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How to set up a home wireless network? by alegator on 05-25-2005 at 02:29 PM

I want to set up a wireless network in my home. I have 2 laptops with wireless capability and 2 PC's. What hardware do I need to buy and what settings do I have to set in WinXP to make it all work? Also, in case the signal is weak or nonexistent far away from the "transmitter" how can I solve that? Thanks.

RE: How to set up a home wireless network? by saralk on 05-25-2005 at 02:45 PM

you can do it without any extra hardware, just go on one of the PCs and run the network set-up wizard. It will ask you to do some stuff, and put a file on a memory stick for you, then you just put the memory stick in all the PCs you want to conenct to the netowkr, then click next and it will set it up.

However, if you want to have a network that works of only 2 of the PCs are turned on, you need to get a wireless router. Which all the PCs connect to.

What type of internet connection do you have? (i.e. ADSL, cable etc...)

RE: How to set up a home wireless network? by alegator on 05-25-2005 at 02:49 PM

I currently have a broadband cablemodem internet connection connected to one of the PC's. I assume I need wireless network cards for the PC's and a wireless router? Also, in case the signal is weak in some areas of the house, should I add a repeater? If so, which one? Thanks.

RE: How to set up a home wireless network? by RaceProUK on 05-25-2005 at 03:42 PM

Yes you will need wireless cards for the PCs, but you can get away without a wireless router.
On the machine with the modem attached, just use the wizard to set that up as an 'access point'. All the other machines should then network with that machine.

The problem is, if you do this, that one PC will need to be on all the time. A wireless router would avoid that, as you attach the modem to the router instead.

Post again if you'd like a quick sketch or two ;)

RE: How to set up a home wireless network? by Stigmata on 05-25-2005 at 03:47 PM

http://web.belkin.com/Wizard/NetWiz/?cid=6

this is what i used..

RE: How to set up a home wireless network? by alegator on 05-25-2005 at 05:41 PM

Thanks everyone for their feedback!

RE: How to set up a home wireless network? by .blade// on 05-25-2005 at 05:44 PM

Well there are ways to get around buying a wireless router, but a wireless router is cheaper than 2 wireless cards, or even a wireless card and a 2nd NIC for 1 of your wierless cards and it's a lot less hastle. It would be best to go:



Modem
|
wired PC - WiFi Router - Wired PC


Wireless Laptop  Wireless Laptop



Then you'd just go "Start" > "Control Panel" > "Network Setup Wizard" and follow the steps.


You can pick up a decent 802.11B Wireless Router for around $30 if you know where to look (which is all you need for online because I doubt your connection tops 11mbps anyways :P) and an 802.11G router for around $50-$60. If you REALLY want to get those speeds up there you COULD get an 802.11a/i/n/z router but atm it's not worth it.
RE: How to set up a home wireless network? by Striker on 05-25-2005 at 10:04 PM

just remember to secure your wireless router.. a lot of people fail to do this and their neightbours leach off their bandwidth and steal information transmited over the wireless..

RE: How to set up a home wireless network? by alegator on 05-26-2005 at 04:01 AM

Striker, what is the procedure to secure the wireless router and prevent those undesired events?

RE: How to set up a home wireless network? by Striker on 05-26-2005 at 05:36 AM

i dont know how much you know about wireless, but i searched for some articles
http://www.dslwebserver.com/main/fr_index.html?/m...cure-wireless.html
that one isn't to bad
use WPA if possible instead of WEP
and ya.. that article says a lot

RE: How to set up a home wireless network? by Nathan on 05-26-2005 at 06:53 AM

This is were Apple Mac comes in.
The only decent thing on Mac is that Setting up wireless Network is dead easy! :O

RE: How to set up a home wireless network? by Striker on 05-26-2005 at 07:01 PM

well its not so much setting up a connection on your computer for the wireless.. its setting up the wireless router properly

RE: How to set up a home wireless network? by Concord Dawn on 05-26-2005 at 07:09 PM

