Wireless networking

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I have two PCs set up together
in the simplest of ways - via
a crossover cable. All I want
to do is allow internet and
printer sharing, and it works.


I'd now like to add a notebook
to this simplest of networks,
again to facilitate just
internet and printer sharing.

What hardware do I need?
Obviously a PCMCIA/USB wireless
networking card for the notebook,
and a PCI card for one of the
two desktop PCs. Anything else?

Thanks guys.
 
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On Sat, 14 Aug 2004 10:17:20 GMT, iamaran
<iamaranNOSPAM@hotmail.com> wrote:

>I have two PCs set up together
>in the simplest of ways - via
>a crossover cable. All I want
>to do is allow internet and
>printer sharing, and it works.

Here you write "it works", yet below you mention a PCI card for
one of these systems. Adding another PCI card so one box has two
(network) adapters in it will work, but is a very limiting
solution unless you have other need for a 2nd network.


>
>
>I'd now like to add a notebook
>to this simplest of networks,
>again to facilitate just
>internet and printer sharing.
>
>What hardware do I need?
>Obviously a PCMCIA/USB wireless
>networking card for the notebook,
>and a PCI card for one of the
>two desktop PCs. Anything else?

So the PCI card you'd add to one PC would be a wireless type?
There's little point to that, instead buy the wireless router
that Conor suggested. You don't *have" to use it as a router,
could simply use to add notebook to network, but you might as
well use it as the router and disable ICS.
 
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In article <Xns9545689D6FBEDiamaranNOSPAMhotmail@194.168.222.122>,
iamaran says...
> I have two PCs set up together
> in the simplest of ways - via
> a crossover cable. All I want
> to do is allow internet and
> printer sharing, and it works.
>
>
> I'd now like to add a notebook
> to this simplest of networks,
> again to facilitate just
> internet and printer sharing.
>
> What hardware do I need?
> Obviously a PCMCIA/USB wireless
> networking card for the notebook,
> and a PCI card for one of the
> two desktop PCs. Anything else?
>
Do it properly. Buy yourself a cheap router; they're only around £20 in
the UK for a 4 port one.


--
Conor

Do gooders are your most dangerous enemies. Never turn your back on the
devious bastards.
 

alex

Distinguished
Mar 31, 2004
896
0
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get a linksys wireless router (4 wired) <$50 nowadays..
"iamaran" <iamaranNOSPAM@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:Xns9545689D6FBEDiamaranNOSPAMhotmail@194.168.222.122...
> I have two PCs set up together
> in the simplest of ways - via
> a crossover cable. All I want
> to do is allow internet and
> printer sharing, and it works.
>
>
> I'd now like to add a notebook
> to this simplest of networks,
> again to facilitate just
> internet and printer sharing.
>
> What hardware do I need?
> Obviously a PCMCIA/USB wireless
> networking card for the notebook,
> and a PCI card for one of the
> two desktop PCs. Anything else?
>
> Thanks guys.
 
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iamaran wrote:

> I have two PCs set up together
> in the simplest of ways - via
> a crossover cable. All I want
> to do is allow internet and
> printer sharing, and it works.
>
>
> I'd now like to add a notebook
> to this simplest of networks,
> again to facilitate just
> internet and printer sharing.
>
> What hardware do I need?
> Obviously a PCMCIA/USB wireless
> networking card for the notebook,
> and a PCI card for one of the
> two desktop PCs. Anything else?
>
> Thanks guys.

Actually, since you are using a crossover cable I presume you already have
ethernet on both PCs. In which case, the best solution is to get a wireless
router (commonly with 4 ethernet ports in addition to the wireless), and
the PCMCIA (or USB) wireless notebook card.

The two PCs then plug into the ethernet ports (you'll need normal cables
for them instead of the crossover) on the wireless router and the notebook,
of course, accesses through the wireless port. It looks like a unified,
single segment, LAN to all of them.

Your machine with internet access would then act as the internet sharing
connection for the other two.

Check pricewatch for prices on wireless routers. The D-Link DI-514, as but
one example, can be had for under $30.


Adding a PCI card to one or the other machines would needlessly complicate
the LAN configuration.
 
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You need a wireless ROUTER, from Linksys, preferably. They make the most
durable and user-friendly.

