The Adventure of a Layman and the Purchase of An Internet Wireless Router

I am going to let you into a little adventure; the wireless adventure of my home. Once Flow (ISP and cable provider) had installed its cable and internet and given me the free router I had somehow thought that would have been the end of the matter! Much to my dismay the soft-spoken quietly efficient technician informed me that Flow was not responsible for setting up wireless, but if the signal was inadequate when I installed the device, I should go out and buy a repeater and another wireless router.

As feared the wireless router connection was quite weak in some sections of the property. Quite a concern since I had four bright young ones downstairs.

Naturally I went out and looked around for an internet wireless router. The first place I called said that I would not need to buy a separate repeater since they stocked Encore wireless router with built in repeater. I wanted to go down to check it out but with the wife in a rush to Kingston, and with technician saying maybe Kingston will have better prices, I yielded to the business itinerary.

For the record my wife who is always keen to save money suggested that I stopped at SimartSoft in Mandeville and purchase the encore Router with repeater (the store technician tried to explain the features to me over the telephone). But seeing that she was in a hurry to get to Kingston I simply disagreed and opted to do all my wireless business in the city. She had begged my friend whom I had hired to set up my home network to postpone all activities until the weekend so that we could get out of Mandeville.

Later in Kingston I was the one rushing to get back to a meeting in Mandeville and had to make quick decisions wishing that I would be correct.

I had to leave the beloved on her own while I dashed into Watts New to try to solve my internet wireless router problem. The technical sales attendant in store explained to me the difference between wireless n and wireless g; and educated me that wireless N is the technology of the future with faster speed and better speeds. He went on to explain that most laptop computers with wireless capability were being sold with wireless G, but that a few would have wireless N. He also said that in that mixed environment I would really be delivering wireless G.

Now here is the rub! I actually dealt with two sales attendants in store. The first turned out to be a LinkSys man but he had to rush off to deal with another customer and the new man he handed me over to was a Wireless N. He took the time to explain a lot to me. And was honest enough to admit that though he did not know of router with built in repeater it was possible it existed.

Because Watts New did not cut the internet cables to order but stocked ready-made lengths of 50 feet, he suggested ElectroWorld for the Cat 5 cable and ends.

The Chinese at ElectroWorld did not have much time for my chitchat. You see despite my professional background in mass media, most of this was new to me and I wanted more affirmation in the social interaction than they had the time to offer. I asked them about the router with a repeater they said they did not carry it. I joked about the grey Cat 5 cable instead of blue. They had no relish for my anxious need for reassurance on a rushed stressful day, and seemed happy to get rid of me.

By now wife had called to say we should be ready for return trip and she was coming to pick me up.

I was still weighing my options:

Go back to Mandeville and buy the Encore router?

Or buy the router from Watts New?

Worse yet after buying 80 feet of cable and 6 ends I had depleted my budget for the router. This should have been a simple purchase. But this was not a simple week.

(to be continued)