Just to Clarify!

JackKelly

Ok,i want to go ahead and link 2 or 3 computers together to share broadband so i want to make sure im going about it the right way!
So;
i need a Wireless router/access point (i want to be able to share files also). I connect the Broadband cable straight into this (its USB). Then from there, i buy two Wireless NIC, connect them up to the other pc's and voila?(after setting up Internet Sharing etc of course!)yes?

A few question though,
Do most newer router/access points have an ethernet connection also?so i can connect a closer computer without using a wireless NIC?
While using Broadband,will the fact that im using a wireless connection effect the speed, in other words, will BB be slower through a router and wireless connection, then if it was plugged into the back of my pc?(when im the only one using it of course)
How difficult will it be to set up?

thanks!

Capt'n Midnight

Most AP's should have an ethernet connection - if not then AVOID. -
The will most likley have DHCP server built in.
If the AP only has one ethernet connector then you would need to buy a hub/switch if you wanted to add another PC later on. In which case it might be worth spending another €20-30 to get an AP with a 4 port switch built in.

If you can connect at all to the Wireless AP the worst it will fall back to is 1Mb half duplex - UNCONTENDED. BB is usually a) slower and b) contended between up to 48 users/leaches (you gotta love Netsource for putting all the warez monkeys on the same port)

It can be very easy, almost plug and play, if all goes well - otherwise just do a search on this forum since most users seem to have similar problems.

Actually spend a little more and get one with a WAN port and NAT - this means you get some firewalling too. - depends on how you get BB of course.. - usb / ethernet etc

tomk

Originally posted by TimAy
I connect the Broadband cable straight into this (its USB).

I wouldn't recommend using USB here - most routers don't have USB ports. You'll either get a router with an integrated DSL modem, in which case you'll plug the cable from the phone socket into it, or you'll get a router with a WAN port, which is an ethernet port that you will connect to a separate ethernet DSL modem.

JackKelly

how bout this:
http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.asp?sku=122989&view=detailed ?

it says USB printer server in the title, but under "interfaces" it say :

1 x network - Radio-Ethernet
4 x network - Ethernet 10Base-T/100Base-TX - RJ-45
1 x network - Ethernet 10Base-T/100Base-TX - RJ-45
1 x USB - 4 PIN USB Type B

does that mean a gerneral USB port that would work with DSL modems or only with printers?!

BigEejit

Only with printers ..... that single 100mbit connection is the uplink to the router from you ethernet DSL modem

JackKelly

probem still remains that my modem is USB? or am i missing something

tomk

Yes, you're missing this, for example. I was probably not clear enough in my last post!

Forget about your USB modem, and get an all-in-one box like this - you've got your DSL modem, router/firewall, 4-port switch, and 11g wireless.

Shop around and do your research - there are other makes/models that do the same or similar things.

JackKelly

its seems like thats the only one around! They cost mucho €€'s

hostyle

They're cheaper on amazon.co.uk

MarkR

Had a similar conversation with a mate today. My set up at home is cheap, but is perfect for me. I got a wireless network card for my desktop upstairs. Cost me the whole of €9 (spring sale on komplett ), and a wireless pcmcia card for my laptop downstairs. I'm with UTV, so unfortunately only have the usb option. Only drawback is I have to have the desktop upstairs on whenever I want to go online....

tomk

Originally posted by TimAy
its seems like thats the only one around! They cost mucho €€'s

OK, how about this, then?

...but remember, you get what you pay for....

BigEejit

that dslwarehouse.ie site has a DG834G for €168 delivered .... and you get a free pccard (pcmcia) for a laptop

The belkin one linked to above is €133 delivered

JackKelly

class site tomk, and its is much more resonable, but i am now torn between two choices.
Buy an all in one, router, access point, adsl modem, and share from that,
or
just buy an ordinary access point and have the BB come through one computer and be shared out to two other PC's through internet sharing.The later would be easier with regards to firewalls, virus scanner etc and i have been told is a better choice.

kmick

I bought a Wireless Netgear AP and Bridge to hook up a desktop and Xbox. Worked badly when i had all the security features turned off. As you can imagine I wanted to get the security turned on to avoid nasty surprises. Could never get it to work. Speeds were also low at around 100kb. Brought it all ack to the shop and wired everything. Dont bother wasting your money on wireless it is a headache.

BigEejit

Originally posted by kmick
I bought a Wireless Netgear AP and Bridge to hook up a desktop and Xbox. Worked badly when i had all the security features turned off. As you can imagine I wanted to get the security turned on to avoid nasty surprises. Could never get it to work. Speeds were also low at around 100kb. Brought it all ack to the shop and wired everything. Dont bother wasting your money on wireless it is a headache.

ROFL ... ahem ... but seriously, there are plenty of people who get wireless working out of the box, dont be put off by people who apparently had problems (whether those problems originated inside or outside the box ) ....

Completely aside from the products listed above I have 802.11a kit bought off ebay and it all works a treat ... gets nice throughput (~30Mbps - they all say 54Mbps but that is the max at the physical transport layer and not a real world figure) and higher if I turn on turbo mode (45 ish)....... and it all was cheaper than 802.11G gear (because its older technology stuff and I suppose people want the new and heavily advertised stuff)....

The thing about 802.11b and G is that it works on 2.4Ghz .... lots of other stuff use this frequency and even if you dont have anything to interfere (microwave, baby monitor, video sender, DECT phone) your next door neighbour might and so through no fault of your own you may not get much of a connection .... like kmick above.