--
DaveW



"iamaran" <iamaranNOSPAM@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:Xns9545689D6FBEDiamaranNOSPAMhotmail@194.168.222.122...
> I have two PCs set up together
> in the simplest of ways - via
> a crossover cable. All I want
> to do is allow internet and
> printer sharing, and it works.
>
>
> I'd now like to add a notebook
> to this simplest of networks,
> again to facilitate just
> internet and printer sharing.
>
> What hardware do I need?
> Obviously a PCMCIA/USB wireless
> networking card for the notebook,
> and a PCI card for one of the
> two desktop PCs. Anything else?
>
> Thanks guys.
 
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David Maynard <dNOTmayn@ev1.net> wrote in
news:10hteb0mkpns314@corp.supernews.com:

> iamaran wrote:
>
>> I have two PCs set up together
>> in the simplest of ways - via
>> a crossover cable. All I want
>> to do is allow internet and
>> printer sharing, and it works.
>>
>>
>> I'd now like to add a notebook
>> to this simplest of networks,
>> again to facilitate just
>> internet and printer sharing.
>>
>> What hardware do I need?
>> Obviously a PCMCIA/USB wireless
>> networking card for the notebook,
>> and a PCI card for one of the
>> two desktop PCs. Anything else?
>>
>> Thanks guys.
>
> Actually, since you are using a crossover cable I presume you already
> have ethernet on both PCs. In which case, the best solution is to get
> a wireless router (commonly with 4 ethernet ports in addition to the
> wireless), and the PCMCIA (or USB) wireless notebook card.
>
> The two PCs then plug into the ethernet ports (you'll need normal
> cables for them instead of the crossover) on the wireless router and
> the notebook, of course, accesses through the wireless port. It looks
> like a unified, single segment, LAN to all of them.
>
> Your machine with internet access would then act as the internet
> sharing connection for the other two.
>
> Check pricewatch for prices on wireless routers. The D-Link DI-514, as
> but one example, can be had for under $30.
>
>
> Adding a PCI card to one or the other machines would needlessly
> complicate the LAN configuration.
>
>

Many, many thanks to everyone. I'm glad there was agreement - a router
it is then!
 
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"iamaran" <iamaranNOSPAM@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:Xns95464DCB6F7F5iamaranNOSPAMhotmail@194.168.222.125...
> David Maynard <dNOTmayn@ev1.net> wrote in
> news:10hteb0mkpns314@corp.supernews.com:
>
> > iamaran wrote:
> >
> >> I have two PCs set up together
> >> in the simplest of ways - via
> >> a crossover cable. All I want
> >> to do is allow internet and
> >> printer sharing, and it works.
> >>
> >>
> >> I'd now like to add a notebook
> >> to this simplest of networks,
> >> again to facilitate just
> >> internet and printer sharing.
> >>
> >> What hardware do I need?
> >> Obviously a PCMCIA/USB wireless
> >> networking card for the notebook,
> >> and a PCI card for one of the
> >> two desktop PCs. Anything else?
> >>
> >> Thanks guys.
> >
> > Actually, since you are using a crossover cable I presume you already
> > have ethernet on both PCs. In which case, the best solution is to get
> > a wireless router (commonly with 4 ethernet ports in addition to the
> > wireless), and the PCMCIA (or USB) wireless notebook card.
> >
> > The two PCs then plug into the ethernet ports (you'll need normal
> > cables for them instead of the crossover) on the wireless router and
> > the notebook, of course, accesses through the wireless port. It looks
> > like a unified, single segment, LAN to all of them.
> >
> > Your machine with internet access would then act as the internet
> > sharing connection for the other two.
> >
> > Check pricewatch for prices on wireless routers. The D-Link DI-514, as
> > but one example, can be had for under $30.
> >
> >
> > Adding a PCI card to one or the other machines would needlessly
> > complicate the LAN configuration.
> >
> >
>
> Many, many thanks to everyone. I'm glad there was agreement - a router
> it is then!
>

Before you go running off and spending your money you might want to consider
this: a router is for one thing in a home network and that is sharing the
internet connection. And doing this demands that your modem be able to
connect to it. A "normal" router will have an ethernet connection for the
modem. There are routers that connect to the modem through USB but these are
pretty rare and routers for dialups are nearly unheard of. So, what sort of
a modem are you using for your internet connection? If it is, (shudder) a
dialup or internal to one of the existing PCs you do not really need a
router, just a simple hub or switch to allow ICS in one of the PCs to
provide the internet connection to the other two as well as allowing file
and printer sharing.
--
John McGaw
[Knoxville, TN, USA]
http://johnmcgaw.com
 
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John McGaw wrote:

