Wireless networking

I just recently moved back to my family home, and want to setup a
wireless network in order to share the ADSL connection with my parent's
PC. At the moment we only have a USB modem so we would have to buy a
router and modem regardless, and wireless just saves on the hassle of
leading wires through the house.

My thinking is to get a wireless router/modem, sit it next to the ADSL
line and the family PC and have them wired together, and then put a
wireless PCI card in my own PC across the house.

I've had a look around and there are few suitable modem/routers around
for reasonable prices (?65-80 is what I'm thinking). The problem is
that each one I look into for reviews and the like, comes up with loads
of negative comments and bad connection horror stories. Normally people
have posted suggestions of other ones to get instead, but when you look
up info on those, you just hear more horror stories and suggestions of
yet another one. It doesn't seem like one is particularly better than
another, and I'm inclined to think its often due to people not having
set them up properly, but it is disheartening when each one I look up
has bad reviews from consumers.

Has anybody here done wireless networking, and have any tips they could
give me or suggest any products? Below are a few of the ones I'm
considering...

http://www.dabs.com/uk/channels/hardware/modemsandadslhardware/productView.htm?quicklinx=2Z9M

http://www.dabs.com/uk/channels/hardware/modemsandadslhardware/productView.htm?quicklinx=2VCD

http://www.dabs.com/uk/channels/hardware/modemsandadslhardware/productView.htm?quicklinx=3k24

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[img]http://card.mygamercard.net/sig/Default/reno84.png[/img]
Designer @ Haiku Interactive | ReNo-vation.net

I'm not sure what products are good and what-not with wireless networking, but here's a few gripes that I've got with my setup:

-Windows XP likes to disconnect from the wireless network and search
for new ones every minute or so. To stop it doing this, disable the
"Wireless network zero configuration" service. It'll be iffy trying to
connect to networks for the first time when the service is disabled,
but once it's connected to the network once, it seems to have no
problem connecting on startup when the service is disabled.

-I have the second router you linked to, but with 802.11b. I've found
that when I'm downloading large files, the network seems to cut out and
I can't access the net for several hours. No idea why, no definate
cause of it, and no idea how to fix itcompletely. I have found that it
seems to be just the wireless that cuts out, so I normally connect
directly to the router with a cable. Not sure if it's a problem with
the model you've shown, but just giving you a heads up if you do get
that one.

-The Wireless is SLOW. SLOW SLOW SLOW. Even .11g seems to be too slow
for heavy LAN gaming or file transfer. Use the wireless for the
internet, but keep a network cable spare.

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-KingNic

-Slapping polygons together incoherently since 2000

You dont need to buy a router you can set one pc up to share the internet connection and there are also some little wireless usb dongles that allow the pcs to be connected to each other.

Thats a cheaper way of doing it. My mate has his set up like that,

I;d go for a router and have it all wired but thats just cos I like to make my own cables.

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Tinterweb site
Deviantart

Human knowledge belongs to the world

Yeah in the past we had a hub that connected the two PC's, and had the
USB modem plugged into one and setup internet connection sharing. This
was ok, but unfortunately our hub has gone missing for some reason, and
our PC's are now quite some distance apart. It also isn't ideal to need
one of the computers on to have a working net connection on the other,
and it isn't a very extendable setup for adding Xbox's and the like. We
would rather do it properly and invest in a more permanent and
extendable setup.

That said, what Kingnic said is exactly what I've been reading about
loads. Is wireless just that unreliable at the moment? Is it really
best off to get wired, as there are no wireless setups that offer
reliable and speedy connections?

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[img]http://card.mygamercard.net/sig/Default/reno84.png[/img]
Designer @ Haiku Interactive | ReNo-vation.net

Wireless is very slow.

You can get a wireless router, which will also have CAT5 lines (Don't know if any support CAT6).

I strongly suggest only using wireless for Laptops. With desktops, the signal will be terrible and you'd probably have to buy signal boosters throughout your house and move all the computers.

In otherwords, it'd be cheaper to wire your house with CAT5/6 lines then to buy signal boosters (Which you WILL need).

Your signal may get interfeared by other signals and crap out on you.

You must spend a good chunk of time securing your network. Go through put a password on the router, put it in MAC address mode (it will only allow computers whose MAC addresses it knows to be on the network) and many other things, you don't want leechers.

Linksys is good. I have Belkin, it's okay.

But overall, I'd strongly suggest not abandoning the wires just yet.

[EDIT]

Is wireless just that unreliable at the moment? Is it really best off to get wired, as there are no wireless setups that offer reliable and speedy connections?

Yes, they're very inreliable, in general. Unless you live in Seattle. They're making a city wide wireless tower or something stupid thing.

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Blame it on Microsoft, God does.

