Topic: Wireless Networks....

[DJ]

Hi All,

Hopefully i'll be getting broadband in early next year (when the exchange gets activated) and when I do I'll be looking at setting up a wireless home network so i can share internet connection.

I think Clive has had one set up recently (might be wrong though!?) and was wondering how exactly they work and are they any good??

Questions I need answering:

Do I just need a PCI card for my desktop and a PCMCIA card for my laptop in order to share broadband connection ? (Desktop runs Win ME and laptop runs WinXP - is this ok?)

How far does the connection extend (in length so I can use my laptop around the house).

Can I still use firewalls (Zone Alarm at moment) or will these need to be disabled ?

Relative costs of hardware?

Any opinions on such set-ups - Good or bad experiances...

So many questions !!, cheers for all your help

DJ1UK.

[Clive]

Yes, I have two desktop machines and networked together, and a Mac laptop which has Airport installed.  The wireless router I bought is the Vigor 2600 We and can be seen at  http://www.seg.co.uk/  They are imported amd you may have to pre-order it so don't leave it until the last minute if that is the router you intend to buy.

I can, in all honesty, tell you that it works very well indeed, and the laptop works everywhere in the house and hopefully the garden too if we have nice weather next summer.    The distance from my router to the conservatory is around 30 ft.  

It has a built in firewall and I use Zone Alarm for extra protection.  I've found that a couple of Yahoo websites don't work unless I disable Zone Alarm to view them, but they represent a very small fraction of my surfing.  As soon as I view them I just immediately enable ZA again.

The total;cost of the router was £273.78 inc VAT but bear in mind it has its own modem so you don't need to buy a separate one.

My experience of the system has been much much better than I anticipated and there have been few problems.  All 3 computers are now running broadband simultaneously with an "always on connection".

Adept will have to answer the network question because he installed it for me. So just to remind him I'll leave that bit in my reply.


Do I just need a PCI card for my desktop and a PCMCIA card for my laptop in order to share broadband connection ? (Desktop runs Win ME and laptop runs WinXP - is this ok?)

[DJ]

Cheers for the quick response and all your info Clive.

Didn't cost as much as expected either - so hoepfully when broadband comes to this neck of the woods, I'll set up a wireless network and be free to surf on my laptop around my house.  

DJ1UK

(That last bit didn't come out as expected.  Surf on the internet on my laptop not use it as a surf board - oh it doesn't matter!!)

[Simon]

(That last bit didn't come out as expected.  Surf on the internet on my laptop not use it as a surf board - oh it doesn't matter!!)

You beat someone to that one DJ1UK!!  Glad to see you're getting used to things round here!!  

[Adept]

Adept will have to answer the network question because he installed it for me. So just to remind him I'll leave that bit in my reply.


Do I just need a PCI card for my desktop and a PCMCIA card for my laptop in order to share broadband connection ? (Desktop runs Win ME and laptop runs WinXP - is this ok?)

Aw Clive, you were doing so well too. I thought I was going to be redundant then  

Hi DJ1UK  

The type of network card you need depends on whether you will connect your Desktop machine by wire or whether you want to be completely wireless.

If you want completely wireless connections you will require a PCMCIA wireless networking card for the laptop and a PCI adapter plus PCMCIA wireless card for the Desktop. Manufacturers are only just getting around to releasing all-in-one PCI wireless network cards, so these may well be available by the time you come to purchase.

PCMCIA wireless cards cost anything from about £40-£100 and PCI Adapters cost from about £17-£40.

You can actually buy cheaper routers than Clive's, but the Vigor is generally held to be by far the best 8)

[DJ]

:hi: Thought i'd update this post aswell...

I am looking for some examples, recent prices to set up the following..

1) Connect a PC to a laptop completely wirelessly (ie no network cable between pc and laptop)

2) Able to share files, printers etc over network.
3) Able to share internet and broaband (if it comes) over the network.

I am right in assuming i need..

1) A PCMCIA card for my laptop (e.g. HERE)

2) A Wireless router and modem (e.g. HERE)
(or a wireless PCI card and seperate ADSL modem)

If someone could give further examples with a range of prices - eg Cheapest option > average prices, it would be a great help and I'll start saving !!

Thanks again

DJ1UK

[Clive]

I think Adept is best qualified to provide an answer to thisone DJ1UK.

[Adept]

I think Adept is best qualified to provide an answer to thisone DJ1UK.

OK Clive I can take a hint :damn:

You are right in your assumptions DJ 8) If memory serves me right you are looking at between about £40-£100 for a PCMCIA wireless card and between about £100-£300 for a wireless router.

If you have more than one PC, the wireless PCI card and ADSL modem is probably the cheapest option (about £80) but it also means that one PC has to be on for the other one to be able to access the 'Net.

[DJ]

Cheers for th quick response.

I'll start saving now then!  If I buy a Wireless PCI card (for Desktop PC) and PCMCIA card (for laptop) to connect my just now, will I be able to just add the ADSL modem at a later day (if broadband comes ) and use Broadband through this wireless network on my laptop ?  

Also anyone give me some examples of pci/pcmcia cards or combined kits that are good value or recommeded ?  

Also if i set up this network now will i be able to share my exisiting dial-up internet conection over it?

I only have one Desktop and one laptop.  It doesn't matter about the PC being on all the time - it usually is!

DJ1UK

[DJ]

:hi:

Been having a look around and come up with the following wish list:

ADSL Wireless Router (inc modem):
Netgear DG824M at £139.61 ex vat SEE HERE

PCMCIA Wireless Card:
Netgear MA401 at £29.96 ex vat SEE HERE

Is this all I need to set up a wireless network and share broadband? and will it work as a wireless network just now without broadband ?

If anyone has any past experiance / comments on the above items - please let me know!

Cheers for all your help

DJ1UK

(PS - A Family member has a PCworld Business account).

[Adept]

I know them both well DJ and recommend them both

I often recommend Netgear kit as it is well built and sells at a reasonable price.

Don't forget that you'll need a network card in your desktop machine

[DJ]

Don't forget that you'll need a network card in your desktop machine

Just a normal PCI network card I take it? I've already got one in, so things should be OK.

If i buy the kit just now, will it work as a wireless network without broadband?

Cheers

[Adept]

Just a normal PCI network card I take it? I've already got one in, so things should be OK.

If i buy the kit just now, will it work as a wireless network without broadband?

Yup and old 10/100 card will do

I'm 99% certain that it will work as a WLAN without BB.

[Hitch]

OK heres one for ya, never played with wireless so i need to check my facts first plz.

I have 2 desktops and 1 laptop, i have xover but this aint doing it anymore due to extra desktop.

Is this all i need:

http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/index.html?action=c2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X292ZXJ2aWV3&product_uid=27454 for desktops

and

http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/index.html?action=c2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X292ZXJ2aWV3&product_uid=23667 for laptop

Bout £112 for lot

[Adept]

Yup Hitch, 2xUSB for the desktops and 1x PC-Card for the laptop will give you a nice little workgroup

You may (or may not) want to know that 802.11b 11Mbits equipment should be getting cheaper shortly, as it is phased out in favour of the new faster 802.11g 54Mbits standard.

Edit: forgot to mention; NetGear is nice kit too  8)