What router?

big_drive

Someone who has a better idea than me may be able to help with this query.


I work in a school and operate in a prefab, there is internet in the room through connecting a cable to back of laptop from the box on wall but we need to get a wireless connection in the room as a couple of special needs children have laptops for specific programmes they use and these programmes need internet to operate correctly


So what router or other equipment do we need for this?


I was looking online but became even more confused

seamus

Who supplies your internet? Is the "box on the wall" literally a socket in the wall, or is it like a small appliance with flashing lights?

If it's the former, then your internet is being supplied from a central location and you must have someone who manages the network in the school for you. Your principal should be able to get you in touch with them. Adding wireless for your room is straightforward enough, but you'd want protections on it to ensure that only those specific kids get access to it and not every kid with a smartphone.

If it's the latter, then it's a modem/router. Any of these obtained in the last five years already have wireless internet, it's just a matter of finding out who your internet provider is.

big_drive

Yes its socket in the wall I should have described it better. So one end of cable in socket, the other in back of laptop.

Is it as simple as getting a router and plugging the cable from socket into that? Will there then be a wireless single in the room?

riclad

http://www.novatech.co.uk/search.html?s=access%20points&#utm_source=affiliatewindow&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=Skimlinks

you,ll need a wifi acess point

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/configuring-a-wireless-access-point.html

there be a web adress like eg 192.168.1.1 to acess wap setup
settings admin page .
go to browser,open up a new tab, put the ip adress into the ip adress bar , eg where website name ,adress is displayed .

get one from a shop .
maplins. pcworld .
its not a standard router.
ask for a wifi acess point . WAP

do not buy a router .

http://www.maplin.co.uk/c/computing-and-office/networking/range-extenders-and-access-points

A DUAL band wap 2.5 and 5 ghz wifi may be useful if you are using
certain phones , apple devices ,
but i dont think it,ll make any difference if you are using say 4-6 laptops
in 1 or 2 room.s .
you, might need the user name and password of the school router
to connect the wap to the network.

When i got a router ,for web acess ,
i had to put in the username password in once from the browser , to activate the
router to provide web acess from the ethernet ports via ethernet cables .
on wifi phones ,laptops ,
i have to put in the wifi key once for ,in each wireless device .
this is different from the username password for the wap
or the username password for the router.

see wap manual for the wifi security key , usually on a label underside of the wap device .

http://www.tp-link.com/en/faq-417.html

you may need the ip adress
and subnet mask
of the main router ,
where you get the inter from .
ie where your web acess comes from,
to set up the wap ,to connect the wap to the main router.

Any wap with 2.4ghz will be fine so maybe buy the cheapest one from maplins or pcworld .

try 192.168.2.1 to acess the main router ,
or google model name ip adress ,
eg linksys modle 560k ip adress .

i had to google my router name to find to main setup ip adress

you connect the wap to the main router by plugging in an ethernet cable

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pw8qaomfcTg


set up a wap wireless acess point
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seaYiX3pyUM

Post here if you have any more questions .
SEE the wap manual to get the wap ip adress setup page, will be something like 192.168.1.25 .
it, gives you acess to the wap setup admin page from any browser from a pc or laptop or phone .
the wap seup admin adress will be different than the ip adress for the main router ,usually .


YOU need a wap , a wifi acess point , a router is of no use to you .

A wap has one connection point at the back for connection of an ethernet cable to connect to the main net router.
the video above explains how to set up a wap and connect it to the router via ethernet cable ,
and set up all the wifi security settings from a browser .


http://www.cables.ie/flat-cat-6-utp-ethernet-cable.html

rj45 ethernet cable connects the wap to the Main internet router .

if the main web router has wifi web acess enabled ,and is within 15-20 ft try putting in the main router wifi key ,
click on ssid, eg school network,enter wifi key, eg 3452HRS54
if there,s at least 2 bars on the laptops in the wifi network icon in the system tray, bottom right of the screen in windows 7, windows vista .
2bars =good signal quality.

big_drive

Thanks for such a comprehensive reply and information

riclad

The security wifi key for the wap ,
is nothing to do with the username ,
and password required to acess the main router ,
which you are using at the moment .
IT,ll be written down on a label on the wap ,or else will be in the wap manual
under wifi security settings .
the wap ip adress .Web page for acess point admin setup will be listed in the manual ,
you can connect to the wap thru wifi ,whether its connected to the main router or not .
IE Just turn on the the wap, wait 1-2 minutes and connect thru its wifi signal.