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[DarthWoo]

Ok, so after bearing with crappy dialup service for a few months after finishing school and leaving the joy of broadband, I'm finally getting one of those cheapo 768k DSL services. I could get FIOS (they certainly wrecked up our lawns and sidewalks enough that they ought to give us a discount), but it's a bit too expensive for now. I've already ordered the DSL service, so it's just a matter of days before it arrives, but there are some things I need to know.

From what I do know, I understand that the DSL modem is just plugged into a regular phone jack. From there, I'm a little hazy, but here are my assumptions. Do you just plug an ethernet cable from the PC into the modem at that point? What is a DSL "filter"?

I'm planning on buying a wireless router (I hear Linksys and Netgear are the best brands) and some wireless adapters for the PCs, as there are multiple PCs in this house. The adapters are just PCI cards, yes? Is there anything special I need to know about buying them? Also, if the modem is plugged into a wireless router, does there have to be any PC physically connected to the modem at all, or can one just turn on any PC in the house at any time, and expect a signal to exist?

How do you know if somebody's leeching your wireless signal?

 

[gollumsluvslave]

I can highly recommend the US Robotics USR9106 ADSL Wireless Router.

http://www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk/Shop/ShopDetail.asp?ProductID=976&CategoryID=80&ShopGroupID=38

It comes with the DSL filter - attach that to your telephone line, then attach the supplied phgone cable from the DSL filter to the DSL modem input - after that it's simply a matter of connecting your PC / Laptop to one of the router ports, and browsing to the routers admin Web Page (you may have to set a static IP address to see it) and setting up security etc...

I have this router and it is rock-solid - allows a extremely large number of connections and has all the features you could need., great for use with pnp apps such as Emule.

 

[Vlad]

I can highly recommend the US Robotics USR9106 ADSL Wireless Router.

http://www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk/Shop/ShopDetail.asp?ProductID=976&CategoryID=80&ShopGroupID=38

It comes with the DSL filter - attach that to your telephone line, then attach the supplied phgone cable from the DSL filter to the DSL modem input - after that it's simply a matter of connecting your PC / Laptop to one of the router ports, and browsing to the routers admin Web Page (you may have to set a static IP address to see it) and setting up security etc...

Uh, don't you have the filter stuff backwards? It's been a while since I've used DSL, but don't you put the filters on all the lines that the computer isn't hooked up to, like the regular phones and such?

From what I do know, I understand that the DSL modem is just plugged into a regular phone jack. From there, I'm a little hazy, but here are my assumptions. Do you just plug an ethernet cable from the PC into the modem at that point? What is a DSL "filter"?

You're exactly right. Phone line goes between wall jack and modem. Ethernet cable goes between modem and PC (or a router). A filter is a little device that you put on each jack that's not going to be using the DSL stuff. So any phone or fax machine that you've got plugged in will need a filter on it. When I had Verizon DSL, it came with about five filters. Four of them were these little dongle-like things that just plugged into the jack, and then you plugged the regular cable into them. One of them was a plate that you could mount to the jack and then mount a hanging phone to.

I'm planning on buying a wireless router (I hear Linksys and Netgear are the best brands) and some wireless adapters for the PCs, as there are multiple PCs in this house. The adapters are just PCI cards, yes?

Yes. They also make USB ones, as well as PCMCIA ones for laptops. We've got a Linksys router, and while it works ok most of the time, it tends to be a little flukey. Every few weeks or so, it just randomly stops working, and we've got to cycle the power on it to get it working again. When it's working, though, it's fine.

Is there anything special I need to know about buying them? Also, if the modem is plugged into a wireless router, does there have to be any PC physically connected to the modem at all, or can one just turn on any PC in the house at any time, and expect a signal to exist?

The big thing to consider is the different protocols. There's an A, B, and G protocol. They're all of varying speeds, and IIRC, some of them are backwards compatible with each other, but I can't remember offhand which ones are with which. Either way, as long as the type of wireless router matches the cards you get, you'll be fine.

You'll need a PC physically connected to the router in the beginning for setup most likely. Our router has an option to allow for wireless clients to change admin options (assuming they know the pw, of course), and it's most likely disabled by default. You can change that option to allow any of the wireless clients to change options, and you won't need any hardwired machines.

And yes, you don't need to have any specific computer turned on to allow access. That's what the router is for .

I had the hardest time getting over that mental hurdle, myself. I had been using Internet Connection Sharing through Windows for the longest time before we got a router, so I kept thinking that I had to turn on one computer for the others to get access, but the router handles all that stuff.

How do you know if somebody's leeching your wireless signal?

The router setup should have a way to view the current clients, so you should be able to see who's on your network at any given time. However, the most important thing to do when you first set up your network (apart from changing the admin password) is to enable the various security features. There's a few main ones:

MAC address filtering: This allows only certain NIC cards (determined by their unique MAC address) on to the network. If a wireless card with a MAC address that's not on the list tries to connect, then it's just not allowed on. Apparently, someone knowledgable enough and determined enough can spoof the address and gain access, but it stops the casual leechers.

Encryption: Our router uses WEP encryption, and there's a newer one out (WAP, i think it's called?) that's supposedly better. You set up the encryption on the router by entering a password which is turned into the encryption key (either 128 or 64 bit). You then set up all the clients with the same password or key which will allow them to connect. Like MAC address filtering, this can apparently be cracked by a determined hacker, but most people won't bother.

