hello members and especially networking gurus. I am about to purchase some networking devices to help keep all my computers connected in my home. I have been on Amazon looking for the items but due to the number of devices to choose from i am left confused ( i am a novice in these things) but i beieve that if i can purchase the right equipments i need then i can set them up with the aid of google no problem.

I plan to buy

1. a good stable ROUTER (with port forwarding capabilities) that has at least 3 ETHERNET ports to allow internet connection to other devices via WIFI and ETHERNET ports

2. a good MODEM ( dial-up with LTE capability) so that i can subscribe for an internet plan with any of our ISP's and then connect this same modem to the router either via USB or WIFI.

3. i plan to connect my PRINTER and COMPUTER to the ROUTER via ETHERNET cable and also my mobile phones to the router via WIFI.

Please i need someone to recommend a good ROUTER and DIAL-UP MODEM that can work with Nigerian ISP's (like MTN, AIRTEL e.t.c) that i can purchase. I am in Ebonyi state and there is no good service provider here except the usual GSM operators we have in Nigeria.

a rough sketch of what i need is below. Thanks for your contributions.

All I know is cisco

Get any D-link Gigabit Ethernet Wireless Router. 802.1g/b/n

Modem would depend on the strong networks in you area.

But Glo 15k - about 6 users
Etisalat 15k - about 10 users

You're also gonna need to buy specifically cat5e or Cat6 network cable for your wired connection.

GlorifiedTunde:
Get any D-link Gigabit Ethernet Wireless Router. 802.1g/b/n

Modem would depend on the strong networks in you area.

But Glo 15k - about 6 users
Etisalat 15k - about 10 users

You're also gonna need to buy specifically cat5e or Cat6 network cable for your wired connection.

Thanks. I wanted to confirm if i could connect this my modem (a GLO NETPRO USB MODEM) which i cracked to work with any sim card to the ROUTER via USB? i want to be sure my current modem would work than purchasing another one when there is no LTE/4G connectivity in my area.

Conner44:



Thanks. I wanted to confirm if i could connect this my modem (a GLO NETPRO USB MODEM) which i cracked to work with any sim card to the ROUTER via USB? i want to be sure my current modem would work than purchasing another one when there is no LTE/4G connectivity in my area.

That's a modem. It cannot work like a WiFi router. That can only work for a single system

GlorifiedTunde:


That's a modem. It cannot work like a WiFi router. That can only work for a single system

yes i am aware it is just only a modem. What i was asking is that i would like to know how the ROUTER would get the internet connectivity which it would be sharing via WIFI and ETHERNET to my other devices.

I was searching on AMAZON but all the modems i saw there were cable modems and i do not think those will work for me here. I already have this usb modem which i use on my PC but i was wondering if i could purchase only the ROUTER and then connect the modem to the router via usb and then connect both my PC and other devices directly to the router to get internet connectivity.

Is this possible? can the router accept a dial-up usb modem as its internet source?

GlorifiedTunde:


That's a modem. It cannot work like a WiFi router. That can only work for a single system

He is asking if the router can work as a hotspot for the modem, whereby it gets its internet from the modem (rather than a phone line/fiber cable) and routes it to other devices

Conner44:

Thanks. I wanted to confirm if i could connect this my modem (a GLO NETPRO USB MODEM) which i cracked to work with any sim card to the ROUTER via USB? i want to be sure my current modem would work than purchasing another one when there is no LTE/4G connectivity in my area.

I am not sure if this would be possible as the modem needs to install a software on its host for configuration. It would be possible though, to use your laptop as the hotspot via software, but only for wifi devices.

spikesC:


He is asking if the router can work as a hotspot for the modem, whereby it gets its internet from the modem (rather than a phone line/fiber cable) and routes it to other devices



I am not sure if this would be possible as the modem needs to install a software on its host for configuration. It would be possible though, to use your laptop as the hotspot via software, but only for wifi devices.

Thanks. So what you're suggesting is that I plug in my USB modem then with a cable or wifi 'share' Internet connectivity from my pc to the router which can then broadcast it's own connection via ethernet or wifi?

Conner44:


yes i am aware it is just only a modem. What i was asking is that i would like to know how the ROUTER would get the internet connectivity which it would be sharing via WIFI and ETHERNET to my other devices.

I was searching on AMAZON but all the modems i saw there were cable modems and i do not think those will work for me here. I already have this usb modem which i use on my PC but i was wondering if i could purchase only the ROUTER and then connect the modem to the router via usb and then connect both my PC and other devices directly to the router to get internet connectivity.

Is this possible? can the router accept a dial-up usb modem as its internet source?

OK now I get you. Well I guess there was a time one could do that. Glo was selling routers at a point but in not sure it exists anymore.

I have to be honest I don't know how it works. But I'm almost certain that the cost of the router you want to purchase online will almost be ad much as a WiFi from any Telco.

Take my advice, find the best network in your area and buy their WiFi.

Ditch that modem a beg. I dunno who still uses it. Tecno phone hotspot is even better.

Conner44:


Thanks. So what you're suggesting is that I plug in my USB modem then with a cable or wifi 'share' Internet connectivity from my pc to the router which can then broadcast it's own connection via ethernet or wifi?

You can also do that but then again you won't get maximum throughput.

It depends on the kind of speed or number of devices running on it. That means your PC must also be on every time you need internet on other devices.

okay. so you are saying that i could get a regular wifi modem and make the router connect to it via wifi for internet.

then i can still share the internet connection from the router via ethernet cables to my printer and pc?

Conner44:


Thanks. So what you're suggesting is that I plug in my USB modem then with a cable or wifi 'share' Internet connectivity from my pc to the router which can then broadcast it's own connection via ethernet or wifi?

I don't think there's any router that accepts internet source from a wifi network. You'll have to search on amazon/ebay.
I am suggesting, using your computer as a wifi-only router aka wifi hotspot that allows other devices to connect to the internet via it. Therefore, there is no cable connection available.

Most routers I've seen that allow sim cards are merely just wifi modems/hotspots and don't have ethernet cable ports