setting up router with set top box

[Smilie]

Hi
need some help buying and setting up a wireless router with a set top box (virginmedia)
for my mums friend
as i have a cable modem i haven't setup 1 with set top box before
and i remember reading its a bit different then with a cable modem

what the difference in setting it up??

and also which router bundle would you guys recommend??
looking at this Linksys WAG160N as i have a Linksys myself and the price is ok for them
should i get this
or look for some other brand??

thanks in advance

[MovedGoalPosts]

Ultimately, it's recommended that they do move over to a stand alone cable modem (SACM) as the broadband via STB is being phased out, can be more troublesome, and ultimately cannot support higher speeds that the shared connections of a router might be desiring.

Any router that does not have a built in ADSL modem, i.e. expects to connect to a modem with an ethernet cable to it's WAN (internet) port will work.

The real connectivity issue with STB to router, is the need to register the connected device with the VM server. You don't need the registration process if you use a SACM.

You will need the customer's PID and Password to register. When you power off STB, connect router to STB, router to PC(s), after then powering up in sequent STB, router, PCs on first browsing the internet you will get redirected to the VM registration screen where you will use the PID and password stuff.

To avoid the registration, clone the mac address of a previously registered device into the router.

---------- Post added at 16:42 ---------- Previous post was at 16:42 ----------

Ultimately, it's recommended that they do move over to a stand alone cable modem (SACM) as the broadband via STB is being phased out, can be more troublesome, and ultimately cannot support higher speeds that the shared connections of a router might be desiring.

Any router that does not have a built in ADSL modem, i.e. expects to connect to a modem with an ethernet cable to it's WAN (internet) port will work.

The real connectivity issue with STB to router, is the need to register the connected device with the VM server. You don't need the registration process if you use a SACM.

You will need the customer's PID and Password to register. When you power off STB, connect router to STB, router to PC(s), after then powering up in sequent STB, router, PCs on first browsing the internet you will get redirected to the VM registration screen where you will use the PID and password stuff.

To avoid the registration, clone the mac address of a previously registered device into the router.

[Smilie]

whats VMs policy with ordering SACM?
if i get my friend to call them asking for 1
will they charge them for the engineer call out??
i expect they need to send 1 out to get a new line for the SACM correct??

thanks for the help

[MovedGoalPosts]

It can be a self install, but usually a tech visit is best, to check the signal levels and that sort of stuff is OK. No sure what the charges are.

It doesn't require the drive to be dug up again, it's just adaptation of the cabling within the house. This can be simple or more complex depending on where the SACM is to be relative to the STB.

If you just want the two along side each other, a simple cable splitter can be added to tee off one from the other. That can be done easily self install with the supplied bits and fixed lengths of ready made cable VM send.

If you want different locations, especially different rooms, then a tech install is necesary and they will work out how to run the new cables from the existing box you have on the front of the house.