Wired to Wireless ?

G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windows.networking.wireless (More info?)

Hi,

I have a small office wired ICS network running 3 pcs : an XPPro desktop, an
XPHome laptop and a ME desktop. The ME desktop will retire this year but for
the moment I'm stuck with it. I would like to switch to a wireless LAN but,
given the problems I had getting the original wired LAN to work, I'm a bit
wary about changing over to wireless.

Should I expect any major config. problems or should the new wireless LAN be
able to identify and take over the wired LAN settings ? Would the router
replace ICS ?

Regarding the equipment I actually need, if I understand rightly, this
should be :

- a wireless router (which, unless I am mistaken, could also be a "modem"
which would allow me to ditch the existing wired modem)
- wireless network cards for the two clients
- optionally, a wireless network card for the host (I presume this is not
compulsory as I may connect the host to the dsl router using conventional
means, ie wired)

I think that's about it. I see Belkin make quite a cheap dsl router. Is this
recommended or should I be looking at something more reliable ? Using a
router, is there such a thing as a host PC ?

Thanks for any advice. Sorry for asking such basic questions !
--
Peter Kennedy
------------------------
 

papa

Distinguished
Apr 6, 2004
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Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windows.networking.wireless (More info?)

I recently made the switch to wireless, and it was quite painless. However,
I should point out that neither my original setup, nor my new setup, uses
ICS - so my setup has no such thing as a "Host" computer. All of my
computers are entirely independent of one another in that no one computer
has to be turned on before another computer can access the internet. Also,
because I use a print server, no one computer has to be turned on before
another computer can use the printer.

My original setup used a cable modem tied to a 4-port wired router that
included a print server. Three of the 4 ports provided wired (CAT 5, RJ45)
internet access to 3 desktops, and all 3 desktops had access to a printer
via the router print server.

I replaced the wired router with a wireless router which included 4 wired
ports and a print server. All I had to do with my 3 desktops was to unplug
the CAT 5 cables from my old router and plug them into my wireless router.
Disconnecting and connecting the printer and cable modem was done similarly.
Then I was able to access the internet with additional wireless computers
containing wireless cards rather than NICs.

Of course I had to make sure I established the wireless parameters correctly
(SSID, WEP, etc.), but the install guides for the router and the wireless
cards should lead you through that.

My desktops are running Windows XP Pro and W98SE. My new router is a D-Link
DI-714P+ which cost me about $26 on Ebay. It uses the "b" version of 802.11
rather than the faster "g" version, but the improved speed is only
applicable to computer-to-computer file transfers within the LAN, and does
not help internet performance. My first wireless card, which is for a laptop
running Windows XP Home, is a Netgear MA521. It cost about $25 from Ebay.

Hope this helps.

"Peter Kennedy" <peterkennedy@nothanks.com> wrote in message
news:OfzSKBKSEHA.2216@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> Hi,
>
> I have a small office wired ICS network running 3 pcs : an XPPro desktop,
an
> XPHome laptop and a ME desktop. The ME desktop will retire this year but
for
> the moment I'm stuck with it. I would like to switch to a wireless LAN
but,
> given the problems I had getting the original wired LAN to work, I'm a bit
> wary about changing over to wireless.
>
> Should I expect any major config. problems or should the new wireless LAN
be
> able to identify and take over the wired LAN settings ? Would the router
> replace ICS ?
>
> Regarding the equipment I actually need, if I understand rightly, this
> should be :
>
> - a wireless router (which, unless I am mistaken, could also be a "modem"
> which would allow me to ditch the existing wired modem)
> - wireless network cards for the two clients
> - optionally, a wireless network card for the host (I presume this is not
> compulsory as I may connect the host to the dsl router using conventional
> means, ie wired)
>
> I think that's about it. I see Belkin make quite a cheap dsl router. Is
this
> recommended or should I be looking at something more reliable ? Using a
> router, is there such a thing as a host PC ?
>
> Thanks for any advice. Sorry for asking such basic questions !
> --
> Peter Kennedy
> ------------------------
>
>
>
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windows.networking.wireless (More info?)

