Two desktops, one Netopia "2247-02"

James G

I hope this is the right forum to post this topic. I'm sorry if it's not.

In my house there is a family computer downstairs which is wired to the netopia router(?). Upstairs in a converted attic is a laptop which connects to it wirelessly. There is also an xbox there which is used for XBL.

Few problems; the laptop can hardly connect to the router which makes internet browsing a pain, and the router needs to be moved to the attic to play XBL which means the family desktop can't be used for internet activities. I'm also thinking of getting a desktop to replace the laptop, which wouldn't have a wireless card.

What I was wondering is: what would be the best way to solve this problem? I could probably wire cat5e cables across the house, but because the computers are so far apart, it'd be a lot of trouble. Is there anything else that can be done? I'm not very knowledgeable about this kind of stuff, but would it be possible to connect a spare netopia "2247-02" to the phone jack(?) in the attic so that I could have wired connections to it from the xbox and the desktop, while having the other netopia downstairs with the family desktop wired to that?

This has been causing many headaches, so I'd really appreciate if someone could give me a solution.

Dardania

what you could do is get a wireless access point and put it in the attic, to let the laptop & xbox connect to it. This access point could be connected back to the netopia either by running a cat5e cable (hassle, but cheap) or by using a homeplug which runs data over the mains power cabling... Does the xbox have wifi or wired?

Another alternative would be if the laptop is just on the edge of getting a decent signal you could get a dsl modem with wifi that's stronger than the 2247...they have typically low powered wifi as it is...

James G

I'd actually like to rule out wireless entirely. Besides, the xbox is wired and I'm planning on getting a desktop without a wireless card.

That homeplug thing looks interesting, and I might try it. Thanks for suggesting it.

If anyone can think of any other ideas, please post them.

Shane O' Malley

James G wrote: »

I hope this is the right forum to post this topic. I'm sorry if it's not.

In my house there is a family computer downstairs which is wired to the netopia router(?). Upstairs in a converted attic is a laptop which connects to it wirelessly. There is also an xbox there which is used for XBL.

Few problems; the laptop can hardly connect to the router which makes internet browsing a pain, and the router needs to be moved to the attic to play XBL which means the family desktop can't be used for internet activities. I'm also thinking of getting a desktop to replace the laptop, which wouldn't have a wireless card.

What I was wondering is: what would be the best way to solve this problem? I could probably wire cat5e cables across the house, but because the computers are so far apart, it'd be a lot of trouble. Is there anything else that can be done? I'm not very knowledgeable about this kind of stuff, but would it be possible to connect a spare netopia "2247-02" to the phone jack(?) in the attic so that I could have wired connections to it from the xbox and the desktop, while having the other netopia downstairs with the family desktop wired to that?

This has been causing many headaches, so I'd really appreciate if someone could give me a solution.

You cannot conect the spare netopia ro the phone line and have the one downstairs too. Best bet would be to have the spare netopia in bridge mode taking the signal from the netopia downstairs. You can plug the xbox straight into that while also increasing the range of the wireless signal for the laptop.

You should also try and check what other wireless signals may be coming in from neighbours. If they are using the same channel as you are, then the quality of signal will be reduced.

Home plug is also a good way to go. Have not used it myself but heard good reports.

Shane