new network: best wireless options?

  • Thread starter Thread starter James
  • Start date Start date
J

James

Apologies for this... its pretty basic questions but I cant get any
satisfaction on the NTL web site.

Just wondered if anyone could give me some tips on setting up a simple home
network for use with NTL cable supply. I have the cable coming into an
upstairs bedroom, and my girlfriend (who has her PC downstairs) wants to
access my broadband. Neither of us have network cards fitted but both have
ethernet connections on the PC's.

I'm thinking that wireless is the way to go as her PC is downstairs and
would be complex to run a cable to. And now for the stupid questions:

Do I need a wireless card myself? - the broadband modem sits on top of my
PC.. can I just 'slave' the broadband through my PC somehow so she gets a
supply?

How do I set the network up so I have priority for connection? Or is this
even necessary?

Will she be able to access files and folders on my machine?!

What is a good price for a wireless router?I was going to get the NTL
recommended stuff (
http://www.retailonline.ltd.uk/StoreCart/main.asp?ID=&Product=290 )but want
to pay as little as possible. Also , would the NTL starter pack have enough
bits in it? I'm thinking that the wireless network adapter would go on my
girlfriends system, but what about mine?

Any advice / tips would be most welcome

Cheers

James
 
James said:
Apologies for this... its pretty basic questions but I cant get any
satisfaction on the NTL web site.

Just wondered if anyone could give me some tips on setting up a simple
home
network for use with NTL cable supply. I have the cable coming into an
upstairs bedroom, and my girlfriend (who has her PC downstairs) wants to
access my broadband. Neither of us have network cards fitted but both have
ethernet connections on the PC's.

I'm thinking that wireless is the way to go as her PC is downstairs and
would be complex to run a cable to. And now for the stupid questions:

Do I need a wireless card myself? - the broadband modem sits on top of my
PC.. can I just 'slave' the broadband through my PC somehow so she gets a
supply?

How do I set the network up so I have priority for connection? Or is this
even necessary?

Will she be able to access files and folders on my machine?!

What is a good price for a wireless router?I was going to get the NTL
recommended stuff (
http://www.retailonline.ltd.uk/StoreCart/main.asp?ID=&Product=290 )but
want
to pay as little as possible. Also , would the NTL starter pack have
enough
bits in it? I'm thinking that the wireless network adapter would go on my
girlfriends system, but what about mine?

Any advice / tips would be most welcome

Cheers

James
Click to expand...


sure you can use INTERNET CONNECTION SHARING

you both need PCI wireless network cards in your PC's

you should search the net for

Setting up AD-HOC Wireless Network

HTH
 
James said:
Apologies for this... its pretty basic questions but I cant get any
satisfaction on the NTL web site.

Just wondered if anyone could give me some tips on setting up a simple
home
network for use with NTL cable supply. I have the cable coming into an
upstairs bedroom, and my girlfriend (who has her PC downstairs) wants to
access my broadband. Neither of us have network cards fitted but both have
ethernet connections on the PC's.

I'm thinking that wireless is the way to go as her PC is downstairs and
would be complex to run a cable to. And now for the stupid questions:

Do I need a wireless card myself? - the broadband modem sits on top of my
PC.. can I just 'slave' the broadband through my PC somehow so she gets a
supply?

How do I set the network up so I have priority for connection? Or is this
even necessary?

Will she be able to access files and folders on my machine?!

What is a good price for a wireless router?I was going to get the NTL
recommended stuff (
http://www.retailonline.ltd.uk/StoreCart/main.asp?ID=&Product=290 )but
want
to pay as little as possible. Also , would the NTL starter pack have
enough
bits in it? I'm thinking that the wireless network adapter would go on my
girlfriends system, but what about mine?

Any advice / tips would be most welcome

Cheers

James
Click to expand...
a small list of links to things that might help you out, sorry if a few are
too long...

http://www.ezine.com/TechTips/BuildingAdHocWireless.shtml

http://www.smallbusinesscomputing.com/testdrive/article.php/3359421

http://www.micro2000uk.co.uk/techtips/techtips_wireless_nw.htm

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/expert/bowman_02april08.mspx

http://compnetworking.about.com/cs/wirelessproducts/a/howtobuildwlan_4.htm

http://www.moorestuff.us/Networking/ad_hoc02.htm


they all should help you out in some way or another

HTH

chris
 
If you got a wireless router, you could just plug your PC into a lan port
and your girlfriend could either get a wireless card or a USB wireless
device to connect wirelessly
 
Apologies for this... its pretty basic questions but I cant get any
satisfaction on the NTL web site.

