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[3phemeral]

Hrm.. I don't have the extra time at work to research this, but considering how I know there are always a few experts on everything here, I had a question concerning the best option for going Wireless Internet.

My brother was able to get his company to pay for Adelphia's premium 4MB Hi-Speed Cable access (no other company provided service in my area), and I wanted to network all the computers in the house wirelessly. I'm not sure of any variables I'm not thinking about that would affect my purchasing decisions other than the fact that the house phone is a 900MHz cordless, so I suppose that'd have some involvement as far as interference is concerned.

Is there anything I'm missing? What would be the best route to go? Cost isn't too much of an issue, I think, because the company is covering the costs, but it'd be nice to post some realistic price-ranges too, just in case. ^_^

Thanks in advance!!

 

[DaCocoBrova]

Why would you want to go wireless w/ the desktop(s)?

Anyway, wireless B/G operates on the 2.4Ghz spectrum, not 900mhz.

IMO, use a router and hard wire rigs that aren't mobile. More bandwidth that way. Use wireless for laptops and more portable computers.

 

[BojTrek]

I would love to go wireless at my house... but I would need the router, the card for the PC and the X-Box wireless hookup... I don't have $200-$400 to do that...

 

[3phemeral]

Well, since I'm not at home for the installation, my brother's taking charge. Unfortunately, another factor is that my mom doesn't want any extra holes to be drilled into the house, so we're left with having to connect the hub to wherever the splitter is at (basement). I asked if we could have the line go directly to my desktop, but that seems to be out of the question considering my mom has the final say.

 

[DaCocoBrova]

Why do people want a wireless XBOX connection? I'll never understand that one.

Get a wireless 802.11G router. They have ports in the back and can accomodate all your wireless connectivity needs. Make sure each work station has a wireless card, configure your network (DHCP, workgroup etc.) and you're done. Make sure to enable WEP also.

 

[3phemeral]

Any specific brands that are more reliable than others?

Part of me wonders if I can extend the cable connection the same way my dad extended the extra phone line. It runs outside, across the wall and through into my room (about 30 feet). Does anyone know if there are any kits I can use, like, a coaxial cable or something? I'm pretty sure once I get home and see the connection I can figure out what components to buy for allowing a direct connection to my desktop. It's a huge waste of a 4MB connection to not have any computer have direct access.

 

[xsarien]

Why do people want a wireless XBOX connection?

Not everyone keeps their consoles close enough to the wired connections that they won't risk tripping on something.

 

[DaCocoBrova]

I'm strictly Linksys. Although some swear by Dlink. Try Linksys first.

They sell desktop PCI cards, laptop PCMCIA and wireless routers as bundles now.

Not everyone keeps their consoles close enough to the wired connections that they won't risk tripping on something.

Well, if a computer is more than 100 feet away, the signal strength would be compromised I'd imagine, but that all depends on the layout of the home. Tripping over sh!t is moot since there's still the power cord, audio, video and controllers.

 

[LinesInTheSand]

Why do people want a wireless XBOX connection? I'll never understand that one.

Get a wireless 802.11G router. They have ports in the back and can accomodate all your wireless connectivity needs. Make sure each work station has a wireless card, configure your network (DHCP, workgroup etc.) and you're done. Make sure to enable WEP also.

Probably because my XBOX is as far away from the router in my house as it could possibly be.

 

[somnific]

linksys, baby. i've been using them for years (can you believe i paid $200+ for a B when they first came out?) for mac, pc and consoles and have never had a problem. i recently just got a G expander - damn slick looking and it will definitely expand your wireless range.

 

[3phemeral]

Wow, seems to be a lot of options:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

WAP54G Wireless-G Access Point

WAP55AG Dual-Band Wireless A + G Access Point

WCG200 Wireless-G Cable Gateway

WET54GS5 Wireless-G Ethernet Bridge with 5-port Switch

WKPC54G Wireless-G Network Kit for Notebooks

WRT54G Wireless-G Broadband Router

WRT54GS Wireless-G Broadband Router with SpeedBooster

WRT55AG Dual-Band Wireless A+G Broadband Router

WRV54G Wireless-G VPN Broadband Router
---------------------------------------------------------------

Hrm... this is the first time I'm trying to put together something like this so I have no idea what I'm doing. What's unecessary/overkill and what's just cheap?

