Routers v. Switches

[Famous Hogbert]

So Megan and I are living in this fantastic new apartment with a faster internet connection than we had in Bmore, and we have these fantastic Mac desktops. What is NOT fantastic is our wireless router. We have the older, dome shaped Mac router and it is just failing us colossally. We've reset it multiple times, and don't even attempt to use it anymore because it just isn't cutting it.
Can anyone suggest any routers that are at a more affordable price than the new Mac router? I've also been looking into getting a simple desktop switch, since we're only using 2 computers and they're only a few feet away from each other.

[Violent Unrest in Allentown]

Can you post what type of modem you have? If you have a modem that can dole out ip addresses, then you can can buy a switch.

[TemporalRift]

It's always generally a better idea to go with a good $50 router. Switches are basically dumb switchboxes. They're primarily designed to operate on a sanitized line to get a bunch of computers to talk to each other and network devices without latency. But if you were to use a switch to connect your broadband modem to your network you would basically be running straight open taps between both computers and all corners of the internet. This is a Bad Thing (tm) and would require a lot of security and oversight on each computer.

Routers are more expensive yes, but even in their most basic form they provide a layer of minimal but still effective network security and offer features that make getting to the internet easier for computers and devices. In addition to this, since these are little computers with well designed hardware, some models can be updated with new software that provides lots and lots more functionality for free. The main custom router software I replaced my Linksys Router's software with basically took my $40 router and gave it all the functions of a $500 Cisco high end router and wi-fi transmitter.

Now I'll admit that 90% of the population don't even use the software features their routers come with, let alone even think about adding more, but still, it's a way to get more for your money, and some of the added features are immediately useful, like increasing the transmitting power of your wi-fi antennas or totally shutting the network down when nobody's going to be using it. It's a way to get more for the money.

I would definitely recommend a Buffalo or Linksys router (The Linksys WRT54GL is the only model that supports custom firmware completely these days) rather than a switch, if for no reason other then it makes a network just a bit more secure.

[Violent Unrest in Allentown]

There's always the Netgear WGR614. 

I have one right next to me and I have no complaints. Also it's $40.00.

Lots of people I know have this router.

[Famous Hogbert]

The modem I have from RCN is a Toshiba PCX 2600.
http://www.amazon.com/Toshiba-PCX2600-DOCSIS-Cable-DAZ8823A-R/dp/B0000CFY6K
Its kind of crappy, and we actually had to get the first one replaced because it was reducing our speed to about 5-6 mbps, when we should have been getting 10.
Dan, the one you suggested has gotten a fair share of mixed reviews. I'm not opposed to buying a more expensive unit, but the new Mac router is just out of my price range. I do trust your judgement in these matters though...

Thanks for the help fellows. Learning something new everyday.

[Violent Unrest in Allentown]

I'd scout out different prices for both routers recommended and go with what you feel like paying. From what I've heard, the Linksys is pretty sweet, but as fair warning, a router will break fairly easy if not protected from major surges and energy fluctuations. So lots of people will give a bad review because they had the router plugged directly into the wall and had their router zapped from lightening strike.

[Shire Le Buff]

Here at home we have a Linksys.

It's connected down in our basement and about once a week I have to go down there and reset the circuit breaker in the outlet. So yeah, what Dan says is true, keep the bugger protected.

[TemporalRift]

Something that slipped my mind when I was writing that thesis up there.

The replacement router firmware I use is DD-WRT and the one major thing it did without me touching a thing was make my Linksys router a lot more stable. I torrent a lot and while I was using the original firmware I had to reset the thing at least once every few days. I eventually had it set to automatically reboot itself at like 4AM every day. With the DD-WRT firmware, I regularly have uptimes of months, and never have to reset anything.

Something a bit simpler, which I hear very good things about is Tomato. 85% of DD-WRT's massive featureset is gone here, but since even a certified network technician like myself doesn't use the majority of those features (But I like having them... ya know.. just in case) it's still a big improvement and people say it still provides that hardened stability.

Full disclosure though, my router is several years old. It's beloved by netgeeks like myself (Linksys WRT54G v3. Cisco doesn't make em like this anymore, hence my bitching above). There's a chance that lower end Linksys routers with their stock firmware don't have those same stability issues under load that they used to. I did look around, but I can't seem to find a solid word that way so I don't know.

Sorry if I'm providing too much info too obtusely, generally when I offer this sort of help I'm right there with the person and I do all the setup myself. I always go with a Linksys WRT54GL and put DD-WRT on it, because it makes me more comfortable and I feel that way there's a better chance whoever I'm helping won't have an issue later since I never do and I don't ever see the settings page unless I intentionally want to play with something, so I know they don't need to deal with it.

I just don't want to force you down a path here, considering limited budget and the ease that talking like this overwhelms most people.

[Famous Hogbert]

I just got the Netgear router Dan suggested via amazon, so I'll let you know how it works out. Thank you to everyone for your advice, it was all taken under consideration.