Topic: quick networking question

[thegallery]

I just got a couple laptops for a client, who now wants me to set up a network for them. I don't know much about this stuff (which they understand), so just in case, I ordered the two laptops with a/b/g networking cards built in. They will also have two desktops on the system.

If i get a router, is there any advantage to getting an a/b/g router? Or should I just stick with one of the standards?

Temporarily one of the desktops will actually be 100'+ away, and though nothing may send a signal that far, will there be an advantage to getting an "a" router which may have more range? Or will getting an a/b/g router actually give them access to all three standards at once thereby providing the most flexibility?

Tks

[Sandra]

I have never heard of A only B and G, A must be a very old type with a slow transfer rate  :?
The B standard covers 11 and 22 mbps.
The G does 54 mbps, there are some doing 108 mbps now but I dont know if they are still classed as G as I have only seen one called GT.
They are backwardly compatable so you can connect an 11 mbps card to a 54 mbps router but it will only work at 11 mbps.

I used to think that Wi Fi worked at the same rate whatever the distance from the base station was, as long as it was making the connection.
It turns out that the farther the laptop is from the router then the transfer rate drops.
If you did manage to get a 11 mbps one connecting at that range then the transfer rate would be reduced considerably.
As a G is starting off at a faster rate then that would be the one to go for as that may still have a reasonable connection atthat greater distance.

[Sandra]

A correction to my previous post  

It would appear that people who decide the names for these things dont use the same aplhabet that I was taught  :roll:

802.11b was the first version to reach the marketplace. It is the slowest and least expensive of the three. As mentioned above, 802.11b transmits at 2.4 GHz and can handle up to 11 megabits per second.
802.11a was next. It operates at 5 GHz and can handle up to 54 megabits per second.
802.11g is a mix of both worlds. It operates at 2.4Ghz (giving it the cost advantage of 802.11b) but it has the 54 megabits per second speed of 802.11a.

So you are still better off with a G router as that covers them all
 

[sam]

It would appear that people who decide the names for these things dont use the same aplhabet that I was taught  

do you mean they use greek?

[Sandra]

I did wonder that Sam but isnt Alpha still their first letter  :?

Also wheres Delta gone  :?:

[thegallery]

Greek? or Geek? LOL

Well, it has been an educational experience, though unfortunately I'm not sure what I learned!

I guess that 2.4 is faster and crisper, but the wavelength is shorter and the 'width' of coverage is not as great.

I ended up getting a Belkin  b/g router that somehow is meant to offer greater speed (125mbs) somehow, but I couldn't quite figure out how. If I get anywhere close to 56mbs I'll be happy.

The main thing is I got all the computers set up and online and secured, and internet connection is fantastic. But I couldn't' actually get them networked together just yet, i.e., sharing files and printer. It seems I need to use an USB flash thing to do that easily.

Belkin had yet another router with something called "Pre-N" that is meant to increase coverage area by 600 percent and speed by a staggering number, (if your other devices are also "Pre-N"), but it was a lot more money. I'm hoping my client will be able to access their one laptop from a more distant location with router I purchased. I'll try it in the next couple days. But so far so good.

[Sandra]

If theyre sharing the internet connections there are only a couple of things that can stop it.
The first thing to check is that the firewall is set to enable the LAN to work.
Are all the PCs and Laptops using XP ?
If so just run the network wizard on all of them and select the file and printer sharing option.
You shouldnt need to save the settings to a USB flash drive or to a floppy, just close the wizard at the end of each one and run it on the next PC/Laptop.
Open Network Places and you should see all the other PC/Laptops on the network and each should be accessable from there provided you have set the permissions correctly  

[thegallery]

I did try that and couldn't get any of them to work, so it must be the firewall settings. I should be back over there by the end of the week, and hopefully that will sort it out. Thanks very much.

[sam]

I did wonder that Sam but isnt Alpha still their first letter  Confused

Also wheres Delta gone

Greek alphabet: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta (more)

so the only probably would be caused by that T (but you wasnt sure about that anyway was you?)...

[Reno]

If its a company, then go with the most expensive router with the longest warrenty which boast the easiest setup and take 15 mins to set it up. If its for friend, then buy a walmart brand linksys and keep the receipt in your pocket. If something goes wrong then bring it back. Either way their paying for a router and a few network adapters for the desktops and the setup of a network.

At min you should be charging a couple hundred dollars for services rendered. This may sound a bit heartless, but its practical if you do this sort of thing often.