What should I look for in Wired router for gaming?

[tabytha77]

Are there certain features that I should look for in a wired router that would help facilitate online gaming? Is there a "recommended model"? Will ping time increase with a wired router? One more question, how much is a 4-port gigibit router? The new motherboards are coming out with gigabit network connections, but I can't find any prices for a router on Pricewatch.

I keep reading about not being able to connect or host with certain games. I'm reluctant to set up a network if the hassle of gaming outweighs the benefits of a network.

 

[sturm]

Any router should work fine😀-link, Linksys, SMC. Pings wont change noticeably. As far as the gigibit router, dont bother unless youll be running lots of computers on your network transfering files and such. Cable modems and DSL will work at max speed on a 10 mb network.
As far as connecting to games and hosting. There are settings for some games that must be made in the router to open certain ports. But usually thats only if your hosting the game.
How many computers are you planning on having hooked up?
The Linksys BEFSR41 4-port router is only about 50 bucks and works great. I have one. No problems with games so far.

 

[tabytha77]

I would only have 2 computers connected. I have mostly played Warcraft and Diablo on BattleNet, so hopefully it will work OK.

 

[TKS]

You should set up a linux box as your router...it's faster than a normal router, more secure because you can install custom firewalls AND (here's the kicker) you can set up game servers that will always be running! That's why I switched...I have no use for a router anymore...I just use a 24 port switch (that means I can have over 20 people gaming in my house at once! I've come close with 14 for an UT GOTY LAN party) and my linux box...my connection speed went from 2.6 mbps to 3.7 mbps and I can actually run a gaming server AND have an almost non existent ping...why? Because i'm on the LAN which means I can max out the 100Megs instead of 10Megs for bandwidth...no chance of that ever happening. Plus I can hook up windows machines, linux machines, anything...to the switch and linux doesn't care...the games play perfect. You should buy a linux book if you know little about it, hang out in IRC on linux channels, and install linux on an old computer and hook it up as a firewall/router (I have mine on a pentium 266Mhz and I can't max it out). Just my opinion of course.

Insert_ending_here,
TKS

 

[Maverick494]

So TKS you have the Linux box plugged into the HUB on the WAN port? and then your internet connection plugged into another NIC in it? I am tired so put it to me simply how to wire one of those. Cause I may build a computer for a router as I will soon have an Extra 1700+, NIC and I already use a cable/DSL 4 port router sitting around and maybe can get some extra parts for the rest of it. I think I also have an 8 port switch laying around.

Also will any version of LINUX do? I would probably just get a downloaded copy to start out with, if that would work.

Just a computer junky

 

[umheint0]

Linux is free. The copies you have to pay for, liek Redhat, are proprietary versions using the Linux kernel. There are lots of free (and legal) copies floating around, just look for them.

umheint0's phat setup --> <A HREF="http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~umheint0/system.html" target="_new">http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~umheint0/system.html</A><--

 

[kinetic_tw]

You can download most free versions of Linux from this website in the form of ISO's for easy CD burning.

<A HREF="http://www.linuxiso.org/" target="_new">http://www.linuxiso.org/</A>