"Papa" <bikingis@my.fun> a écrit dans le message de news:
eHD7j$LSEHA.1556@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> I recently made the switch to wireless, and it was quite painless.
However,
> I should point out that neither my original setup, nor my new setup, uses
> ICS - so my setup has no such thing as a "Host" computer. All of my
> computers are entirely independent of one another in that no one computer
> has to be turned on before another computer can access the internet. Also,
> because I use a print server, no one computer has to be turned on before
> another computer can use the printer.
>
> My original setup used a cable modem tied to a 4-port wired router that
> included a print server. Three of the 4 ports provided wired (CAT 5, RJ45)
> internet access to 3 desktops, and all 3 desktops had access to a printer
> via the router print server.
>
> I replaced the wired router with a wireless router which included 4 wired
> ports and a print server. All I had to do with my 3 desktops was to unplug
> the CAT 5 cables from my old router and plug them into my wireless router.
> Disconnecting and connecting the printer and cable modem was done
similarly.
> Then I was able to access the internet with additional wireless computers
> containing wireless cards rather than NICs.
>
> Of course I had to make sure I established the wireless parameters
correctly
> (SSID, WEP, etc.), but the install guides for the router and the wireless
> cards should lead you through that.
>
> My desktops are running Windows XP Pro and W98SE. My new router is a
D-Link
> DI-714P+ which cost me about $26 on Ebay. It uses the "b" version of
802.11
> rather than the faster "g" version, but the improved speed is only
> applicable to computer-to-computer file transfers within the LAN, and does
> not help internet performance. My first wireless card, which is for a
laptop
> running Windows XP Home, is a Netgear MA521. It cost about $25 from Ebay.
>
> Hope this helps.

Thanks,

I think that with a router, you don't need ICS so that will probably cause a
few problems during the setup. The idea of a print server is a good one,
I'll look into that. I do want want the "g" version of 802.11 because I have
a lot of heavy (ie .jpgs and .pngs) files on my wife's computer which I
access from the laptop so speed is of the essence. I already have a D-Link
switch and have no complaints. Are they renowned for wireless modem-routers
or should I be looking at another manufacturer - Belkin or Linksys etc ?

Peter
 

papa

Distinguished
Apr 6, 2004
512
0
18,980
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windows.networking.wireless (More info?)

"Peter Kennedy" <peterkennedy@nothanks.com> wrote in message
news:%23PzpIETSEHA.1732@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
>
> "Papa" <bikingis@my.fun> a écrit dans le message de news:
> eHD7j$LSEHA.1556@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> > I recently made the switch to wireless, and it was quite painless.
> However,
> > I should point out that neither my original setup, nor my new setup,
uses
> > ICS - so my setup has no such thing as a "Host" computer. All of my
> > computers are entirely independent of one another in that no one
computer
> > has to be turned on before another computer can access the internet.
Also,
> > because I use a print server, no one computer has to be turned on before
> > another computer can use the printer.
> >
> > My original setup used a cable modem tied to a 4-port wired router that
> > included a print server. Three of the 4 ports provided wired (CAT 5,
RJ45)
> > internet access to 3 desktops, and all 3 desktops had access to a
printer
> > via the router print server.
> >
> > I replaced the wired router with a wireless router which included 4
wired
> > ports and a print server. All I had to do with my 3 desktops was to
unplug
> > the CAT 5 cables from my old router and plug them into my wireless
router.
> > Disconnecting and connecting the printer and cable modem was done
> similarly.
> > Then I was able to access the internet with additional wireless
computers
> > containing wireless cards rather than NICs.
> >
> > Of course I had to make sure I established the wireless parameters
> correctly
> > (SSID, WEP, etc.), but the install guides for the router and the
wireless
> > cards should lead you through that.
> >
> > My desktops are running Windows XP Pro and W98SE. My new router is a
> D-Link
> > DI-714P+ which cost me about $26 on Ebay. It uses the "b" version of
> 802.11
> > rather than the faster "g" version, but the improved speed is only
> > applicable to computer-to-computer file transfers within the LAN, and
does
> > not help internet performance. My first wireless card, which is for a
> laptop
> > running Windows XP Home, is a Netgear MA521. It cost about $25 from
Ebay.
> >
> > Hope this helps.
>
> Thanks,
>
> I think that with a router, you don't need ICS so that will probably cause
a
> few problems during the setup. The idea of a print server is a good one,
> I'll look into that. I do want want the "g" version of 802.11 because I
have
> a lot of heavy (ie .jpgs and .pngs) files on my wife's computer which I
> access from the laptop so speed is of the essence. I already have a D-Link
> switch and have no complaints. Are they renowned for wireless
modem-routers
> or should I be looking at another manufacturer - Belkin or Linksys etc ?
>
> Peter
>
>
Hi Peter.

I like the D-Link brand. It has served me well. My wired router was an SMC
brand, and it was a good one too. I understand that NetGear and Linksys are
very good brands also. Belkin is a lower priced unit, and may or may not be
of good quality. I really don't know.

If you decide not to use ICS, you should remove it. You will find that the
setting up of a LAN with a router and without ICS is a much, much easier
process than setting up one with ICS.
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windows.networking.wireless (More info?)

> >
> Hi Peter.
>
> I like the D-Link brand. It has served me well. My wired router was an SMC
> brand, and it was a good one too. I understand that NetGear and Linksys
are
> very good brands also. Belkin is a lower priced unit, and may or may not
be
> of good quality. I really don't know.
>
> If you decide not to use ICS, you should remove it. You will find that the
> setting up of a LAN with a router and without ICS is a much, much easier
> process than setting up one with ICS.
>
>

Thanks for the advice. I'll be acting on it !

Peter