Can you set up a home network using a wireless internet modem/router?

You're wasting your money on either of them. All you need is a plain ol wireless router, $40 or so, from your local big box electronics store. Plug it into your current modem and you have a wireless network.

Sam,

If your internet connection doesn't have a built in wireless router, just go grab one from whatever type of store is nearby that sells computer equipment for about $40 as stated above. You can then connect the feed from the internet directly into the rounter and can connect several computers directly into the router using standard ethernet cables or use the wireless to connect laptops.

Once this is done it's pretty simple to get the computers talking to each other. As long as they are all connecting to the router and have the same network settings such as the network name then they should talk to each other.

The one exception I know of is that XP computers and Vista computers don't automatically connect to each other. The older XP systems wont be able to see the Vista computers even though Vista can see the XP ones.

There is a simple program you can find from a google search to fix this however. I don't remember the link off hand but a quick search on google should find it for you. I went through this process when I got my laptop about 8 months ago but now both the laptop running Vista and the older desktop running XP are internet connected and networked together using the wireless router.

There is no need to get expensive hardware or software, and the process is pretty straightforward.

Dont get just any old router...

While they will work, you need to make sure it will be fast enough and provide the security you need/want.

I use a Linksys WRT110. It supporth N draft which is the fastest possible, consumer grade. It's also backwards compatible.

Then on the other systems you can get a wireless card/usb OR build a bridge using a gaming box/adapter. I use both.

If the wireless connection is poor, you can get an electric outlet connection.

Garrie

Thanks everyone!

The routers I buy wholesale from my supplier, so they're only around $120 or so.

But if I connect a wireless router into a say a 4port ADSL modem/router, is this just done through a network cable? I assume so, since there really isn't any other way...


Thanks for the tip on the software to connect XP with Vista, Johnny! I did see this issue, but assumed it was a setup problem on my part. Good to knwo there's a solution


Garrie, I was checking out USB adapters - I assume there is any speed issues using them? I guess USB is a lot faster than a wireless connection and broadbad connection anyway, so USB wouldn't be the bottleneck.


cheers
Sam

Linksys (which is owned by Cisco) is the way to go. A wirelsss router, a few wireless usb adapters and ,depending how much you want to spend, a wirelss printer and you should be set for under a few hundred dollars.
I myself don't have a wireless printer yet because the printers I have still work fine, but when I do need to replace them, I will go with a wireless one, they have gotten very inexpensive.

Be sure to turn on the encryption to keep the riff raff off your network.

Sam

Two things that hasn't been mentioned here, not much anyway, are:

1- Range

In my 18 years of networking and 10+ years of wireless networking, I have found Netgear equipment to have consistently the best and most reliable range. Netgear are a world class US company who are usually well ahead of the game.

By best I mean longest distance coverage. And by reliability ... well, many vendors claim long distances but they only mean uninterrupted clear line of sight distances AND they only mean a (short term) connection over that distance.

But they do suffer regular "drop out" as they can't maintain connection over those distances. Netgear has been superb in my experience.

2- Support

Many vendors have 9am - 6pm or similar support hours. Netgear have 24x7. And they will patiently guide you thru every little set up stage.

That guidance is especially important if you're connecting multiple devices i.e. a wireless router to a gateway modem or wired router etc.

It sounds like cost is not a major issue to you, so for reliability and simplicity I recommend a combo, broadband gateway/wireless router so you have less wiring and set up issues.

AND YES, after 8 years of nothing but sterling service day and night from very polite and patient Netgear staff, I am a huge fan. I cannot say the same for many other companies.

Sami

Thanks for all the feedback - I used to be right into hardware, but it's all passed me by recently, as I've concentrated on software. I feel like a newbie all over again



Hi Sami,

I don't like to overpay, but I also don't like to underpay. I don't mind spending a couple of hundred dollars to set up something like this, since my whole business relies on it.


I once bought an grill for $30, when the others were selling for around $100. I thought, bargain! I was so stoked with my purchase I also bought a bunch of things and made this really nice mint yougurt dipping sauce for it.

I got the grill home, cranked it up, and it took about 45 minutes to cook some lamb chops to a nice chewy and rubbery consistancy. The grill had a thermostat, that even on the highest setting would get to a "cooking temperature", then switch itself off. When the grill was cool enough to freze liquid nitrogen, it'd switch itself on again.

So while I don't mind rolling the dice when it comes to cheap cooking applicances, when it comes to setting up what amounts to the backbone of my business, I'd rather spend a bit extra and know that tomorrow it's going to still be working


I've heard good things about NetGear. Billion seems to be an equal here in Aus, though I don't think Billion is sold much around the world - it's more Asian and Pacific areas, though I may be wrong.

I'll check out some NetGear stuff, and see what I can find!


Thanks again, everyone, I really appreciate your help!

cheers
Sam

Hey thanks for the tip, imvideos!

I've heard you can get software to break a WEP key (is it just bruteforce, or something trickier?)

The modems/routers I've been looking at offer both WPA and WPA2, so that'll let me sleep better

cheers
Sam

Here's my favorite router:
Newegg.com - ASUS WL-520gU IEEE 802.3/3u/3x, IEEE 802.11b/g Wireless Router - Wireless Routers

Runs like a champ, also has a USB port so you can plug in a printer and share it wirelessly. Much better than the comparable linksys that you'll find out there.

Thanks everyone for your help!

I just bought a 802.11b/g/n modem/router/firewall, so waiting patienly for the courier to drop it off.

Just bought another 2 gig of ram while I was at it - prices on ram are CHEAP right now!


I agree, Sami! Especially when the product is so important to running a smooth business.

When I was about 18ish I had a boss that tried to cut costs at every possible corner. He had us take standard telephone cable (that he bought for a bargain), add network connectors to the end of them, and make our own network cables.

Suffice to say the network connections were slow, unreliable, and it cost him a fortune in man-hours to pay us to keep fixing them when they broke.

He taught me a lot of good lessons...unfortunatly he didn't mean to



Bishop, that USB is a brilliant idea! I wish I knew that existed a few hours ago

cheers
Sam

What brand did you get and did you forget the nic cards?

I ended up getting a Billion, which is the brand my wholesaler carries.

I checked a bunch of local computer shops, but none of them had 11n, they were all 11g.

I got USB adapters with them, which is all Billion sell. I'm a little nervous about their coverage, but apparently 11n has much better coverage anyway, so hopefully it won't be a problem.

Fingers crossed.




Hi Steve!

Wow, I can't believe other people did it too! I thought it was just my boss

We found a lot of that - really bad data rates due to dropped or corrupted packets.

The biggest problem was actually a physical one - the shape of the phone cable (flat and quite hard) didn't crimpy properly, and so the connectors didn't fit terribly well.


I remember when network cables cost a fortune. I'm sure before my IT days they were even more expensive.

Now you can get something reasonable for a few bucks...

cheers
Sam