Have you tried checking the manufacturer's website for updates? A lot of these issues get fixed in patches that most people don't know about. Also check your firewall settings — sometimes they block things they shouldn't.

I'd wait a few months before jumping on this. New technology always has bugs and the price drops fast. Remember how DVD players were $600 and now they're $40? Let the early adopters work out the kinks and pay full price.

I dealt with this same issue last year. The key thing is to make sure you're using the latest version of your software and check forums like Slashdot or Ars Technica for specific fixes. Technology changes so fast that advice from even 6 months ago can be outdated.

My advice: don't overthink it. Pick the option that works best for your situation right now. Technology changes every 2-3 years anyway so nothing you choose today is permanent. The best technology is the one you actually use.

My nephew set this up for me and it was easier than I expected. Don't be intimidated by the technical stuff — most of it is just clicking Next a bunch of times. If you get stuck, the Help file actually has decent instructions for once.

Whatever you do, don't pay some 'computer guy' $80/hour to do this. It's a 20-minute job you can handle yourself. There are step-by-step guides all over the web with screenshots. Save your money for a faster modem or more RAM.