Wireless question

Alkers

I currently connect to the web through my other pc using a long ethernet cable and the other pc has two NICs and I connect via shared web connection. This means the other pc is always on. The + is I can share files/printers etc between the pcs. The problem is the cable is old and the connection keeps dropping. I want to go wireless. This pc has a wireless connection but the other doesn't. Am I better off gettting a wireless router or do I just need a wireless NIC for the other pc? I'd like to be still able to communicate between the two pcs.
Thanks for any help/reccomendations.

irlrobins

You could go either route. You could get a second wireless card for other PC and create a wireless ad hoc network between it and first PC. You would still need to use ethernet cable for internet (if I've understood your set up right).

Easier way would be to get a router and a wireless card. More efficent and easier to get up and running. PC World had an offer on recently for Linksys router and wireless card (USB) for 80e. Bargain and the linksys router WRT54G is the best out there. See if you can pick up one.

andy1249

You have to bave at least one wireless router , how are you connected to the net on the other PC , is it an ADSL modem ,and if so is there a router included ?, sometimes there is .

If not you need a router , use that on the permanent connection ( the one you run a network cable to now) , and the use the wireless NIC in the other PC that you already have to connect to the router and that should be that.
Its a wireless network router which means that you can share anything on that network , so the only difference between you setup now and the new wireless one will be that there are no wires!!

A router should be no more than 60 -70 euros from Komplett.

Alkers

Yeah, both are wired at the moment, one to the modem and the other pc connects to that pc. So if I get a wireless router I can plug that into the modem and then have both the pcs get the web from that (with a wireless NIC) and still have the printer/files shared wirelessly?

andy1249

Yes that is correct , you have a few choices , You can leave one PC connected to router ,or you can set up the router and then just leave it connected to the modem , The router will have to be connected to at least one PC for a short time to set it up , this takes maybe an hour , after that all the needs to be connected to it is the modem.

Then any PC with a wireless NIC can talk to the router and to any other PC providing of course that you have set up sharing , which you must have already done as you already had a wired network.

irlrobins

andy1249 wrote:

to set it up , this takes maybe an hour

an hour??? What useless router have you set up that took an hour???

andy1249

Ah the curse of the technically trained , always underestimating the time it takes to complete a job ,
irlrobins should take note of the tone of the OP ( not an expert ) and the nest of cables mentioned therein , not just the time it takes you ( who probably has done it before ) to type in the IP and adjust the settings ,

We are taking about cleaning up a ****load of cables , Physically installing the router , changing whatever settings need to be changed , checking file sharing utilities on each computer , and lets say , a small file transfer between each unit to see if its working !!

About an hours work I would say , and i'm probably not allowing enough time either !!
Thats the kind of useless router I have !
Id say your timekeeping is rubbish , is it ?

irlrobins

andy1249 wrote:

Id say your timekeeping is rubbish , is it ?

Actually my time keeping is excellent. Ya cheeky so and so!

Fair enough, I take your point that the whole operation might take a bit of time. But your post indicated that the configuring of the router's settings would take an hour alone, and that was what I was questioning. Should take only a few mins to enter the settings in. The physical setup is a different matter.

And I wouldn't call Simona1986 a newb. Look at that nerdy sig!!!

Alkers

Haha, cheers lads.
I'll have a look and see if I can find anything second hand before I buy anything.
The pc I have atm is 802.11g - I asume backwards compatibility?
I'd like to have as fast a transfer rate as possible between pcs but the router itself only needs to be able to handle my broadband.
Not a newb when it comes to pcs but I haven't gone near wireless before;)

irlrobins

yea g is backwards compatible with b devices. A g wireless card connected to a b router will only connect at 11mbps max.

For file transfers between PCs you want to get an all g system (faster the better obviously). Most manufacturers have propreity modes that allow faster speeds than the 54mbps offered by g. But you will need to have all your equipment from one manufacturer for this normally. b speeds are more than enough when it comes to internet connections.

Alkers

Sorry one more question. If I get a b router and a g NIC for the other pc, will both pcs be able to interface with each other @54Mbit and with the router @ 11Mbit? In otherwords does all the traffic have to go through the router or can it just go from one pc to the other?

irlrobins

traffic is routed thru router AFAIK so limited to b speeds

_CreeD_

Bear in mind a router is only supposed to regulate traffic between networks (Ie. between your LAN and Internet), not devices on the same lan. On a wired network home routers usually have a Switch component to handle traffic between hosts on the LAN. I'm curious myself as to whether the hosts would still effectively operate in Adhoc mode/speeds in this case or does a wireless router in a way demand they work through it for internal traffic (which is kinda odd).
Also you might want to hold off on buying as the first 802/11n devices are already hitting shelves in the states

andy1249

Makes no sense to hold of buying , broadband speeds are nowhere near the levels where you will need 802.11n . g is fine for what the OP wants and kits can be picked up for as little as 60 euros ,

A wireless router is a little different than a networked or wired router in that without the wireless router there is no network ! , so some of the wired definitions do not apply , such as regulation etc.

In the sense meant by the OP , the wireless router is the main component and controls pretty much everything , including encryption and security and access to the network.

The router will be a "hotspot" via which any wireless NIC suitably configured can access its network.

_CreeD_

andy1249 wrote:

A wireless router is a little different than a networked or wired router in that without the wireless router there is no network ! , so some of the wired definitions do not apply , such as regulation etc.

Without a router they can operate in Adhoc mode (peer to peer). Perhaps not as efficiently but you can have a wirless lan without one, 'course you'd need to use software to handle the internet connection sharing so a router is a 'cleaner' choice.