Switch .. modem ... what?

Winters

Ok. im so sorry if this has been asked a million times which i bet it has or if im answering my own question but here is my thing.

I plan to sign up to IOL BB before the special offers end and upgrade my network to DSL complient and also WiFi. I currantly have a D-Link DES-1008D 8-port switch which I would like to contimue using.

What I am looking for is a modem/rooter [hopefully with firewall] with WiFi and network ports. I was looking at the D-Link DI-714P+ [which is for sale in itDirect] and might get that. It had a firewall, switch, wifi and 4 port switch built into it but will i have to buy a modem for it?

I was under the impression I wouldnt need a modem for it but i think i am wrong. So If i was to get this in itDirect [€167] would i then have to go out and buy a modem [€90 approx] for it too? Is there any other combo's of modem, wi-fi and switch [and hopefully firewall I can get?

bricks

You'd probably need to pick an Ethernet DSL modem to go with this.
Or get something like the http://www.d-link.co.uk/dsl-604plus_kf.htm

Winters

I am afraid i fail to see the differant between the two. itDirect have it listed as "D-Link DSL-604+ ADSL Router with Wireless LAN Access & Built in 4 port switch" and also priced as €213

What is the differance between the one I had mentioned above and this one. They are both switches are they not? Also this one does not have a firewall like the one above which is very important seeing as though DSL is 24/7 access.

po0k

The Dlink 604+ has the following equipement which hooks together in rpoughtly this way:
Phone Line (RJ11)
|
|
DSL modem
|
|
Router
|______Wireless Access Point/Card
|
|______4-port switch


Hard & fast rule:
If the unit you're looking at doesn't have an RJ-11 jack on the back, it doesn't have a DSL modem.
If it doens't have more than 1 ethernet port on the LAN side it doesn't have a switch.
A router can have an ethernet port on both sides, one for the WAN access (internet) and the other for plugging into the switch/single machine for the LAN.

Ripwave

Originally posted by Winters
I am afraid i fail to see the differant between the two. itDirect have it listed as "D-Link DSL-604+ ADSL Router with Wireless LAN Access & Built in 4 port switch" and also priced as €213

What is the differance between the one I had mentioned above and this one. They are both switches are they not? Also this one does not have a firewall like the one above which is very important seeing as though DSL is 24/7 access.

The 714 has:

• 1 10BASE-T Ethernet port for connection to broadband ADSL/cable modem
• 4 auto-sensing 10/100Mbps Fast Ethernet switch ports for seamless integration of wireless LAN to Fast Ethernet

The 604 has

• 1 ADSL port
• 4 10/100Mbps Fast Ethernet switch ports

The key difference is that the 604 plugs directly into your ADSL connection - the modem is built in, and you can't use it with a Cable modem or a Wireless broadband connection. The 714 expects to plug into an ethernet connection (that's why it specifies that it can connect to the ethernet port on an ADSL or Cable modem). But because IOL only provide a USB modem, you won't be able to connect the 714 to that ADSL modem.

(The Dlink UK site is crap - there is no consistency between the description of different products, they don't provide any downloadable copies of the product documentation. The US site is a bit better, but unfortunately, not all of the products available here are available in the US)

Winters

Thats what I thought the differance was. I ws looking at the specs in between lectures and got quite scared. Ill probably get the D-Link DSL-604+ unless comeoen can reccomend another product along the same lines that is better, and possibly has firewall in it too

Ripwave

Originally posted by Winters
Thats what I thought the differance was. I ws looking at the specs in between lectures and got quite scared. Ill probably get the D-Link DSL-604+ unless comeoen can reccomend another product along the same lines that is better, and possibly has firewall in it too

The only significant drawback of the 604 is that it's "ADSL only". If you live anywhere that NTL might eventually get around to offering cable internet, or if you switch to a Wireless offering at some point, you'll have to replace the DSL-604+. (Though I daresay it'll have some resale value, even a year from now).

Ripwave

Originally posted by Winters and possibly has firewall in it too

Just about any "broadband router" provides some level of firewall functionality, because NAT effectively means that your PC can't be addressed directly from the internet. At this stage, I'm pretty sure that all of the available products include some additional firewall functionality, such as port forwarding, logging and MAC filtering. (The 604+ provides this level of functionality).