually prices similar and have much better return/exchange policies (usually no questions asked) for things that don't work.
you can go with linksys, aliedtelesyn, Dlink






go with d-link, linksis isnt as good.