2 Hardware Questions (LCD/Wireless Router)

[Matt Price <matt.price@utoronto.ca>]

Hi,


In the process of setting up a home network which will have the
following machines on it:
- 1 IBM ThinkPad X31 connected alternately by ethernet and wireless
 (802.11b).  Will unfortunately be running XP, unless I replace that
 by Win 2000 Professional (not for my use, or it'd be Debian all the way)
- 1 G3 Mac, currently running MacOS 9, hopefully soon to move to
 Debian PPC, connected by ethernet cable
- 1 Old HP Omnibook. hopefully running a slimmed-down version of
 Debian, connectd hopefully by 802.11 b as well
- (Maybe) a relatively new PC running Debian Woody, connected by
 Ethernet

I need to buy a wireless router and a monitor, and have questions
about both.

First the router.  Looking around, I gather all these routers run
their own networking and encryption software.  Having recently
converted to Debian GNU/Linux, I'm bummed at having to give up control
of these features to some hardware I have no real access to, and I
feel just a little suspicious of these closed-platform boxes.  On the
other hand, they do seem to be pretty practical devices.  So my
question:  can anyone share opinions about particular models, or
general criteria to apply in deciding between competing models?

Then the monitor.  We've settled on buying an LCD monitor, and I wanted
to check about compatibility before I bought one.  I've noticed some
companies talk about "mac compatible" or "linux compatible" products.
Any idea what this means?  My impression with ordinary CRT monitors
is, that as long as the cable on the monitor (DVI; VGA, ADC,
whatever) matches the port on your video card, you're OK.  Is this not
true of LCD's?  Do some of the LCD's require proprietary color
adjustment software, for instance; and if so, are there ways to
compensate under Linux?  


Thanks as always for the help!  Look forward to hearing back,
Matt