Friend bought his first computer. What router does he need for AT&T DSL?

[Dennis S]

He has never used a computer except a few times at school before he retired from teaching. I saw him in Walmart and steered him to a Dell laptop with i3, 6 GB RAM and a 500 GB HDD for $350. I have never used a router so I know nothing about how to help him get started. I assume he'll need to buy it from a site with a phone number.

[raz]

I would think that AT&T DSL would come with a wireless router. You might want to doublecheck.

Failing that, I'm partial to Buffalo brand.

Important: Change the default admin password on the router and the wireless password immediately after setting it up. Then write both passwords on a piece of tape attached to the router. This is for whichever router you wind up with.

[Dennis S]

I figured AT&T would try to talk him into leasing the router.

[Carm]

They will probably have him rent a wireless router. Probably an actiontec router. It should work fine.
Asus, buffalo, linksys, netgear should all work fine.

[Article Accelerator]

Dennis S wrote:
He has never used a computer except a few times at school before he retired from teaching. I saw him in Walmart and steered him to a Dell laptop with i3, 6 GB RAM and a 500 GB HDD for $350.

A $350 Dell laptop? That oughta work out well…

[N-OS X-tasy!]

My experience with DSL (most recently in 2009) has always been that the ISP provides the router (i.e. DSL modem) free of charge.

If they offer a unit that includes wireless, I would pass on it unless it does 802.11n.

[RAMd®d]

The ISP will supply a router-less modem if the subscriber hasn't ordered WiFi, in which case ATT would supply a modem/router combo unit.

FInd out if he saves any money by getting his own router. If not, let the ISP provide whatever he needs.

If he wants to buy a router, the choice could be dictated by the area he needs covered. If the entry point is close to where he'll be using the computer, most any wireless router will do.

More info about his environment might help.


I assume he'll need to buy it from a site with a phone number.

Right, but any of the reputable dealers has a phone number.

[GuyGene]

Apple Express. Done. Unless ATT has one for free.

[silvarios]

Article Accelerator wrote:
[quote=Dennis S]
He has never used a computer except a few times at school before he retired from teaching. I saw him in Walmart and steered him to a Dell laptop with i3, 6 GB RAM and a 500 GB HDD for $350.

A $350 Dell laptop? That oughta work out well…
I'm sure it will be fine. As long as it lasts two or three years, the math works out versus a $1000 option.

[silvarios]

GuyGene wrote:
Apple Express. Done. Unless ATT has one for free.

I'll disagree. $100 router for a single $350 computer with a sub 6Mbps connection? Way overkill. If only requiring a single computer, simply use the provided modem. Unless it isn't a WiFi modem/router and such a connection is needed, then grab something sub $50.