 

[DaCocoBrova]

First of all, G is backward compatible to B. 'A' is only in large enterprise networks, so you need not worry about 'A' anything.

Access Point - Use this is you already have an establised, wired home network. If not, disregard and just get a Wireless G router.

 

[ypo]

Linksys has a model with wired and wireless combined. It's only for B network, but really, that's good enough for home use. It's around 50 bucks.

search for BEFW11S4 on Amazon.com

 

[DaCocoBrova]

54Mbps (theoretical) > 11Mbps no matter how you slice it. They have 54G bundles as well. Since it's not on his dime, get the good stuff.

 

[GONZO]

Go with this and you'll have no worries ever.

http://www.dlink.com/products/?pid=299


i've installed a few 5ghz wireless networks and the clarity of signal is incredible. Dlink has great products and goo customer service should you need it. Although i doubt you ever will. Then just get the cheapest 5ghz pc cards you can get and your in business.

sorry, that's the router.

 

[ypo]

"Since it's not on his dime, get the good stuff."

You are right.

 

[somnific]

Linksys has a model with wired and wireless combined. It's only for B network, but really, that's good enough for home use. It's around 50 bucks.

search for BEFW11S4 on Amazon.com

the WRT54G model (which is G) supports both wired and wireless connections. it's also backwards compatible to B as DaCocoBrova has already pointed out. i've been using this model with both B and G cards with absolutely no problems, networking included.

plus, i'm pretty sure there are 10$ rebates right now for that model at Best Buy, Circuit City, and CompUSA (off from $69.99 iirc).

 

[DaCocoBrova]

What do you mean by 'clarity of the signal'?

 

[3phemeral]

So, on one hand I have this:

DLINK WIRELESS ROUTER 802.11A/B/G 108MBPS DI784 Which Goes for $129.00.

Product Description:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Works With:
Wireless 108Mbps1 Laptop Adapter (802.11a/b/g)
DWL-AG660
Wireless 108Mbps1 Desktop Adapter (802.11a/b/g)
DWL-AG530
Wireless 108Mbps1 Access Point (802.11a/b/g)
DWL-7100AP

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

D-Link, the industry pioneer in wireless networking, introduces another breakthrough in wireless connectivity — the D-Link AirPremierTM AG DI-784 802.11a/g Dualband Wireless Router. This four-port, tri-mode, dualband router provides users with expanded user bandwidth. Wireless clients can connect to this router with a maximum wireless signal rate of up to 108Mbps*.

The DI-784 works simultaneously on both 5GHz and 2.4GHz frequencies, providing unmatched deployment versatility. Since the DI-784 uses both 802.11g and 802.11a, you can share your Internet connection with the widest range of users. The DI-784 is also backwards compatible with 802.11b, so you can easily add it to your existing home, office, school or public hot spot network.

With the addition of D-Link 108AG technology, the DI-784 can achieve wireless speeds with a maximum wireless signal rate of up to 108Mbps* in a pure 802.11g or 802.11a environment which is up to 15x faster than the 802.11b standard. The use of new wireless technology such as Packet Bursting, FastFrame, Compression & Encryption, and Turbo mode provide enough bandwidth to handle video/audio streaming and Video on Demand (VoD applications).

Network administrators can allocate bandwidth based on the different frequency bands. Depending on the number of users on the 5GHz 802.11a or 2.4GHz 802.11g network, an administrator can allocate more or less bandwidth between networking standards. This type of user segmentation optimizes the router's performance and improves network efficiency.

Filters on the router can also be set to restrict access based on the specific MAC addresses of wireless laptop or desktop clients, or restrict the access of IP addresses, specific websites, and/or Web domain names. All of the router's settings are accessible via any Web browser. The Web-based software user interface also features a step-by-step Setup Wizard to get the DI-784 up and running in just a matter of minutes.

* Maximum wireless signal rate derived from IEEE Standard 802.11g and 802.11a specifications. Actual data throughput will vary. Network conditions and environmental factors lower actual data throughput rate.

