I've got a question about sharing an internet connection over a wireless network. The laptop that I'm on, it's the only one in the house that has a internet cable modem. I've been thinking about going wireless for the freedom it gives me, I'd like to be downstairs with the family instead of locked up in my cubbyhole to use the net. I figured all I needed was a wireless router, and a wireless card for my laptop and I'd be all set. But now, we're going to put our old desktop PC in the other room, and I'd like that comp. to have internet access as well. So, could I use a wireless router, with a card for my laptop, and a card for the desktop to share the same internet connection?? How would I hook this thing up? Cable -> cable modem -> wireless router? I'd like to keep the router in the same room that I use the laptop in, as I've got all my other electronic stuff in here too. Would my laptop have to be on for the desktop to use the internet connection, or would the router be able to handle that on it's own?? I'm clueless on this networking & wireless stuff, I'm still stuck in the days when DOS was king (and in my mind, the coolest ever!!)

 

Cable modem goes into the wireless router and have a wireless network card (NIC) for the laptop and the desktop. Wireless cards for the laptop will be different from the one for the desktop, but work the same.

Being that the wireless router will be upstairs and you will be using both downstairs you MIGHT need and access point (kinda like an amplifier) downstairs. but I would try without first.

Hook up:

Cable -> cable modem -> wireless router and the wireless NICs talk to the wireless router.

 

Correct.... but the wireless router is considered to be an access point. It typically has a range of about 300 ft and your bandwidth (speed) is determined by the distance your device is from an access point. If you can run an ethernet (RF-45) cable to your desktop machine it will be faster and more secure. Most routers have a 3 or 4 port switch you can connect more machines up to. Which brings up another point.... after getting it all set up and working make sure to set up encryption or someone could sit outside your house and get on to your wireless network.

 

Not sure where you live, but if you have neighbors close by you may want to setup the security features of your wireless setup. Latest way to get free internet, or use someone elses connection for nefarious reasons, is to hitch onto someones unencrypted wireless access point.

 

Good point about the security aspect!! I'll defiantly look into some encryption once I get things working. How much of a loss in bandwidth are we talking about if, say, I'm downstairs and the router is upstairs?? Even if I'm in the same room as the router, will I expect to see the same speeds as if I'm hooked up directly to the cable modem??

I remember seeing a homemade bandwidth snatcher using a coffee can on TechTV many moons ago. I've got an uncle who's an electrical engineer that says a big problem lately is that major department stores are sending out sales info over a wireless network, totally unsecured!!

 

hahahahahaha "when DOS was king" now that's funny DOS was never king of anything... it was, at best, a red-headed stepchild that was written for a cheaper class of processors and was therefore more available to the public... Unix and the various mainframe OS flavors have been around MUCH longer. Even today, the large majority of servers run Unix or Linux rather than Windows. Microsoft was smart enough (this is debateable) to make Windows useable by those who previously had no business using a scientific calculator, much less a computer. When DOS was commercially available, and before the advent of Windows (which of course ran on DOS), MacOS was much more common, and there were many different operating systems that most people have never heard of... Windows changed all that. It's written to be so dumbed-up that it develops problems very easily. For some reason now people assume that if your work is computer-related, that you would be happy to troubleshoot whatever issue they're currently having with their Windows-based machine. Now that's irritating.... ugh ok I know I went off on a tangent there, but I needed to vent :-)

Anyway, just follow the advice above and you should have an easy time of networking your systems. If your Wireless router is fairly new (at least 802.11g), you won't need an additional access point. Just be sure to define a WEP key and use your router's built-in DHCP server. That will make everything easier.

-Josh

 

your cable modem is very slow in comparison to your network, so the bottleneck will be at the modem, not in the wireless network. Worst case scenario, an older wireless router will reduce the speed to below that of the modem, in order to reach farther, and you *might* see a tiny difference in bandwidth. For the most part, if you're using current equipment, you won't see any reduction in bandwidth.

-Josh

 

Most wireless access points are unencrypted !!!
WAP encryption is NOT a guarantee that you won't be hacked as the WEP encryption is crackable too , but it will slow a hacker down , also on a domestic network it will take awhile , days even to break it. But still be carefull .

Change the SSID also .
Also change the access login and password .

All the wep encryption is pretty usless if someone just walks in and has admin rights on it :-)

That's a bit harder to do if the default SSID , admin , and password are changed and secure !

As for speed , depend's on the house construction . Here it's mostly block construction, you guy's use timber frame , so there should be minimal loss . But the further you go the bigger the loss.

Me id hook up the desktop by cable and laptop WIFi , you can use the desktop for bigger downloads.

But just for browsing and stuff , not much in it !!

And it's the greatest thing since sliced bread ,i love it !!!

Good luck

 

I've got the cable modem/ wireless router with laptop/desktop set up here at the house. Works well. The 300 ft distance standard must be under ideal conditions, but even with a weak signal it works fine. The nice thing is you can install the modem and router out of the way, in a closet, and not have to look at it. I need to move mine more toward the center of the house. When I have to laptop at the other end, I'll lose signal sometimes for a few seconds. I imagine if I lived in an apartment a neighbor could steal service, but the way my house is - they would have to be pretty hard up.