It's better to get a router IMO, because then you can have the router always on and you don't need to have the computer always on. Also, the router is dedicated to it's task, while the computer will be affected by it's CPU speed and NIC. I'd go for the router, and if you're worried about low signal strength go for one that supports 802.11g. 802.11b is a weaker signal because it operates at a lower frequency. 802.11g will give you a better connection and higher speed. (54mbps for g vs. 11mbps for b)

RE: How to set up a home wireless network? by yxk on 05-11-2006 at 02:03 AM

I am not a good person for a wireless network.
Please tell me how easy to set up a wireless network and what hardware and software do I need.
Thank s

RE: How to set up a home wireless network? by Adeptus on 05-11-2006 at 03:45 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Concord Dawn
It's better to get a router IMO, because then you can have the router always on and you don't need to have the computer always on.
I second that.  Use a router.  Not depending on the PC to be always on is just one reason; a router is a better solution in many ways.

I don't think anyone else has pointed this out yet and it may be obvious, but there's no reason to make everything wireless.  At least one of your desktop computers is close enough to the modem to connect with a cable now; you can keep it that way (but connect it to the router). 

Depending on where the second desktop computer is located, you may want to connect it wired as well.  If that wouldn't be convenient, choose an internal wireless card only if it has a detached antenna (separate from the card and connecting to it with a cable); otherwise go with a USB one.  There are many cheap PCI wireless cards on the market that have a short antenna fixed to the card and sticking out the back of your computer.  That is not a very good idea -- computer cases are usually made of metal and effectively shield the antenna from one side.
quote:
Originally posted by Concord Dawn
I'd go for the router, and if you're worried about low signal strength go for one that supports 802.11g. 802.11b is a weaker signal because it operates at a lower frequency. 802.11g will give you a better connection and higher speed. (54mbps for g vs. 11mbps for b)
Just to nitpick, for those concerned with such technical detail: the above statement requires correction. 

Both 802.11b and 802.11g operate on the same exact frequencies in the 2.4GHz band.  802.11g achieves higher speeds by using a different modulation method.

The standard that actually operates at a higher frequency (5GHz) is 802.11a.  However, this does not result in better signal penetration indoors, but exactly the opposite: in the microwave range, higher frequencies are more readily absorbed by matter.
quote:
Originally posted by alegator
Also, in case the signal is weak in some areas of the house, should I add a repeater? If so, which one?
Don't worry about that until you have to.  Unless you live in a palace or have metal walls, any basic router will easily cover an entire house.

If you believe this may be an issue, I'd recommend looking for older versions of Linksys routers (still left on the store shelves here and there), for which you can get third party firmware and optional high gain antennas.
RE: RE: How to set up a home wireless network? by rav0 on 05-11-2006 at 09:32 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Concord Dawn
if you're worried about low signal strength go for one that supports 802.11g. 802.11b is a weaker signal because it operates at a lower frequency. 802.11g will give you a better connection and higher speed. (54mbps for g vs. 11mbps for b)
That's incorrect, like Adeptus stated. 802.11b isn't a weaker signal than 802.11g. 802.11b doesn't operate on lower frequencies than 802.11g. 802.11g will give higher speeds than 802.11b. 802.11g won't necessarily give you a "better" connection, whatever that means.
RE: How to set up a home wireless network? by Reaper on 05-11-2006 at 10:23 AM

Presuming you are using Windows XP, I used this link, from Microsoft which helped me with my connection. Works perfectly for me. Its a step by step guide on how to set up a network without a router.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networki...man_02april08.mspx

RE: How to set up a home wireless network? by nynurse1 on 05-19-2008 at 12:33 PM

hiya.....
i have time warner cable

i just have a laptop

i want to set up a router so that i can work on it anywhere in the house but do not have a pc.

does anyone know how i would go about this?

thanks tons for your help in advance:)

nynurse1

RE: How to set up a home wireless network? by tony on 05-19-2008 at 01:06 PM

It would be the same thing, modem > router > laptop

in some cases the router already comes with the wireless radio on, so you just have to join into the network, if it's secure you will have to look for the key and most of the times its printed in the unit itself or on the box.

RE: How to set up a home wireless network? by nynurse1 on 05-19-2008 at 10:56 PM

thank you so much for replying so quickly!