Networking & wireless: Sr. Citizen Question On What Router To Get, etc., Please ?

good luck

There are not a lot of differences between linksys and netgear. I have a preference for linksys but that is mostly because you could load other software on them but it shouldn't matter to you.

First if you plan to use N you need to make sure all your pc's that you are going to run wireless also have N. I they are B or G the router will just slow down to those speeds and you will have wasted your money. Still I would not down grade to B/G router I would buy new N adapters for the PC.

If you have the option of running all wired that is the easiest to setup. Basically it no setup related to the clients. Wired will be faster but that is somewhat of a lie. Since most home users do not send data between machines in their house do you really care if its 10m or 100m or 1g. You internet will most likely be much much slower.

Most new routers have very good picture on to configure things. The hardest thing about wireless is getting the security to work. Some people give up and run with no security but you never know when the pedophile down the street will use your internet and get you in trouble so make a effort to get it configured with WAP security. You could run with no security to start if you really get stuck

For short patch cords you could most likely get cat 3 to work. Since they don't sell those just get the cheapest patch cable you can find. Cat 5E and Cat 6 cable are the same all the way to 1G speed. Cat 6 is suppose to be able to go to 10G but nobody sells copper 10G. If you were running cable in the walls where its expensive to replace you always go with cat 6 for future needs since cat 6 is not a lot more. For a patch cable cat 6 will not buy you anything so why spend even $.01 more unless you like the color or something.

You should not have a lot trouble just read the instructions and follow the pictures. My mother who is 74 got one mostly installed with no help.