> "iamaran" <iamaranNOSPAM@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:Xns95464DCB6F7F5iamaranNOSPAMhotmail@194.168.222.125...
>
>>David Maynard <dNOTmayn@ev1.net> wrote in
>>news:10hteb0mkpns314@corp.supernews.com:
>>
>>
>>>iamaran wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>I have two PCs set up together
>>>>in the simplest of ways - via
>>>>a crossover cable. All I want
>>>>to do is allow internet and
>>>>printer sharing, and it works.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>I'd now like to add a notebook
>>>>to this simplest of networks,
>>>>again to facilitate just
>>>>internet and printer sharing.
>>>>
>>>>What hardware do I need?
>>>>Obviously a PCMCIA/USB wireless
>>>>networking card for the notebook,
>>>>and a PCI card for one of the
>>>>two desktop PCs. Anything else?
>>>>
>>>>Thanks guys.
>>>
>>>Actually, since you are using a crossover cable I presume you already
>>>have ethernet on both PCs. In which case, the best solution is to get
>>>a wireless router (commonly with 4 ethernet ports in addition to the
>>>wireless), and the PCMCIA (or USB) wireless notebook card.
>>>
>>>The two PCs then plug into the ethernet ports (you'll need normal
>>>cables for them instead of the crossover) on the wireless router and
>>>the notebook, of course, accesses through the wireless port. It looks
>>>like a unified, single segment, LAN to all of them.
>>>
>>>Your machine with internet access would then act as the internet
>>>sharing connection for the other two.
>>>
>>>Check pricewatch for prices on wireless routers. The D-Link DI-514, as
>>>but one example, can be had for under $30.
>>>
>>>
>>>Adding a PCI card to one or the other machines would needlessly
>>>complicate the LAN configuration.
>>>
>>>
>>
>>Many, many thanks to everyone. I'm glad there was agreement - a router
>>it is then!
>>
>
>
> Before you go running off and spending your money you might want to consider
> this: a router is for one thing in a home network and that is sharing the
> internet connection. And doing this demands that your modem be able to
> connect to it. A "normal" router will have an ethernet connection for the
> modem. There are routers that connect to the modem through USB but these are
> pretty rare and routers for dialups are nearly unheard of. So, what sort of
> a modem are you using for your internet connection? If it is, (shudder) a
> dialup or internal to one of the existing PCs you do not really need a
> router, just a simple hub or switch to allow ICS in one of the PCs to
> provide the internet connection to the other two as well as allowing file
> and printer sharing.

A hub would be fine if they were all wired links but he's adding wireless
and there isn't a 'wireless hub'. He needs either a wireless access point
or a wireless router and the router is more flexible as it has the hub for
his other two machines built in.

And there is no 'requirement' that the modem connect to 'it' (the wireless
router). Mine works just fine using one of the machine's internal modem,
and it's internet access, as the wireless access point and hub for the
wired LAN.
 
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"John McGaw" <nowhere@at.all> wrote in
news:ymMTc.9823$tk.2351@bignews6.bellsouth.net:

>> Many, many thanks to everyone. I'm glad there was agreement - a
>> router it is then!
>>
>
> Before you go running off and spending your money you might want to
> consider this: a router is for one thing in a home network and that is
> sharing the internet connection. And doing this demands that your
> modem be able to connect to it. A "normal" router will have an
> ethernet connection for the modem. There are routers that connect to
> the modem through USB but these are pretty rare and routers for
> dialups are nearly unheard of. So, what sort of a modem are you using
> for your internet connection? If it is, (shudder) a dialup or internal
> to one of the existing PCs you do not really need a router, just a
> simple hub or switch to allow ICS in one of the PCs to provide the
> internet connection to the other two as well as allowing file and
> printer sharing. --

Yup.

If you ar on Cable you want a

"DSL/Cable/Wireless/Router/4Port Switch"

If you are on ADSL, I would go for an

"ADSL/Wireless/Router/4Port Switch" - and keep your old modem as a backup
or put it on Ebay :)

IMO Definitely all on one solutions are the way to go for tidiness etc.