Just wondered if anyone could give me some tips on setting up a simple home
network for use with NTL cable supply. I have the cable coming into an
upstairs bedroom, and my girlfriend (who has her PC downstairs) wants to
access my broadband. Neither of us have network cards fitted but both have
ethernet connections on the PC's.

I'm thinking that wireless is the way to go as her PC is downstairs and
would be complex to run a cable to. And now for the stupid questions:
Click to expand...

Well complex is relative, a piece of wire, a drill/bit, a
couple wall plates, a wire fish and some patience and you'd
be good to go, most often, unless you don't own the
residence.

Wireless will work though, certainly viable for the 'net
sharing.

Do I need a wireless card myself?
Click to expand...

"Need", no.
You could do it that way though, you have a few options.
The best option being one where you don't need the card.

- the broadband modem sits on top of my
PC.. can I just 'slave' the broadband through my PC somehow so she gets a
supply?
Click to expand...

Yes if both systems had wireless cards (or USB wireless
adapters, etc) but that is the worst way to do it.

The better alternative is to get a wireless router.
Ironically they're often cheaper than the cards themselves,
there was one not too long ago for $10 after rebate, surely
another deal coming along soon enough. Get the modem
disconnected from your PC and hook it up to the router.
Then run a cable from router to your PC, and have it
wirelessly connect to GF's system, in which a wireless card
is installed. This option is more secure, less of a load on
your system, more reliable, doesn't depend on your system
running for the other to work, allows further expansion if
ever needed, and having the extra ethernet ports on the
router are nice for a NAS or something else, too.


How do I set the network up so I have priority for connection? Or is this
even necessary?
Click to expand...

No, not necessary unless she's really into peer-to-peer
filesharing or wants to host a website off of your
connection, in which case her upload traffic will be a
problem for you. Normally no, this isn't typically a
problem and if you did what i described above, her system
will automatically be at a slight handicap because of the
latency of wireless(ness).
Will she be able to access files and folders on my machine?!
Click to expand...

Do you want her to?
If you set up file sharing or another method of it, yes.
Otherwise, no, for all practical purposes unless she was
trying to hack you, LOL.

Wireless is no different than wired in this regard, decide
what you do and don't want and see some networking tutorials
online, Google will turn up plenty of 'em.

What is a good price for a wireless router?I was going to get the NTL
recommended stuff (
http://www.retailonline.ltd.uk/StoreCart/main.asp?ID=&Product=290 )but want
to pay as little as possible.
Click to expand...

Good price is free after rebate.
Fair price is $10-30 after rebate.
Full price is $50.

Also , would the NTL starter pack have enough
bits in it?
Click to expand...

Yes but it looks a bit overpriced and ideally her system
would use a PCI wireless network card with an
antenna-on-a-cable. Avoid USB types of (anything, actually)
when there is a faster and more mature/stable/etc
alternative.
I'm thinking that the wireless network adapter would go on my
girlfriends system, but what about mine?
Click to expand...

Most wireless routers have muliple, maybe 4 or 5 wired ports
too. You'd network your system with it's built-in ethernet
to the wired port on the router. This is better for your
system too, compared to what you're doing currently.

Any advice / tips would be most welcome
Click to expand...

Avoid belkin... Linksys, Netgear, and D-Link have better
offerings. Get 802.11g, sometimes marketed more generically
as some phrase with "G" in it, rather than 802.11b, router
and network card.
 
I tried the ad hoc/connection sharing stuff for 3 months and never got it to
work, it might be easy for some but i couldn't figure it out.

i use a linksys 802.11b wireless "gateway" router, that i got from amazon
for £40
a edimax 802.11b pc card for a vaio laptop £20 from dabs
a edimax 802.11b pci card for my desktop again from dabs for £15

That was all last october, you can get a 802.11g network now for the same
price if not less. The router took about ten minutes to set up, plus unlike
the ad hoc set up the client pc doesn't have to rely on the server pc being
on. Saves a couple of cycles of your server pc too.
 
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