 

[DarthWoo]

Thanks for all the advice; it's proving quite helpful. However, now that I'm looking at the prices on routers and adapters, my jaw is dropping quite frequently. I could have sworn that I'd seen great deals on multi-packs of adapters a while ago, back when I didn't need them, but now I see that even while I can get this http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?&ref=cj&pfp=cj&product_code=310155 router for $20 + shipping after rebates, the adapters are nearly as high as the before-rebate price. Is there any cheaper alternative? Or since this is only a 768Kbps connection, and B adapters are apparently compatible with G routers) should I try to find the cheaper B adapters?

 

[DarthWoo]

Actually, I just noticed that the router I linked to says that you can connect to it with wires as well. However, the specs don't seem to say how many ethernet ports it has, or if it has any, or if there's something else I need to get with it to make that work. Does this mean I could connect that router to whatever PC it is in the same room with with a cable, while only needing to purchase a wireless adapter for the PC that is not in the room?

Edit: Frack, just noticed that the damn router I was looking at is only available for pickup, and there are no CompUSAs near here, and the rebate expires tomorrow. Nevertheless, do typical wireless routers also have one or two ethernet jacks in them so that I could physically connect the one PC and only have to buy one adapter?

 

[Vlad]

Actually, I just noticed that the router I linked to says that you can connect to it with wires as well. However, the specs don't seem to say how many ethernet ports it has, or if it has any, or if there's something else I need to get with it to make that work. Does this mean I could connect that router to whatever PC it is in the same room with with a cable, while only needing to purchase a wireless adapter for the PC that is not in the room?

Exactly. That's how we've got our stuff set up. We've got a computer upstairs in the office wired to the router, and a laptop with wireless access. There are routers that are just wireless, so if you do want to do both wired and wireless, keep that in mind.

 

[DarthWoo]

Looked through Newegg (don't know why I didn't think to look there first) and found this one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16833127149

I know it's all subjective, but all of the ratings for it seem positive, and it seems to meet all my needs, so does it look adequate? Also, is it better to have a wireless adapter card with the big antenna, or one of those cards with the PCMCIA slots or whatever this particular router seems to include?

 

[Vlad]

Looked through Newegg (don't know why I didn't think to look there first) and found this one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16833127149

I know it's all subjective, but all of the ratings for it seem positive, and it seems to meet all my needs, so does it look adequate? Also, is it better to have a wireless adapter card with the big antenna, or one of those cards with the PCMCIA slots or whatever this particular router seems to include?

Well, the PCMCIA cards are for laptops, so if you don't have a laptop, then you're going to need to pick up a PCI or USB wireless adapter for whatever computers you want to give wireless access to. Not only that, but you'll most likely be spending extra money for the bundle than you would for just the router itself.

Don't know if the router itself is any good, though.

 

[gblues]

You can stop 99% of all leeching by simply configuring your wireless router not to broadcast the SSID. Most won't leech what can't be seen in the "connect to wireless network" dialog. There are other tools that can be used to find wireless networks even without the SSID being broadcast, and the WEP/WPA features can slow down those users. However, if someone is that determined already, they probably have little qualms with breaking the encryption.

But, at this point you have an actual network intrusion that you can validly prosecute someone for, rather than the stupid "waah he sat in his car and leeched my service" lawsuit in Florida.

Nathan

 

[DarthWoo]

Well, I said no thanks to all the insane price-matching/rebate/coupon scavenger hunts on Anandtech and Fatwallet, and decided to just buy stuff from Newegg. Ordered a Linksys router, and a Netgear Adapter. Hopefully the competing brands don't decide to start bickering once I have them installed. Even after the rebates, this set of stuff will have cost the same as 4 months of DSL service (when adding the $5 FUSF into the total, and the $20 shipping charge for the startup kit but minus the "free" first month). I guess that once I have everything here, it will be all trial and error.

I do have once concern though. I know that line of sight isn't supposed to be an issue at all with wireless, and assuming I put the router in the other room, it's a mere sixty to sixty five feet to my PC here. However, my big bulky Trinitron moniter will be directly between the antenna on the adapter and the router. Would that be likely to create substantial interference? If so, I might just put the router in this room instead, which would make more sense since I use my PC more and so I could handle any technical problems better.

 

[DarthWoo]

Sorry to bring this up again, but I seem to have developed a few new issues, in addition to my unanswered one in my last post. In anticipation of receiving the DSL equipment (which won't arrive until next Wednesday, thanks to the holiday weekend), I went out and bought some DSL filters that I need since the kit only comes with two. I already installed them, but now I notice that whenever I connect via dialup, the connection speed is never as fast as it used to be (caps at anywhere between 28.8 - 45.333kbps as opposed to the 48kbps I usually got). I haven't even installed a filter on the jack in this room, but just one the jacks downstairs. Is that normal?

 

[DarthWoo]

Ok, this should be the last time I bring this thread up except to reply to responses to this part here, I promise.

I think I have everything I need now. I have the Wireless-G router, a Wireless-G PCI adapter, the DSL modem, and all the other things that should go in between. The service won't be started until after 6pm tomorrow evening, unfortunately. The guy on the tech support line told me I should definitely just set up the DSL modem at first, making sure I have a wired connection through my PC, before I do anything with the wireless network, and that sounds sensible. I guess that means I should wait until the proper time, then run the Verizon installer CD, and hook up the modem when it requires.

After that, do I then run the router installer CD, and just unplug things so I can stick the router between the modem and my PC? (I plan to keep the router wired to my PC, and give the adapter to the other PC.) Or can I actually set up the router before it is even hooked up to the modem, and even before the DSL service is started up?

 

[gblues]

When I had Qwest DSL installed, I was able to start my service the day I got my equipment, even though the "official" activation date wasn't for another day or two. The phone company pads the start date so that the techs have time to do the work, but if you have signal you can start whenever you're ready.

Just follow the instructions you got for activation and see what happens. If it errors out, just wait until the official date and try again.

Nathan