I have a wireless network setup at the apartment, and it can be quite
frustrating. The connection cuts out at random times, but
thankfully it's not that often. Frequently, I have to unplug the
USB wireless receiver from the port and reconnect it to make it active
again.

The connection speed is not too bad though. I play HL2DM on the connection, with decent pings on most servers.

I am using Netgear. I initially had something called AirLink, and
that was just crap. Never worked for more than twenty minutes.

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"The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return." -- Toulouse-Lautre, Moulin Rouge

Ive got a wireless network and its faster than my internet connection
so no change difference when accessing the internet. Its only seems to
dissconnect ocasionally but thats because it connects to anouther
network. I have a linksys wireless router similar to
this
one but there are proberly better ones on the market now. I
have
these
set up on the computers.

Ok guys thanks for all the feedback. Looks like I'll vouch for a wired
setup for the time being, it seems I've yet to hear of anybody who has
wireless working perfectly.

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[img]http://card.mygamercard.net/sig/Default/reno84.png[/img]
Designer @ Haiku Interactive | ReNo-vation.net

I have not read all this but have to say that the chief reason I have heard NOT to get wireless is the speed/response times.. they are too slow for internet play.

Wires suck owl s**t but are still the best route.

I also heard that windows XP fails to recognize certain models of wireless routers without some support patches from MS. shrugs

/me pets my old linksys.. been faithful for almost 3 years of constant use.

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The best things in life, aren't things.

In my experience networking in general is nothing but a major head
ache, wireless networking being particularly troublesome. Therefore I
am in agreement with my esteemed colleagues.

---

Ham and Jam Contributor
http://www.hamandjam.org

'Get your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape!'

Agent Smith said:
In my experience networking in general is nothing but a major head ache,

I set mine up with zero knowledge beforehand and mine has been running fine since day 1.

With winXP its almost idiot proof now anyways.. If stupid people like me can sort it out, why can not people as smart as you?

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The best things in life, aren't things.

Despite having XP, working network cards and software, and all the
rest, they still never bloody work for me. I am cursed me thinks.

---

Ham and Jam Contributor
http://www.hamandjam.org

'Get your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape!'

Agent Smith said:
Despite having XP, working network cards and software, and all the rest, they still never bloody work for me. I am cursed me thinks.

/me pets../me reminds Master Smith of my "MM" thing.

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The best things in life, aren't things.

In otherwords, it'd be cheaper to wire your house with CAT5/6 lines then to buy signal boosters (Which you WILL need).

I have a D-Link wireless router in my house and I have both my desktop
and laptop on an 802.11b network along with 2 other desktops on CAT5
cables. Sure the speed isnt as fast as CAT5, and especially so
with the new gigabit, but it doesnt slow down the internet.

As for connection, its pretty good. My desktop is one floor up
directly over the router and I get a signal, no boosters needed.
My laptop, roams around, around the house, upstairs and in the
basement. And I can even get a signal outside through the front
brick wall, or in the yard through siding. Once again, no signal
boosters.

On that note, I run a 900Mhz wireless phone in my room, and a 2.4Ghz
wireless phone in the kitchen, which is less than 2 feet from the
router, which, at 802.11b, runs at 2.4Ghz.

This probs doesnt really help but gf got router off her old flat mate
(who in turn got it off ebay) when she moved in with me so she cud use
my internet connection...am still tryin to set the f**king thing up.
Avoid Origo routers :razz:

I don't know what you guys are complaining about. I have a Linksys BEFW11S4 router, and a linksys instant wireless PCI card for me laptop. The system was easy to setup and I have never had any cause for complaint. The only slight problem I have had is that every few months or so, my net connection gets dropped, but I am not sure if that has to do with the router or my DSL service. The solution is simply to reset the router, and everything goes back to normal. Most importantly maybe for this audience, I have never observed any difference either in LAN games or net play between the performance of my wireless system and a CAT5 connection. It is NOT slow, as others have suggested.

I haven't bothered with any security, because I don't care if people leech. I figure if it becomes a problem I can just go into the routing table and kick them off. In any case it has never happened to me, and I live in an apartment complex.

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Some people are like slinkys...

They aren?t really good for anything, but you can't help but laugh when one tumbles down the stairs.

All of my info is second or third hand. Take it with a grain of salt.

Myself, I live in an area so full of electrical stuff that I cannot even get a TV signal with an aerial antenna.. I couldn't take a chance on anything without wires. :sad:

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The best things in life, aren't things.

Must suck having no TV remote...

Wild Card said:
Must suck having no TV remote...

Electronics do work. I have wireless phones, equipped with its own static. I have satellite TV, but the remote borks often as well.

I couldn't take a chance on losing packets with a wireless router is all.

but seriously, if i put an antenna on the roof, i get nothin.. I live in a dead zone for public TV. :/

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The best things in life, aren't things.

/me reminds Master Smith of my "MM" thing.

Eh?

