Need Computer Hook Up Help

[Corey Hallagan]

Hoping someone can tell me exactly what I need to buy here. I have a new Dell computer waiting to be hooked up to the internet. The computer I am using now has a dial up and we will be disconnecting it when the new one is up and online.

We recently hooked my son up in his room to Cox highspeed internet. We want the new one to be hooked up as well on the Cox. I have the software to install as well. The cable modem is on his computer. Exactly what do I need to purchase to make a wireless connection for my new computer? I think I need one of those wireless routers but there are so many different options when I look at the Office Depot and Best Buy adds. Someone did tell me that I had to have a special card in my new pc, I think this is what he was talking about and what is intalled in the new PC:
"Intergrate 10/100 Ethernet" is that right? So can anyone tell me exactly what I need or reference one of the Office Depot or Best Buy adds in the paper today with a specific model?
Thanks for any help you can offer!
Corey

[Tom Hamilton]

Cory, you will no doubt get more expert advice than mine, but the short story is that the Cox signal needs to go over the air to your computer. Hence, you need a wireless router.

Your computer needs to catch the signal from the air, hence you need a wireless card in your computer. This can be a permanent card or a removeable.

The friendly staff at one of the electronic bigboxes will get all the stuff together.

Merry Christmas, Tom

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Corey,

I'm sure somebody like John M. could very easily answer your questions.

1. You need a wireless modem?(I'm not sure of the "techy" term is wireless modem) in your computer. It may already have one. A lot of new computers come with those. My new laptop did.

2. If you go totally wireless, you'd need a wireless modem? in your son's computer. I'd bet you can probably get a wireless modem that accepts direct cat5 connections and wireless reception and thus not need one for your son's computer.

3. You need the proper operating software to operate a wireless modem(if that's the correct term). I think all of the latest Windows XP versions support them.

4. You'd need a wireless hub or router.


Try PMing John M ...........I'm sure he could accurately and quickly tell you how to determine what's in you new machine...your son's machine and what you'd need ot buy. Jim B could probably answer your questions.

[JayStPeter]

This is what I use:

http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=10336386&spf=1&sp=1

Just plug the cable modem into the router and your sons computer into the router. Get wireless cards, PCI for desktops or PC Card for laptops, for anything you want to connect otherwise (unless your laptop has wireless built in).

Make sure you follow the directions to make secure connections. It will involve typing some crazy hex numbers into each computer you want to connect wirelessly.

It's all pretty easy unless you wind up having phones or neighbors that interfere. Then you have to change channels on the router until it works right.

Jay

[Kelly C. Hanna]

I have a Linksys Wireless B Broadband router...it's model number BEFW11S4 (it may be a different number by now...mine's 2.5 years old). I have my two puters hardwired on the same desk, (4 available) then the wireless can serve as many as I want. You'll need a wireless card in the computer (I don't know the numbers on that) and an ethernet 10/100 card in it as well...this goes for each one NOT hardwired into the router. Your internet provider can get you hookup instructions or you can ask the techs at Comp USA or whereever you shop.

You'll also want to ecrypt it if you live in town so that no one can pass by, stop and get on your wireless and wreak havoc on the web (leaving you to explain what happened). I understand this isn't very hard to do, my buddy did mine pretty quickly.

[Corey Hallagan]

So the ethernet card is not a wireless card is that right? Thanks for the help guys!

Corey

[Kelly C. Hanna]

They are two different cards. The ethernet one goes inside your computer and is a network card. The wireless access card (usually like a credit card in size but thicker for a laptop) helps get the modem's signal from the router to your laptop. I'm not sure what they look like for a desktop but i would guess they are installed in the back onf the computer like the network card is.

