I’m moving into a new apartment in a month, and I NEED a broadband internet connection…
I’d like to use roadrunner, since we’ll be getting Time Warner Cable (or “Brighthouse”) anyway… however, I have two roommates, and we’ll need to split the connection.
Do I use a hub? A router? Or will RoadRunner wire a separate jack in each room?
Oh, and incidentally, is DSL quicker? Or cheaper? Or both?
I’m in the Central Florida area.
Use a router. It will give each PC on your network its own seperate IP while only requesting one from Brighthouse, so you wont have to pay for two. If the rooms are pretty far apart I would suggest wireless, if not or you don’t mind running cat5 than get a regular router. The coax will hook into the cable modem which will then hook into the router by a cat5 cable. Then you connect each computer to the switch by cat5 cables and you are ready to rock. I suggest the Linksys BEFSR41. It is a router with a built in 4 port switch.
No idea about DSL. Tampa, FL here. Brighthouse is pretty good. I’ve had them for a year and no real complaints so far.
I’m not really an expert in this area, but I think I can answer at least a few of your questions.
As far as speed goes, I think there are three main factors to consider: bandwidth, latency, and load (how many people in your area are also using the service.) Bandwidth is basically a measure of sheer speed, how many Mbits/sec you can send or receive data. Latency is how long it takes the modem to initiate the transfer of data once it is requested.
Cable, as far as I know, has high bandwidth but high latency as well. Thus, it will take a little longer to initiate a download or upload, but once it’s started it will go considerable faster. On the other hand, DSL has slightly lower bandwidth and latency, so transfers will start faster but go slower.
Cable performance can also suffer greatly if several people in your neighborhood are using the same service as you. This lag can be particularly noticeable during peak usage times, but in general isn’t severe enough to worry about.
In the end, I’d basically recommend going with whichever is cheaper, although being a TWC customer I can honestly say I haven’t been at all dissappointed with RoadRunner’s performance. 
As for routers and such, the main difference is this: a hub needs to constantly be connected to a “host” computer for the network to operate, so if you have a spare computer laying around that you wouldn’t mind leaving on 24/7, a hub could save you considerable money. All in all, though, I’d recommend getting a router instead. They are considerably faster, don’t need a host computer like a hub, and often come with loads of other features such as built-in firewalls.
Oh, and as far as having TWC split the connection for you…well they will, but you’ll have to pay an extra $20-30 per month. In the end it’s much cheaper just to get a router and do it yourself, and ahem have it discretely placed so the installation tech won’t see it and start asking questions.
A partisan Roadrunner of 2-3 years here. Never a problem And I think that DSL service and Roadrunner are in the same price range most places.
The first part of your question is answered in this very recent thread:
Just a note about using a router… if you intend to play games or host servers, having your IP address split between multiple computers can be annoying. You’ll sometimes either have to set up your programs/games to work with your router, or in the worst cases, not be able to use that program at all. It’s usually not impossible to do, but it can be a hassle if you have to keep doing it for different programs.
However, if all you want to do is browse the web, send email, chat with people, etc., it should be fine.
Okay… so I’ll be using Roadrunner and a router, apparently…
Related question though… my computer will probably be the primary computer connected to the router, since its the fastest, and oddly, uses the least power.
Now… does this mean the router won’t function unless my computer is running… and will it eat memory if my computer has to keep broadcasting the IP addresses for the other two?
No, as long as the router is on, the network will continue to function. The router will handle all the handshaking and data propagation, and your computer won’t have any of it’s resources consumed.
No, as QED said a router needs no separate computer whatsoever to function. Of course it’s not much of a network without any computers :), but the point is the router always maintains a connection to your ISP, so you could turn any computer in the house on and instantly be surfing the net, regardless of which computer it is.
This site may be of interest to you regarding provider speed ratings.
Click here
Having had both cable and DSL, I prefer cable. For starters, there’s typically no authentication involved with cable. If you forget the router for a second and imagine connecting the broadband directly to a computer, with cable you just run the CAT5 cable from the modem to the NIC on your PC and you’re ready to go. With DSL, most providers require you to authenticate using a third-party program or Windows XP’s built-in PPPoE client. So with DSL you still have to “dial-up” although it’s a sight faster than loggin in with RAS.
Anyway, in two different states (GA and NC) my cable speeds average 2.3 - 2.5 Mbps, while my DSL speeds topped out at 1.4Mbps. YMMV. Also, don’t fall for that whole “cable is shared” argument. DSL is shared too. There isn’t much of a difference in whether the bandwidth is shared in your neighborhood (cable) or at the DSLAM (DSL).
The apartment I’m moving into is in Oviedo, FL, which, as those of you who know the area will be aware, is not exactly replete with techy people… so I don’t think sharing a node with too many people will be an issue.
However… if I use CAT5 rather than wireless, will the length of the wire connected the router and each computer affect speed significantly?
Not if it is wired correctly, and the distance is kept under the limit. IIRC, around 100meters. Not hard to do in a house.
Not a house… single floor apartment, so I guess no worries… thanks.