Phase 2: the router

As I mentioned yesterday, my wireless router seems to have engaged in a suicide pact with my old cable modem. Though I suppose I could have resurrected my wired router (if nothing else I need a connection for my printer in addition to whatever laptop I'm currently using), I got used to using the Toshiba on its built-in wireless connection so I didn't have to switch the Ethernet cable from the Mac, or string two cables. (For reasons I will never understand, my sole cable entrance is on the second floor, so I already have a coax cable for the TV and an Ethernet cable for the Mac dropping down from the loft.) Not to mention that I really want to get the Mac set up for wireless, too.

So, I was pleased to see in the Sunday store ads that CompUSA had a wireless G router on sale for a whole $9.99 (after rebates). Granted it wasn't exactly a major brand (at least I don't think ZyXEL is a major brand), but oonsidering that Netgear, D-Link, and LinkSys bottom-of-the-line wireless G routers have been going for $50 lately -- and that my old router was only 802.11b -- for ten bucks I was willing to give it a try. So my Toshiba is now back online wirelessly, and even the Mac is too (with a USB adapter that isn't really well suited to portability, but so far I haven't managed to come up with a PC card adapter that works with the Mac, and I flat-out don't want to pay Apple's ridiculous price for an Airport card).

Now if I just knew how to keep the new equipment from blowing its brains out.