(Yes, I know, I deserve to have even my apprentice-geek credentials revoked for this.)

I could flail about, or I could just ask the knowledgeable folks on my flist: My Cat5e/wireless home network currently runs off a Linksys BEFW11S4 4-port wireless router. I need to add more ports, which this model supports via its "uplink port". I could spend about $23 or $130 (or even more). I'd prefer more than 5 extra ports, but I want something that's simple to implement and likely to work with my existing router. I don't see a need to buy a second router to daisy-chain or anything like that; all I need is more ports.

Do I just go cheap (and ... make sure to connect it to my router with a crossover cable, I think??), or do I need to look for anything particular? What do I need to know here?

ETA: Or I could just borrow a lonely 8-port router from the fantastic ninjamonkey73 and use that as the extended switch. Problem solved! \o/

[For extra credit: violetcheetah can use her Mac laptop on my wireless network at any time with no problems. I consistently find that, in the summer, either of my Dell Windows-based laptops using IE and/or Firefox and MacAfee-or-Norton can't maintain a stable-enough-for-VPN wireless connection. Changing the wireless channel doesn't help or makes the wireless unusable; the current channel was fantastically stable over the winter. The router is in the basement, as I was assured that the signal is likely to be weaker below the device than beside or above it. Is there an explanation/solution beyond "Windows/IE/Norton sucks"?]

Originally posted at Dreamwidth | Comment | comments