--
Lordy
 
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>>
>> Before you go running off and spending your money you might want to
>> consider this: a router is for one thing in a home network and that
>> is sharing the internet connection. And doing this demands that your
>> modem be able to connect to it. A "normal" router will have an
>> ethernet connection for the modem. There are routers that connect to
>> the modem through USB but these are pretty rare and routers for
>> dialups are nearly unheard of. So, what sort of a modem are you using
>> for your internet connection? If it is, (shudder) a dialup or
>> internal to one of the existing PCs you do not really need a router,
>> just a simple hub or switch to allow ICS in one of the PCs to provide
>> the internet connection to the other two as well as allowing file
>> and printer sharing.
>
> A hub would be fine if they were all wired links but he's adding
> wireless and there isn't a 'wireless hub'. He needs either a wireless
> access point or a wireless router and the router is more flexible as
> it has the hub for his other two machines built in.
>
> And there is no 'requirement' that the modem connect to 'it' (the
> wireless router). Mine works just fine using one of the machine's
> internal modem, and it's internet access, as the wireless access point
> and hub for the wired LAN.
>
>
>

Okay, well the modem is an external USB one for ADSL.
However, in the existing setup (via crossover) the 2nd PC merely uses
internet connection sharing - it doesn't access the modem directly or
through a hub, but via the PC to which it is connected.
 
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iamaran wrote:

>>>Before you go running off and spending your money you might want to
>>>consider this: a router is for one thing in a home network and that
>>>is sharing the internet connection. And doing this demands that your
>>>modem be able to connect to it. A "normal" router will have an
>>>ethernet connection for the modem. There are routers that connect to
>>>the modem through USB but these are pretty rare and routers for
>>>dialups are nearly unheard of. So, what sort of a modem are you using
>>>for your internet connection? If it is, (shudder) a dialup or
>>>internal to one of the existing PCs you do not really need a router,
>>>just a simple hub or switch to allow ICS in one of the PCs to provide
>>>the internet connection to the other two as well as allowing file
>>>and printer sharing.
>>
>>A hub would be fine if they were all wired links but he's adding
>>wireless and there isn't a 'wireless hub'. He needs either a wireless
>>access point or a wireless router and the router is more flexible as
>>it has the hub for his other two machines built in.
>>
>>And there is no 'requirement' that the modem connect to 'it' (the
>>wireless router). Mine works just fine using one of the machine's
>>internal modem, and it's internet access, as the wireless access point
>>and hub for the wired LAN.
>>
>>
>>
>
>
> Okay, well the modem is an external USB one for ADSL.
> However, in the existing setup (via crossover) the 2nd PC merely uses
> internet connection sharing - it doesn't access the modem directly or
> through a hub, but via the PC to which it is connected.

It'll work the same way: The PC with ADSL acts as the internet sharing
connection for the other two. That is how mine is setup as well except mine
is a plain old dial-up modem. (I'm on the breakfast nook machine right now
talking through the wired LAN port in the wireless router to the internet
connection sharing computer but I could just as well be on the wireless
notebook. Just depends on where I am :))

If you had a modem with an ethernet connection you could plug it into the
wireless router and each machine would then have independent access to it
as the wireless router is capable of performing the (NAT) internet sharing
function. In that case you wouldn't need to keep a 'sharing' computer
turned on for the others to talk to the internet because there wouldn't be
one: the router would do it.

It'll work either way. In your case you're simply not going to use the
build in NAT, since your ADSL PC will be doing that, and it'll act similar
to a 'hub' but with the additional wireless access functions added (plus
DHCP for the wired LAN if you want to use it).

A wireless connection needs something that's 'smart' on each end because it
doesn't just throw RF into the air and 'poof' talk. It negotiates, and
checks, certain parameters to make sure the remote wireless device is
authorized to access the LAN. In the simple case, which I would recommend
using for a number of reasons, that comprises which frequency it's set to
(obviously both must be on the same one) and the station ID, which you
program into it (and the notebook). Which is why a simple 'hub' isn't
sufficient for wireless.

The more secure means is using "WEP" (Wired Equivalency Protocol), which
sends a unique code with every transmission. Unfortunately, not all
wireless products use precisely the same WEP configuration (although that's
getting better) and the extra code takes up a significant amount of
bandwidth (slows the data rate). Again, a simple hub could not do WEP.

Home wireless products don't have a great range, however, and someone would
have to be not only close by but intentionally trying to break in to figure
out even the simple station ID. User security on your own LAN adds another
layer of security for your own files. If you're really worried about it,
though, you could disable DHCP and use a single, fixed, assigned IP to your
notebook and block the others in the wireless router (again, not something
a hub could do). That way there'd be no IP address for an intruder to use
unless your notebook is off and they guess which '1' you have enabled (plus
which frequency you're using and what your station ID is). If you're super
worried about it you could use WEP.