I'm not sure if this goes here exactly, so if it doesn't then perhaps the appropriate person could move it for me and tell me where it was moved to. Anyway, here's my dilemma. My current build is sort of an upgraded stock pc that was given to me. This replaced a very baseline system with a single core cpu, on board graphics, and 2gb of ram. I want to turn my old system in to a modem/router combo to boost my speeds a little bit and handle more people using our connection, since my family own a few computers. The problem comes with my ISP. I have verizon and my internet runs through a phoneline, which is just a complete pain. I have very little experience with networking, and my goal is to eliminate my gateway (which is just my router/modem combo) and use my old computer. I watched the tutorial for PFsense an tried it out on an old laptop first but ran in to a few problems, and I cant seem to find much information about how to do this through google, or maybe I'm just awful at searching things. So can anyone here help me out a little bit? I was planning on buying a wireless adapter for the computer and i was considering an external ethernet switch, but before I go out buying computer parts, I would like someone to tell me if I can even use PFsense and my old computer as a router since my ISP is via phoneline. Are there low cost options I have for doing this? I hate looking at a little plastic box for my router and I need to run some ethernet cables, so it feels like there's not time but the present to work on this too.
However, you will still be bound by the MODEM, that you cannot remove.
First thing to check to know if it is viable is to find the specs of your MODEM on the manufacturer's website. If it has a 10/100/1000 port, you might be in luck.
If not, stop right there. The "improvement" you would get over a basic 40$ router are minimal unless you do a LOT of network file transfer.
If however it is giga-lan, then you want to check if you have two PCI-e ports. An other limitation is caused by the PCI ports/network adapters. To use a gigalan card at full potential, you need some that run in PCI-e 1x. Again, no reason not to buy a basic router that does giga if you can't get better with your build.
Then I guess you will want to add a WiFi adapter. This one can be PCI, as the speeds of a Wireless-N adapter is a lot slower. Get an internal card over a USB for the same reason, speed. You might also consider a higher-end adapter with an external 9dbi antenna.
Whatever software you want to run on your router, make sure that it is compatible with the adapters you have/want to buy. Most of theses are based on Linux, so you will have an easier time if the adapters manufacturer offer Linux drivers on their website.
We run one like this at work because it is way cheaper than buying a commercial-grade router (I work in a Web Café). Works great and there is a huge improvement over a cheap router when done properly. For home use, it's more of a feat of strengh than anything.
Well, a few months back I bought a gateway for my house because the one from Verizon died on me. The problem with this is that it's a modem and a router in one, so would that already be capping the limiations of my computer built router?
Furthermore, I'm somewhat of a noob here, but don't most computers have a modem built in, or is this only for Dial Up? What are the chances of me getting a PCI modem that supports DSL for a decent cost?
Well... they don't list the LAN port speed, and only refers to it as "Fast Ethernet". That would lead to believe that they are 10/100 ports, otherwise they would state it all over.
You can get an ADSL2+ PCI card. It might not work with your provider however. You will have to contact Verizon and ask them what model/brand is compatible.
Then you could build your router.
But if you have to buy all theses adapters, simply get an other stand-alone ADSL modem and a good router (Asus are great, but expensive. Tenda/TP-Link, while china made are very nice. Just don't take the lowest-end model). It will be cheaper and probably more effective.
Well my current idea was to just buy a good modem and an ethernet switch for my old computer and then ditch my gateway. We normally have two laptops, two computers, an xbox, a wii, a tablet, two iPods, and a phone hooked up to it through wifi or ethernet (xbox/one computer ethernet, rest wifi) and they range throughout our house and down to our basement. The signal is also terrible, and it's a small house; not to mention that that many devices tends to bog the speed a little. This was my idea behind using my old computer for the router and just buying a modem with a 10/100/1000 port.
A gateway, usually handling DHCP and DNS, plus some QoS features and a firewall.
Your Verizon all-in-one also has a MODEM in it.
If you want to use a PC to make a router, you will still need an ADSL modem, the "routerized" PC and a switch to connect your network.
In your situations, the most cost-effective and reliable solution would be to buy a stand-alone ADSL modem and a good "gaming" router (the DLink DIR-825 is really nice and can be flashed to DDWRT).
Also make sure that none of your devices can use WiFi-B, as this will kill your speed. You should set one of the WiFi band to G-only, and the other to N-only. That will allow you to get the best speed from your N-enabled devices with no drawback from using G-enabled devices.
For home use, there is no reason to build a PC router/gateway/proxy.