I am about to purchase a router. I, as the subject states, am on this wonderful ISP, garbage, ripp me off, internet service. I just was switched over from excite @home.

I was looking at purchasing a Linksys 4 port Router/switch with the firewall. I was reading in cs.net forums, I am a addicted cs player, that sometimes ISP's set it up by the address on your NIC. NOw this does not seem right because I supplied the NIC. WHen i Had everything set up they wanted the MAC address on the back of the modem. To provision the modem. They did ping, or wanted to see if they could see my computer. They asked if I would disable my firewall. NOw did they look for any information on my NIC to set up the internet service or was this just a routine test? Otherwise this would pose a problem. But i think the individual has smoked themselves retarded cause it would not work if you set it up usb.

Also..Like i have said before. I am addicted to counter-strike. Has anyone had any problems with this router..or is theere a router U know of that I should stay away?

Oh and one more thing. The router takes on the computer name right? the c-l#*$(#. And then your computers would just draw a ip number up.

I am new to this router stuff.

HOpefully U understand.

Thanks for all replies!

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by Fuzz009 on 12/27/01 00:27 AM.</EM></FONT></P>

Oh the whole reason i want to get a router is to balance the bandwidth with the intregrated switch. I will be sharing the cable connection with somebody that is constantly downloading mp3s. IF we just pay the extra $8 for another ip will the cable modems balance themselves out. I will kill the other person if i can't play my games without lagging all out to hell.

Thanks

Your post is a little choppy, but here goes:

I think what you are referring to is knows as "caching the MAC address". Usually what happens is the cable modem stores the MAC (aka hardware) address of whatever it has supplied an IP address to, and will not give out an IP address to any different device. This can usually be cleared out simply by repowering the cable modem.

This is fine - they most likely just wanted to look at their own device (which has a MAC address just the same as your NIC). Sounds to me like a routine test, no worries here.

AFA I know the Linksys BEFSR41 is a fine router, it allows all the gaming configuration you will need for counterstrike (DMZ, port forwarding, etc.)

Well, the router just looks like a PC to the ISP, they don't know the difference. If all else fails (the ISP will not serve an IP address to other than the original MAC address they saw) you can config the router to "spoof" the MAC address of your NIC. This way the router looks EXACTLY like your PC. Probably won't be necessary but available if needed. I'd go for the router without a second thought. My opinion of course. Good luck and happy gaming!

Well, if your friend is pounding on the mp3's there really isn't any solution out there that will eliminate slowdown associated with that. The switch will not send any of the packets to your PC that are destined for your friend, but all the packets are still funneling down your broadband (cable) pipe just the same. So you're still competing for bandwidth. Same thing goes for 2 IP's supplied by the ISP. Nothing you can really do about it. Best solution would be to work out some sort of schedule whereby you are not pounding the connection simultaneously.

<i>It's always the one thing you never suspected.</i>

Wow..thank you very much jlanka

U gave a fantasic explanation how everything works. I love peeps like you on forums.

Thanks again

Sorry for the choppyness