On the other hand I have this option:

Linksys 802.11g Wireless Router
which goes for $79.99, or $69.99 after rebate.

Product Features:

*Wireless-G networking (54g) allows stepped-up data transfer speeds while maintaining worry-free compatibility with 802.11b networks
*Up to 54 Mbps data transfer rates — almost 5 times more than typical 802.11b rates
*2.4GHz wireless frequency (802.11g- and 802.11b-compliant)
*Compatible with 802.11b networks (at 11 Mbps)
*Share high-speed broadband Internet access plus files and printers among multiple computers, with or without wires
*Built-in 4-port 10/100 Ethernet switch with auto speed sensing
*Capable of up to 128-bit WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) encryption
*Advanced security with NAT technology, VPN pass-through and MAC or IP address filtering
*Ability to act as DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) server for existing network (a new computer can be added to network without manually assigning it a unique IP address)
*Easy browser-based configuration utility
*Product Details
*Interface Slot Type Does not apply
*Auto Detecting Yes
*Auto Sensing Yes
*System Requirements Broadband Internet access
*LAN Connection Wireless
*Wireless Standard 802.11b and 802.11g

Wow, didn't think I'd have to consider so much. Wish I read up on this earlier so all of this wouldn't be so foreign to me. *_*

 

[fart]

i've heard the broadcom chipset based units suck dick. go with the intersil/atheros based units. netgears are intersil, dlinks are atheros. anything that says superG is atheros (ie, netgear superGs are atheros)

if you're not paying for it just get a cisco aironet

 

[ypo]

" which goes for $79.99, or $69.99 after rebate."


I think that's 69.99 before the 2 $10 rebates, so it's 49.99 after rebates. That's damn good price.

 

[Flynn]

Why do people want a wireless XBOX connection? I'll never understand that one.

Because my modem and router is upstars and the XBox is downstairs. Hanging fifty feet of cable down the stair case and around a corner looks ugly.

 

[3phemeral]

Hrm.. $49.99? My brother will be happy, that's for sure. He'll be heading to Best Buy in a few hours to pick up the equipment since he doesn't want to wait for online orders. So, anyway, before he calls me for the info on what to buy, it looks like it's going to be:

Linksys 802.11g Wireless Router

With:

Linksys Wireless 5.0GHz and 2.4GHz Dual-Band A+G Desktop Card

I know ideally it would be best for a direct PC connection (which I plan on figuring out when I get home). I'm sure all it would require is a standard coaxial connection, connected to the router and to my computer. If I'm able to do this, if I buy the router I listed above, I'd have no problems, right?

 

[Great King Bowser]

Someone tell me why wireless routers are more expensive than wireless access points.

I've already got a wired router, and don't really want to replace it with a wireless router. But wtf are access points more expensive?

 

[fart]

sell more routers

 

[3phemeral]

The technican mentioned how the signal degrades when the connection gets further away from the splitter, but if I extend the connection to the splitter 30 feet MAX, it wouldn't do as much damage as going wireless completely, would it?

I guess there's no other opinion on the dlink option. Anyone else have experience with them? ^_^

Your help is really appreciated! ^_^

 

[fart]

i have no idea what the signal loss on the coax is, but i doubt it's that bad. it has to run pretty far just to get to your place. going completely wireless will slow you down, but not so much that the bottleneck won't be your cable connection. unless you do a lot of file transfers over the lan (ie, from a computer in your house to another computer in your house), wireless g should be fine for you (assuming your reception is pretty decent). plus, no wires!

 

[3phemeral]

Hrm... I'll try the direct connection anyway. I can't live with myself knowing I'm losing precious data because of the limitations of wireless. ^_^


One more question -- any adversity towards getting a USB wireless adapter?

And what's the difference between the following?

Wireless-G PCI Adapter

Wireless-G Portable USB Adapter

Wireless-G USB Network Adapter with Speedbooster

Wireless-G USB Network Adapter

I don't see much of a difference between either of these, other than the connection to the PC and/or portability.

 

[fart]

you're not going to lose any data

usb adapters are convenient but they'll be a little slower.

i really have no idea what the brand differences are.

i would go with cheap and convenient personally.