Should I ever worry about router compatibility?

Question

Assume I'm getting a new router. I've never heard of any problems like this, but is there reason to fear some routers might not work well with Ubuntu? If so, which types?

Answer 1

Every router in existence should work with Ubuntu. Routers communicate with your computer using plain TCP/IP, the operating-system-agnostic backbone of the internet. Without getting too technical, any operating system that speaks TCP/IP (which Ubuntu does) will work with any router.

If you're setting up a network with multiple routers, stick with one vendor (eg Linksys, Belkin). There can be interoperability issues there, but that also applies for Windows and Mac.