Re: what do i need to wirelessly network my house
- From: Rich <rich@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 30 Jul 2006 14:17:33 GMT
On 30 Jul 2006 03:48:23 -0700, "bob" <robbenevs@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
hi i am looking to wireless network my house and i do not know what
equipment i will need can some one please help
well, in very basic terms you need a broadband internet connection
(you CAN do wireless with a dial-up but it's pretty convoluted), a
wireless router and a wi-fi card for your PC(s).
there may not be a prototypical wi-fi setup but the folks i am
personally acquainted with have systems like this:
- the broadband (DSL, cable) signal enters the home and terminates in
a broadband modem.
- the broadband modem feeds (via cat 5 cable) a 4-port wireless
router. the wireless router is actually one device that performs
several functions. you can attach up to 4 computers to it, again via
cat 5 cable. it will also transmit a signal enabling a properly
equipped PC to detect the signal, establish a connection with the
router and then connect to the broadband modem for internet access.
- their desktop pc is usually connected to the router via cable since
the desktop is normally set up near the broadband modem and router.
those that also have a laptop connect via wi-fi.
other things to consider:
- to connect your PC via cat 5 cable to the router your PC must have
an ethernet card (sometimes called a NIC - network interface card) in
it. most computers sold within the past few eyars, desktops and
laptops, have these cards as standard equipment. the connector will
look like an oversized phone jack. this is called an RJ-45 connector.
- to connect your PC via wi-fi you'll need a wi-fi card. desktop PCs
usually do NOT come equipped with wi-fi cards but they can be
purchased (relatively cheaply). many laptops come with built-in wi-fi
cards either as standard or optional equipment. again, cards can be
purchased for not a lot of bucks.
- there are 3 wi-fi 'standards'. they're refered to as 802.11b,
802.11g and 802.11n. the numbers refer to standards established by
the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers). the
letters (b,g,n) basically refer to different speeds and modes. thus
all cards carrying the label 802.11g are the same.
- you won't find anyone, other than on e-bay) selling 802.11b cards
anymore...kind of like walking into Best Buy and asking for a BetaMax
VCR. and the 802.11n standards are still being debated so I would
avoid buying a card that ONLY received the 'b' signal or any 'n'
equipment, at least for now. a true 'n' standard will eventually
emerge. the card that most folks have is a combo card called
802.11b/g. this permits you to connect to public wi-fi spots that may
still be using the older 'b' standard as well as to routers that are
using the newer 'g' standards.
- there are many consumer grade wireless routers on the market.
linksys, neatger, d-link, US Robotics and others make them. costs run
from $30-$100, depending on this and that. DON'T select a wireless
router based on price or what's on sale and the local mega-mart. do
some research. learn what the features are. talk with friends who
have set up wireless networks for their recommendations. prowl the
USENET, yahoo and google groups to try and get a sense of what
problems folks are running into involving which products. take your
time and make an informed decision. i did research for many weeks
before i made my choice and thart research paid off as the result was
a flawless install and configuration with no network problems.
- you're also going to wonder about security. can anyone else
connect to my network? can they steal my data? can they do harm to
my system? most wireless routers will have security settings to make
that hard to harder to virtually impossible. there are also settings
in your PC that you should consider making. do a google search on PC
security, wi-fi security, etc. and you'll get tons of information.
there are all sorts of variations on the 'typical setup' but what i've
described comes pretty close to typical. i've also generalized a bit
but with some effort, good research and asking quesitons you'll get a
good grasp of the issues and process.
good luck.
73,
rich, n9dko
.
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