Time for me to go Wireless, I have questions

[alazeer]

Right now I own and run a small 4 port home built wired network under WinXP professional SP3 using a Motorola Cable Modem and a Dlink 4 port wired router thru Cox Cable as my Internet Provider.

I've out grown the 4 port network and need to expand and go wireless, how do I do it and what do I need to do it?

Is it as easy as buying the router and adapter cards then replacing the wired router with the wireless one, instaling the wireless adapters then configuring the router?

My wired network right now consists of: My main PC, an older PC that is used mainly by my kids but I use it for my email and some web surfing, my HP all in one printer and my sons xbox 360.

I want to build a wireless network for the Main PC, the older PC, another PC that I'm going to build, an HP all in one printer that I'm going to buy to replace the current all in one HP printer and my sons xbox 360. So for now 5 ports with another PC to be added later when I can afford to build it too. Eventually 6 ports.

I'm thinking I will need an 8 port wireless router, wireless adapter cards for each device that will connect to the network unless it's already built in to the device (motherboard)/(new printer will be wireless).

Can I have a network that is mainly windows 7 but at least one PC that is windows XP pro sp3?

I'm looking to build this as cheaply as possible but it will need to be reliable and fast as well because I do a lot of MMO gaming. Is there any place I can go to get information about building a wireless network step by step? I noticed that a lot of the links that are in the stickies are not working?

Any information you can think of to pass along to me that I can use to educate myself in building a secure, fast reliable home wireless network.

Thanks in advance for the help and information!

 

[dEAne]

Well you can replace the router into a wireless router. The wireless router has 4 ports on it so you can still connect 4 "wired" PC on it. You can bridge an access point(a router that you can connect wireless device but it lacks internet connection) to it, so the HP printer goes here or still all other PCs - this access point connects to the main router so the internet connection is shared to all. But you need to buy wireless adapter device to each PCs. You said you need fast wireless connection - well wireless has flavors 802.11x (x - their is the n the fastest, g the second and b the slowest) Just look in the box before you purchase one. And yes you can have windows 7 and windows XP SP3 mixed on a network - I have a windows xp, vista, 7 connected both wireless and wired.

 

[alazeer]

For right now the only thing I would really need to be completely wireless would be my sons xbox 360. Once I build the new computer and then another one (both builds will happen within the next 6 months - 1 year) then they will both also need to be wireless as they will be in other rooms.

Everything will be on the same floor (unless I win the lottery and then I can build the bigger house that we really need ). If I just buy an 8 port wireless router and the wireless adapters, will that be enough?

What is a good 8 port wireless router? I've been having a lot better luck using Dlink routers over Linksys, as the Dlink seem to be holding up a lot beter than the Linksys?

 

[alazeer]

So No One else has anything to add to this? Come on i know you smart peole are out there . I can use all the help i can get.