uk adsl with router

want to use a router with my adsl connection

[topr8]

current set up for 2 home computers (plus laptop) is that they are set up on a LAN, one machine acts as a gateway and i share the dsl connection with the other computers through that machine.

this for various reasons is not ideal, especially as if the gateway machine crashes which it seems to possibly as a result of the software that i'm using to share the connection, also the gateway machine must always be on.

thinking of using a router, not sure how to proceed, am on pipex home adsl package with the alcatel usb modem which was previously supplied by bt when i was with them.

any pointers, do i just buy a router, plug the modem into it and then plug each computer into the router or is it more complex than than that?
can the router also act as a firewall?

appreciate any guidance thanks.

[txbakers]

It is as easy as that.

If you find the right switch/router that can connect to broadband, and act as a firewall.

I use the SMC Barricade which has worked fine for 2 years. Just last night, however, it died and I need to RMA it back to the company.

But it works great, creating a firewall against viruses, etc.

[tigger]

topr8

:) We both have the same set up, yours isn’t a Dell laptop as well LOL

I'll be interested to hear how you get on, although I'm pretty happy with my current set up but it would be interesting to consider options

[sugarkane]

topr8, I have two machines and an Asus DSL router/modem connected via a hub, with both machines using the Asus as a gateway. Works fine with pipex.

I've got the Asus set up to do NAT, but I believe it has basic firewall features available if you choose not to use NAT. Cost for the router was around £130, and set-up took about half an hour or so.