Wireless router or Wireless access Point?

py2006

Hi all,

I have the internet in my room upstairs. However, my father is getting a laptop for christmas and he will want to use the internet. I guess he will have the laptop downstairs in the living room.

So I was looking at a wireless router like this one: http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.aspx?sku=306148

I currently have an ethernet cable running from the network card on my pc into a cable modem. So if I was to get the wireless router I would need to get a second ethernet cable to to connect the router to the modem? and how would the laptop downstairs pick up the signal?

The other alternative is to get a WAP which is more expensive. I am not sure how they work.

Thanks for your help!

ianhobo

hey,
I presume your cable modem is from NTL?

First off, for a small home network, you shouldnt need to worry about getting an access point, it really only for expanding on a current network installation.

So just get a "normal" wireless router. When you plug the network cable from your modem into it, the router will pick up the connection. It will then be able to create new ip addresses for any computer that connects to it.

So if your fathers laptop has a wireless card, hell be able to connect with that, other wise he will need to physically connect to it with a cable.
You can just plug a network cable into one of the ports on the router.

Depending on your setup (cable modem) you may need to adjust some of the settings on either or both the cable modem and/or wireless router, but the instructions should be pretty clear.

humaxf1

A WAP would work fine...yes they do seem to be a lil bit more expensive than wireless routers for some reason.

The wireless router you linked to will work fine also...just remember to turn off the DHCP server which doles out network settings to PCs or else you will have a conflict with your cable modem.

Plug a network cable (same way as you connect your PC) between your cable modem and one of the 4 sockets close together on the Linksys (good choice if you buy it). One other thing to check is that the 2 devices are on the same IP range so they can communicate. Linksys is ususally 192.168.1.1

Good luck!

Barlow07

py2006 wrote: »

Hi all,

I have the internet in my room upstairs. However, my father is getting a laptop for christmas and he will want to use the internet. I guess he will have the laptop downstairs in the living room.

So I was looking at a wireless router like this one: http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.aspx?sku=306148

PY2006, Who is your ISP? I would advised buying a wireless router from your ISP as they will support it if you are having connection problems with your broadband connection. Also if its breaks after a couple of months they may replace it for free of charge.

py2006

ianhobo wrote: »

hey,
I presume your cable modem is from NTL?

First off, for a small home network, you shouldnt need to worry about getting an access point, it really only for expanding on a current network installation.

So just get a "normal" wireless router. When you plug the network cable from your modem into it, the router will pick up the connection. It will then be able to create new ip addresses for any computer that connects to it.

So if your fathers laptop has a wireless card, hell be able to connect with that, other wise he will need to physically connect to it with a cable.
You can just plug a network cable into one of the ports on the router.

Depending on your setup (cable modem) you may need to adjust some of the settings on either or both the cable modem and/or wireless router, but the instructions should be pretty clear.

Thanks for that!

Yes my cable modem is with NTL. Does my modem have a 2nd network cable socket? I am not sure.

I am hoping to get an Inspiron Laptop from dell. Nothing too expensive. Am I right in assuming that this will automatically have a wireless network connection on it?

py2006

humaxf1 wrote: »

...just remember to turn off the DHCP server which doles out network settings to PCs or else you will have a conflict with your cable modem.

How will I do that?

py2006

Barlow07 wrote: »

PY2006, Who is your ISP? I would advised buying a wireless router from your ISP as they will support it if you are having connection problems with your broadband connection. Also if its breaks after a couple of months they may replace it for free of charge.

I am with NTL. I am not sure if they sell wireless routers.

py2006

If I purchase the laptop through dell they offer the following wireless routers:

D-Link AirPlus G DI-524 Wireless Router DSL/Cable (802.11g) [€ 61.71 or €3/month1]

Belkin F5D7632 ADSL Modem/Wireless Router (802.11g) - UK [€ 94.90 or €4/month1]
Belkin F5D7230 Wireless Router DSL/Cable (802.11g) [€ 54.90 or €2/month1]
D-Link AirPlus Xtreme G DSL-624 ADSL Modem/Wireless Router (802.11g) [€ 90.75 or €4/month1]
D-Link DSL-2740B Wireless N ADSL Modem Router - UK & Ireland [€ 150.03 or €6/month1]
D-Link DWA-140 WirelessNetwork USB Mini Adapter [€ 61.70 or €3/month1]