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Setting up a Home Wireless Network

post #1 of 15
5/13/06 at 7:07am
Thread Starter 
I've got a PC connected to broadband internet via an external ADSL modem (Alcatel Speed Touch Home - Residential Single User - connected to the PC through the network card). I'll soon be acquiring a laptop (notebook) and I wanted to enable this laptop to have Internet access at home.

Seeing this laptop will be wi-fi enabled I thought of creating a mini wireless network at home to connect the laptop to the Net.

Requirements:
  • I don't want to have the PC on all the time to act as a server. I want the laptop to have access to the Internet by switching just the modem on.
  • I want both computers to be able to access the Internet at the same time (obviously sharing the bandwidth).
  • Preferably there should be some mode for the two computers to link to each other directly.
What hardware do I need and how should I go on about doing this?

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post #2 of 15
5/13/06 at 7:36am
This
and this should help you. I think all you need is a router to complete your setup.
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post #3 of 15
5/13/06 at 9:04am
Thread Starter 
The dealer I'm buying the laptop from offers MSI and D-Link routers. The MSI one is slightly cheaper. Which would you choose?
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post #4 of 15
5/13/06 at 9:46am
Quote:
Originally Posted by enigmatik
The dealer I'm buying the laptop from offers MSI and D-Link routers. The MSI one is slightly cheaper. Which would you choose?
To get the benefit of 108Mbps from the DI-624 you will a wireless network adapter that does 108Mbps. If you're going to also get D-link's PCMCIA 108 Mbps wireless network adapter for the laptop then you're all set.

(Note: most 108Mbps wireless routers and access points require that you use the same brand of 108Mbps wireless network adapter in order to use 108Mbps)

At best your cable/dsl modem can achieve is 3 - 7 Mbps for downloading. That means the 108 or 54 Mbps going into a pipe that holds only 7 Mbps = 7 Mbps.

If you want to copy large quantities of files from the desktop to laptop (and vice versa) - that's different. That is where the 108 or 54 Mbps will be most useful for your laptop (the desktop has [at least a] 100Mbps ethernet port).

If you do not have a 108Mbps wireless network adapter for the laptop - if you are liking the D-Link brand, then the D-link DI-524 would be a better choice than the DI-624.

[edit]
per your pictures:

wall jack -> dsl modem -> WAN port on wireless router -> desktop plugged into ethernet port on wireless router (instead of dsl modem), and the laptop can be wireless or be plugged into another ethernet port on wireless router when you don't need to be wireless.

With this setup, the desktop and laptop can access the internet independent of the other - as long as the dsl modem and wireless router are powered on.
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post #5 of 15
5/13/06 at 10:23am
Thread Starter 
Since the laptop will be coming with an inbuilt Wi-Fi Card I don't see the need to buy a separate 108MBps network adapter. I have no preference for one brand over the other; this is my first attempt at networking. I'll gladly take the MSI router if it is a serious, quality company.
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post #6 of 15
5/13/06 at 11:58am
When making a wireless network be sure to password protect it first and to give it its own name to prevent anyone from accessing your connection without authorization and snooping on your files or getting "free internet".

Most wireless network setup software leaves a default name and settings for the network which are easy to find out for a determined little Billy next door to get on your connection and network.
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post #7 of 15
5/13/06 at 12:37pm
Thread Starter 
The guys next door aren't much of a threat, but the one just in front of us has a dazzling array of aerials and antennas on his roof (looks like a Hollywood-type Spymaster's home). I hope my network won't interfere with his equipment. Well, too bad if it does. :P
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post #8 of 15
5/13/06 at 4:09pm
Read the bottom of this page about "dropped connection" issues.

If you're in a neighborhood that has a lot wireless networks or cordless phones then setting up the wireless part of your router may be a challenge.
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post #9 of 15
5/13/06 at 4:30pm
Ha, ha, ha. So true.

Now with everything going wireless (including speakers and surround sound systems) configuring wireless stuff and keeping radiation down should be a challenge.

Hence, the reason why most of my stuff is still wired unless I REALLY need it to be wireless.
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post #10 of 15
5/13/06 at 6:40pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by enigmatik
The guys next door aren't much of a threat, but the one just in front of us has a dazzling array of aerials and antennas on his roof (looks like a Hollywood-type Spymaster's home). I hope my network won't interfere with his equipment. Well, too bad if it does. :P
post a picture of them. that could be interesting...
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post #11 of 15
5/14/06 at 6:57am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by dman22
post a picture of them. that could be interesting...






1 is a satellite TV receiver, 6 is a TV aerial, and 9 is huge. The others I don't know. He used to have a really large aerial, which could rotate via motors. I don't know if he removed it or simply folded it up to protect it during Winter.


As far as the wireless network is concerned, I'll try to create a "bubble of connectivity" around the router. Even though our house is quite small it's not the ideal environment for wireless (split over 2 storeys, lots of brick walls impeding line of sight) and so I'm not expecting to get reception everywhere.
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post #12 of 15
5/14/06 at 5:54pm
#8 is a ham radio horizontal beam antenna. #9 is an antenna tower with a little pecker of an antenna (like a big stick) on top.

With the brick walls and all the potential RFI that you may have, you may have trouble being wireless in all the rooms that you will want. A range extender is like a wireless access point that does nothing but boost the wireless signals (example). After you set up your wireless router, you may find a range extender is needed.
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post #13 of 15
5/15/06 at 11:34am
Thread Starter 
What exactly limits wireless range? As in what geometries, thicknesses are we talking about? (just trying to decide where to locate router when it arrives)
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post #14 of 15
5/15/06 at 7:13pm
8 looks like a yagi antenna array. Could be used for anything The tall one is a transmitter/reciever. Probably got satellite phone.
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post #15 of 15
5/16/06 at 1:07pm
Thread Starter 
Seeing my neighbour has attracted so much interest I have uploaded the hi-res pics instead of the crappy low-res ones. They aren't that sharp because it's hard to take photos whilst balancing on a hurting knee.





Do you really think he would cause that much interference? (What about the two mobile phone repeaters situated nearby?)
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