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Ham and Jam Contributor
http://www.hamandjam.org

'Get your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape!'

I've managed to get wireless working perfectly at my dad's house- ADSL modem plugged into Belkin Wireless-G router, and filesharing/internet connection works fine, the only problem are thick walls.

Problems seem to arise when you have to resort to Window's crappy internet connection sharing. We have a USB modem at home (so it can't plug into our router) so it has to go through one computer; fiddling around with IP addresses and all those TCP/IP settings has got it to work fine, but I can't seem to get file sharing working across them. I haven't ever had any of these problems with it automatically disconnecting from the network, and it's safe security wise if you set up a chunky password and limit the MAC addresses that can connect.

So basically, my advice would be to get a modem that plugs into a router (I would heartily recommend this one), then cable that into one computer and wireless to all the others. You can get funky little USB aerials for about ?25 too, if you don't want to bother with PCI cards.

Filesharing is weird on winxp. I think to make it work properly, you need to set up user accounts, and you need the same account on each computer or something.

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"If you talk at all during this lesson, you have detention. Do you understand?"

• My yr11 Economics teacher

I have no problem for file sharing. I just go D: drive propreties -> share this drive :biggrin:

Jon, I was being sarcastic.

And Agent Smith... rotf Orph is teh sex0rs when it comes to multimanagers.

I have never gotten file sharing to function with WinXp. but did when I had Win2000.

shrugs

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The best things in life, aren't things.

Well, I've never had problems, but then again my dad has been doing
almost everything since I got my own computer (6 or 7 years ago...I
woulda been 7 or eight anyways, only in the last year or so have I managed
to function completely independently and I don't have any problems with
file sharing. Right click sharing and security and you're done.

Dunno if its a port, if its the firewall, or what.. Like I said, I had the function with win2000, but cannot do it with winXP.. I am stumped. :/

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The best things in life, aren't things.

Filesharing with my fiance's computer has never been a problem. We are working on wedding planning at the moment, and we just put the shared files in the "Shared Document" folder in the network. It works flawlessly.

The only requirement is that my computer has to be on, of course.

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"The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return." -- Toulouse-Lautre, Moulin Rouge

The more I read, the less I like reading. Its looking like I did something wrong. :/

/me rechecks settings.. I have to ask though, everyone who has file sharing functioning does have WinXP and a router.. right?

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The best things in life, aren't things.

Yes Jon. I have a DSL modem, to a wireless router. To 2 computers via CAT5, and 2 more via 802.11b wireless.

Before this setup, I used a hub in uplink mode Yea... I was a cheater.

I do agree getting computers to recognise each other on the same
network is a bitch, but once they are, then it's dead easy to share
stuff. Me, I have my entire D drive shared, mainly because all my
music, flying pictures, movies, and documents are on it.

Jon, just let me know if you need help.

I find that I don't really share files much anymore anyways. My
dad got me a 2gb flash drive, and I just use that to transfer what I
need.

I do have problems sharing files between my computer (XP) and my moms (WinME).

Well, a couple of network cards are coming this week for me to install.
I'll let you know how I get on. Should be interesting - two machines
running WinXP and one running 98SE and using USB wireless...

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My site

Just thought I'd chime in with whats happening. I bought a Netgear
DG834G (v2) wireless modem/router, for the reasons that wireless
router/modem combos are only marginally more expensive than their wired
equivelants, and that the netgear seemed to have the best reviews and
recommendations. It arrived this afternoon and was a breeze to set up
with a wired connection to my family PC. I then set about plugging in
my rather cheapy wireless-g PCI card to my computer, and after a little
bit of initial worry (the provided software showed the network, but
wouldn't let me join it! Thankfully Windows XP's built in wireless
network browser WOULD let me join), things are going good. 100% signal
strength, 100% link quality, low noise, and apparently a full 54mbps
connection speed. I also found out one of my neighbours has a wireless
network, but sadly they had enabled some sort of protection on it, so
there wasn't any sneaky connection stealing to be done :razz: Yet to test
out any gaming, but I managed to copy across a fair amount of mp3's at
acceptable speeds, and browsing is just as quick as it is on a wired
connection.

Obviously its early days, but first impressions are good. I'll keep you posted about any further developments :smile:

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[img]http://card.mygamercard.net/sig/Default/reno84.png[/img]
Designer @ Haiku Interactive | ReNo-vation.net

I have Netgear router and PCI card receiver too, but I've never managed to get them talking. I have to resort to using a cheapo USB receiving adaptor. Isn't that ironic?

Perhaps like Crono said, desktop adaptors sometimes have poor signal reception.

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"The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return." -- Toulouse-Lautre, Moulin Rouge

I also found out one of my neighbours has a wireless
network, but sadly they had enabled some sort of protection on it, so
there wasn't any sneaky connection stealing to be done :razz:

That may not be too much trouble cough