WiFi Router advice please

[Square]

I've just set up my new PC and now I need to connect to the net for online Doom 3 goodness. I have an NTL cable modem, which is currently connected to my flatmate's pc with a traditional ethernet connection. I also have a WiFi card, which I want to take advantage of.

I'm after any advice that will help me get up and running. For instance, what kind of performance can I expect from a WiFi connection? Is it comparable to normal ethernet?
Are there any issues I should be aware of before I buy, or recommendations you guys could give? Bearing in mind I'm mainly going to be playing games

The mate who sold the pc to me has recommended Belkin as a make, but since I know nothing about routers I don't know.

Any help would be very much appreciated.

[FelixofMars]

I was asking about what type of wirless router I should get if it helps, in the end I went for the DLink DI-624+ it was releativly easy to set-up, I would suggest making sure you are already using a ethernet cable to connect to the internet as I spent ages fiddling with this before I could even start on the router installation.

As far as I know it seems quite fast but I am only browsing at the moment, downloads seem similar to those I would expect off my computer which is using the network cable.

http://ntsc-uk.domino.org/showthread.php?t=29025

[Square]

Hmm, I think i need more information about my new PC ? I have no idea what speed the card is!

[Square]

Well, the Belkin card in the PC is 100mbps, so I guess I should go for the fastest router I can get. Thing is, does it have to be a Belkin router, or are the different manufacturers interchangeable?

[FelixofMars]

From what I have found they are I am using a D-Link router with a Asus wi-fi card, it worked fine. My advise if find out the letter the card has as that seems to be the important bit, it will either be marked as a b or a g, the g cards are faster so I got a g card that was compatible with the router which supports both cards anyway.

I am acctually quite happy I am getting a good signal still, one piece of advice if you do get the router use IE to set it up, I used Firefox and for some unknown reason it wouldn't let me set my wirless encription as enabled, bad idea as someone else appears to have a wireless network within the area (however there signal looked to be far away). I have fixed it but I was annoyed and worried when I found out it wasn't active.

[Square]

Thanks for the advice. By IE do you mean Internet Explorer?

My card is capable of 54mbps, so I guess that means it's a 'g'. The router I'm looking at right now is one that Dixons sell. It's a Belkin WiFi Router for about ?60. I've also been offered a US Robotics 100mbps router AND card for ?75, but that is a second hand one, and I have no idea how good US Robotics stuff is!

[FelixofMars]

Yes I meant Internet Explorer, I went into my local dixons but found it was cheaper to go online, but if you have found one for ?60 I would go with that (the only ones they had where I am are ?100 a pop, taking the piss they where.)

I have no idea about US Robotics either, I remember there modems seemed OK.

[Square]

Thanks once again for the advice!

(I don't remember my Gamecube being this much hassle to set up!)