Noob: Which router should I get?

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I'm going to be a freshman in college next year and am going to be purchasing a MacBook Pro. As I understand it, I will be able to pick up on wireless connections at the campus. At home, however, I will need a router.
I have absolutely no knowledge on the subject and would like for someone who does to help out.

I've read that Lynksys is good, but might have problems with a Mac.
Again, any help would be very much appreciated.

Thank you in advance.
 
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No one? :(

Edit: Would this be a good choice?

Also, I would need to connect the router with an Arris Cable Modem. Does the connector come with the router, or would it need to be bought seperately?
 
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Your Mac's Specs
Unibody MacBook Pro 2.26, 4gb RAM, 500gb HD
In general, if all you need is a basic way to browse the web wirelessly, they are all pretty good.

If you're in a larger city in the US, check the circulars in the Sunday paper--Office Depot, Circuit City, Best Buy, Staples, Office Max, etc. They often have sales and rebates in excess of 50% off.

If you're in a rural area, all of the above stores have their weekly ads on their websites. They honor the same pricing online.
 
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Thank you!
I am thinking about buying from either Staples or Bestbuy.


I just want to make sure I'm going to be able to use the router before I buy it. ;D
 
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Mid 2009 MacBook Pro  Mid 2007 iMac  4G iPod Touch  iPhone 4S  iPad
Due to the untimely death of my Linksys WRT54G, I just switched from it to the Apple Airport Extreme and am very happy with it.
 

cwa107


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I just recently upgraded to a D-Link DIR-655. It's a higher end router and generally runs around $130 (although it was on sale at CC last week for $119). So far, the range has been superior to my old WRT54G (even with high-gain antennas) and the throughput is up to expectations. I've been very happy with it overall, and I'm not the only one - the DIR-655 has been one of the most consistently well-rated routers in recent memory, taking top marks from a number of respected sources like MaximumPC and CNet.

It took a lot to lure me from Linksys, but I think this is a very nice product at an attractive price point - and it works well with both my Mac and PCs.
 
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That D-Link router seems very good.
I'm just not sure if I need one that good?
This would obviously be my first router, and I would most likely only have my soon-to-be-bought MacBook Pro connected to it.

Would you recommend the D-Link or the Linksys?
 

cwa107


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That D-Link router seems very good.
I'm just not sure if I need one that good?
This would obviously be my first router, and I would most likely only have my soon-to-be-bought MacBook Pro connected to it.

Would you recommend the D-Link or the Linksys?

Those are two different classes of routers, one is very high-end, the other is very low end. If you need long range and high-speed LAN transfers, the D-Link will fit the bill. If your needs are more basic, the Linksys should be OK.
 
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Well I live in a fairly small house, so I don't believe I need a huge range.
And I'm going to be doing graphic design, so I'll need to be able to use the Internet at a high speed while having multiple other applications open. So I suppose I have pretty basic needs.

Side note: Which Middletown, PA? I might live semi-close to you. :Cool:
 

cwa107


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Well I live in a fairly small house, so I don't believe I need a huge range.
And I'm going to be doing graphic design, so I'll need to be able to use the Internet at a high speed while having multiple other applications open. So I suppose I have pretty basic needs.

Side note: Which Middletown, PA? I might live semi-close to you. :Cool:

I didn't know there was more than one. Just outside of Harrisburg, famous for being home to Three Mile Island.
 

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