JackKelly

i dont think there is anything to interfer with the wireless...hopefully. Did you have a router, or just shared internet connection?

kmick

Originally posted by BigEejit
ROFL ... ahem ... but seriously, there are plenty of people who get wireless working out of the box, dont be put off by people who apparently had problems (whether those problems originated inside or outside the box ) ....

Completely aside from the products listed above I have 802.11a kit bought off ebay and it all works a treat ... gets nice throughput (~30Mbps - they all say 54Mbps but that is the max at the physical transport layer and not a real world figure)

4 points
1.Getting wireless working out of the box is easy I got it working just not brilliantly.
2.Getting wireless working out of the box with the security switched is much more difficult.
3.802.11a running at 30Mbps - rubbish.
4.My main point is wired is better - even the most feverish wireless heads will admit this.

BigEejit

Originally posted by kmick
4 points
1.Getting wireless working out of the box is easy I got it working just not brilliantly.

As I said before, inteference will do horrible things to wireless communications

2.Getting wireless working out of the box with the security switched is much more difficult.

Depends on the manufacturers user interface I suppose, its simple with the products I have.

3.802.11a running at 30Mbps - rubbish.

http://reviews-zdnet.com.com/NETGEAR_HE102_802_11a_wireless_AP/4514-3245_16-8459776.html
That article is more than two years old ... as I said previously I get up to 45Mbps in turbo mode ... maybe improved drivers for the pccards is doing it ... I dunno ... that rate is in the same room as the access point.

4.My main point is wired is better - even the most feverish wireless heads will admit this.

For flat out speed wired is better ... for surfing the internet in the garden wireless is better

JackKelly

*cough*

BigEejit

oops ... forgot ya Timay...

I have a DG814 (a DSL modem/router, very nice it is too) ... my access point (HE102 - 802.11a) is connected to the DG814 and shares out the connection that way. This way nothing has to be turned on specifically to go on d'internet (I, and I assume everyone else, keep my DG814 and HE102 turned on continuously)...... of course if you got one of those all in one jobbies you'd only have one thing turned on....


As for the internet connection being shared allowing antivirus / firewalling etc .. i'd say (not sure, but fairly confident) that the OS (when using ICF) just passes packets on and does not scan or otherwise do anything with them .... That DG834 mentioned above has a stateful firewall built in (stops unauthorised connections from the outside coming in), but even so all attached PC's should have their own firewall software installed (to stop dodgy software from making connections going out) ... all the machines should be running antivirus software as well...

Two free applications that work fine are Zonealarm (use the one without antivirus integrated - you have to pay for that one) and AVG antivirus (free)

Winters

Originally posted by kmick
Speeds were also low at around 100kb

If your on broadband here in Ireland 100kb/s speeds are normal. If you are talking about 100bit/s then that isint the best. You may be minunderstanding the differance between bits and bytes

Dont bother wasting your money on wireless it is a headache.

I have a Netgear WGR614 Wireless Router/Access Point. Very easy to setup and as easy to get the encription/security working on it. Im using 128bit WEP encription and as long as you have the same keys in your wireless devices as are setup in the access point you should be ok. And I do get a nice 54mbit/s form the access point too.

When my broadband modem finally arrives all I need to do is plug it into the routers Internet port and setup its settings and the router will connect to the net etc. when I need.

I will be running about 3 devies though on my network; modem, router/access point and switch. you are probably best to go for the all in one option as they would work out cheaper then getting individual devices and also are easier to setup.

kmick

Originally posted by Winters
If your on broadband here in Ireland 100kb/s speeds are normal. If you are talking about 100bit/s then that isint the best. You may be minunderstanding the differance between bits and bytes

No I meant 100kb/s my wired connection runs at 480kb/s.
No misunderstanding.

My main point is that if you have a real choice between wired and wireless go for wired it trounces wireless in ease of use, speed, security, cost, installation time etc, etc, etc. If you want to surf in the garden fair enough but a lot people have desktops. In my experience wireless does not work consistently or reliably.

JackKelly

unfortunately, a wired connection isn't an option. I think i've decided on going for a all in one, router-dsl modem- acces point. Seems the best option, looking at my options. (Trying to keep the costs fairly low ) i think:

This All in one Router etc
(comes with a laptop card which is perfect, thanks bigeejit)

with an extra one of these

What do we think!? Keeping in mind im using IOL BB. Not sure if that makes the slightest difference.

Thanks a million anyway so far.

Buzz_Irl

Nobody seems to have said anything about the file sharing- which you said you wanted.

I've put a Linksys WAG54G with a Buffalo wireless NIC and a sitecom wireless nic - it was a bit of bother due to thick concrete floors which seem to be re-inforced with metal which is causing weak signal problems- hence the buffalo card.

I am using XP on both PC's but have problems when I go to sub-folders - the system seems to think I dont have permission to use - even though you don't set permissions at sub-folder levels - haven't really spent too much time on - maybe its just me - hope you don;t have similar problems

BTW now putting a Linksys WGA54g to hook up no1 sons Playstation 2 - hope this works !!

BigEejit

I know this will drive the security nuts mental but a fix for your problem may be to turn on netbios and make sure that each machine has the same logged in username and password.

And before people start flaming me for suggesting the turning on of netbios --- this user is using a router/firewall and netbios is non routable anyway ...

BTW now putting a Linksys WGA54g to hook up no1 sons Playstation 2 - hope this works !!

ROFL ... no1 sons playstation .... just how many sons have you!? ...and did you give them names aside from no1, no2, no3?? ..:p