[John Miliunas]

Corey, Jay has you most of the way there! I have a D-Link wireless access point/router, though the Linksys is a nice unit, as well. As Jay said, you will need some type of wireless network card on your machine. If it's a desktop unit, there are PCI type cards available, which get installed inside your box with the antenna sticking out the back of your unit. Depending on the proximity and location (obstacles, building infrastructure, electrical devises, etc...), the internal type card may not be suited too well for your environment. A great and easy alternative, which I've found to that is going with an externally installed adapter, such as this one: http://www.circuitcity.com/rpsm/oid/113246/originURLEncoded/http%253A%252F%252Fwww.circuitcity.com%252Frpsm%25 2FcatOid%252F-12981%252FN%252F20012961%2B20012980%2B40021825%2B2 0012981%252Flink%252Fref%252Frpem%252Fccd%252Fcate gorylist.do/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do#tabs

My main access point is in the house, upstairs. My daughter's remote desktop is only one room and one wall away from it so, connectivity to it was easy. However, my remote PC is located in the shop, which is a seperate building from the house with steel siding. A PCI type card in the machine didn't get enough signal. With the above adapter, it was easy to plug into the USB port and then I was able to position the adapter in a nearby window to get a decent signal and hence, connectivity. Both, the unit above, as well as the one Jay suggests, are well-rated units and easy to setup. Windows XP was able to "detect and install" both pieces without having to jump through a bunch of hoops. :) But, DO go through the installation steps one at a time while attaching and configuring everything, so that you get proper connectivity.:) :cool:

[Corey Hallagan]

Thanks John, Kelly, Jay and all. I got it now. I didn't realize the card had an antenna hanging out the back. I guess both options that John sites will work, but the external sounds like the easiest. The PC is sitting in the new computer hutch we bought. The router will go down stairs directly below this computer so I would think it would connect up ok. Any problems with the PC being in the CPU bay in the hutch and the antenna shooting down or picking up thru the floor?
Thanks again guys!
Corey

[John Miliunas]

Corey, chances are that, if you're in that close proximity, you should be OK to go with either type of wireless adapter. The internal PCI card would afford you a bit cleaner installation, though the USB might be a tad easier and you may be able to "tweak" the signal strength a bit more. Signal strength on these things directly correlates to the speed in between the two machines. The better the signal, the faster the data transfer will be. Like I said before, I have a hunch either would work ok in your installation. Let us know how it works out. :) :cool:

[Corey Hallagan]

Thanks John, am going to try to get the gear one night this week and get it up and running. Will let you know how it goes! Thanks guys!

Corey

[Tim Morton]

I recently went wireless and unfortunately two of the computers in my house are PC's...(rest are macs)...and I would rather go to the dentist than open up a PC, so I asked my brother the PC guru about what I needed to bring the 2 PC's onto the wireless network, and he pointed me to a USB wireless device that just plugs into one of the USB2 ports on the back of the computer. I was up and running for about $25 bucks per computer...I got the wireless router for free thru verizon. And no antenna's needed in my house with the router in the basement and the computers scattered over 3 floors.It was a:

NETGEAR-WG111 v2 54 Mbps
Wireless USB 2.0 Adapter

[Lee DeRaud]

And no antenna's needed in my house with the router in the basement and the computers scattered over 3 floors.Sounds similar to my experience. The antennas on the routers have some vertical directionality, biased toward "up": having the router downstairs seems to work a lot better.

[Corey Hallagan]

Good the router will be in the basement and seems like the USB port method is the easiest, that is what I am shooting for!

Corey

[Frank Hagan]

Corey, make sure you read the directions on the wireless router you buy! It really isn't hard, but if you do things in the wrong order, it can get very frustrating.

The wireless router is installed between the computer and broadband cable modem on the main computer (the one hooked up to the cable modem now).

On my Linksys Wireless-G broadband router, they had me disconnect the broadband modem from my computer and connect the new wireless router to the computer, and then run their install program. It evidently loads a "profile" from your computer when you run the software. Then, after the installation software ran, I was to plug the cable modem into the wireless router. As far as the cable modem knows, it is still hooked up to the computer, because the new wireless router "appears" to the cable modem to be your computer.

If you try to connect to the Internet before allowing the install software to get the profile from your computer, the cable modem may not recognize the new router, and deny it service. Then I guess you have to program it manually.

[Peter Stahl]

When I installed my Linksys router it said to run the install disk first because it needs to get the IP address so it can clone it for the router. Then you connect the Modem to the router then from the router to the ethernet card. I used a PCI wireless adapter, didn't know about the other type or I would have bought one of them instead. Don't think you'll have much trouble, it was a lot easier than I thought it would be.