Re: Again, thanks!
- From: Garner Miller <garner@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 07 Feb 2006 16:12:35 GMT
In article <u1139285920@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, greetingcardlady
<bklane1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I will take the links you have provided and do my research.
Glad I could help; I know it's a firehose of information. :-)
I currently have DSL with my "historical" iMac. I plan to keep the
iMac up and running (as long as it will) with the DSL modem hooked
up. Now, what do I need to purchase? The Airport Express? I'm a
little confused here...even with your very detailed
explanation...sorry.
OK, in that case, you almost certainly will need a box called a
"router." Your DSL box probably only has a single plug coming out, and
it's connecting to your single iMac. So you need something to "split"
the connection, both physically (with multiple plugs), and logically,
meaning you need to fool your DSL provider into thinking you're still
just using a single computer, since that's all you're paying them for.
A router will accomplish both these tasks.
Basically, a router will look just like a telephone splitter -- one
plug (probably labeled "WAN") will plug into your DSL box, and the
other plug(s) will go to your computers. Here's an example of a
router:
http://www.netgear.com/products/details/RP614.php
They're pretty cheap; you can find them for around $20-30. However...
this device requires an ethernet cable going to every computer,
including the iBook -- it's a *wired* router. And you mentioned this:
I definitely want to be able to go room-to-room
with it...even outside on my patio would be nice!
And in that case, you need something called a *wireless* router. It
does exactly what I described above, but instead of multiple plugs in
the back, it offers a wireless signal instead. Apple calls it
"Airport," others call it "WiFi" or "802.11g or b," but it's all the
same thing. It's a way of doing networking through the air. (And
multiple computers can share that same signal, if needed.)
Simply put, it's as if you're plugged into that router, but without the
wire tying you down. And you'll be able to go a couple hundred feet
away from the little transmitter plugged into your DSL box -- such as
out on the porch -- without dragging the thick ethernet cable with you.
The Apple Airport (Express and Extreme) base stations are examples of
Wireless routers. You plug them into your DSL box, and they'll
broadcast a wireless signal that your iBook will be able to use to get
on the internet.
The iMac is where things get complicated, because it needs a wired
connection. So you need a box that will do BOTH of the above.
Fortunately, they're very common.
The Apple Airport Extreme will do what you need. It will broadcast the
wireless signal for your iBook, and has a second plug in the back for
you to hook into your iMac. It's a little pricey, but it's very easy
to set up. Note that it'll only support a single wired computer
(without buying more stuff), but it sounds like that's all you need.
The Airport Express will *not* do what you need, because it doesn't
have that extra jack for the iMac. So I'd pass on that one.
The Airport Extreme's price of $199 is what kept me from buying one.
(Well, that, and the fact that I needed more wired ports as well.) If
you want to save money (but possibly introduce a little more work
getting it set up), you can get one of the many third-part base
stations, which will do the same thing, but aren't quite as easy to set
up.
If you want to go that route, I'd recommend something like this:
<http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=136493&ei
d=uehRebTWiCPHMzM>
If that link's too long, try this: http://tinyurl.com/dh3mg
There are many good brands. I've had rotten luck with D-Link, and
LinkSys won't provide *any* support if you tell them you're using a
Mac. Other than that, most brands have been fine in my experience.
What do you mean by [the Airport Express] being portable?
It's physically very small, so you can throw it in your suitcase when
you're going on a trip, and make a wireless network out of a hotel
room's internet connection. I'm a pilot by trade, so I take it with me
for those hotels that offer wired, but not wireless, internet
connections. Because I don't want to be tied to the desk in a hotel,
either.
If you're not planning on making a network out of your hotel room, you
probably don't need that portability. :-)
Unfortunately, all of my peers are Windows users. They cannot
understand why in the world I want to use a Mac.
Ask them how much time they spend in a week wrestling with viruses,
spyware, antivirus subscriptions, incompatible hardware, etc. That's
why *I* use a Mac! As you said, the pros far outweigh the cons, by
far.
Hope that helps! Let me know if any of it's unclear.
--
Garner R. Miller
Clifton Park, NY =USA=
http://www.garnermiller.com/
.
- References:
- Thanks, Garner!
- From: greetingcardlady
- Again, thanks!
- From: greetingcardlady
- Thanks, Garner!
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