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Any input on wireless networking? I am am moving my computer to a different room, I dont want to move my internet modem, router though. So I am looking at wireless internet for me desktop computer.

Any input on USB wireless internet vs getting a internal card?

And if I get an internal card, any input on what to get? I am used to PCI cards, and my PCI slot on my new computer is only about 2"-3" long, I have never seen such a small slot before.

(I used to be into computers but have since lost interest so I do not know what alot of this new stuff is)
 
Oh my current router is wireless and I am using it :)
I run the following off it:
(1) wireless laptop
(1) wireless notebook
(1) wireless printer
(1) wireless TV
(1) wireless Blu-Ray
(1) wireless DVD

The only thing I have hard wired is the desktop PC and it was only hard wired because I had my modem and router next to it. Now I am moving my desk into a room that has the internet (cable) outlet on the wrong side of the room, and I don't feel like relocating it. I am either going to stick the modem and router in the attic or hide them under a bed in another room.
 
I'm assuming that your current modem/router has wireless capability, if not you'll need to get a wireless router or access point for that endpoint. Currently, Wireless-N is the latest, greatest, fastest wireless technology that is commercially available. I prefer an access point instead of a router to keep the network topology complexity down.

It sounds like the slot you are describing is a PCI-E slot, either x2 or x4 (2-3 inches would be at least x2). Your computer manual should say which one it is. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:pCIExpress.jpg Of course, you should get a card that is compatible with the slot, though an x1 will fit into any larger slot (x2, x4, etc).

I haven't used any of the USB wireless devices so I can't really comment on them, but anything you get should be a quality device, like Cisco/Linksys, DLink, Belkin, Intel. Personally I prefer internal cards because I don't have to worry about knocking it about when adding an external drive or plugging in my flash drive or what not.

Currently I have a Netgear WT802T Wireless-N access point (the FIOS router they gave me only supported A/B/G) which is connected to the internet router. It supports a number of security features such as MAC address access filters, WAP2 encryption etc. The only systems I currently have that run wireless are laptops with internal wireless N, one is an Intel design and the other is Broadcom. Both work fine through multiple walls at half-power settings. Sorry I don't have specific recommendations for cards/USB adapters.


elsie
 
Oh my current router is wireless and I am using it :)
I run the following off it:
(1) wireless laptop
(1) wireless notebook
(1) wireless printer
(1) wireless TV
(1) wireless Blu-Ray
(1) wireless DVD

The only thing I have hard wired is the desktop PC and it was only hard wired because I had my modem and router next to it. Now I am moving my desk into a room that has the internet (cable) outlet on the wrong side of the room, and I don't feel like relocating it. I am either going to stick the modem and router in the attic or hide them under a bed in another room.

What are you using for wireless TV? I would like to send vid from HULU on my laptop to my big screen.
 
What are you using for wireless TV? I would like to send vid from HULU on my laptop to my big screen.

I just got a new Toshiba LED TV and it came with wireless internet so I set it up. It has things like VUDU movies (similar to netflix but in HD) weather, news, and access to on-demand for certain channels such as discovery channel and CNN. Its actually kinda cool.. I am not into social networking but it also came with Facebook, it will pop up on screen if you get a message haha...

I have a Samsung DVD and Blu-Ray both running wireless to get Netflix, which is very nice! My Wii also does Netflix but seems to be poor quality.. Neither came with Hulu but I believe I can add "apps"

oh also before I had the wireless tv/dvd I just used a VGA cable to hook up my laptop to my big screen. If you have the inputs it works great!
 
To avoid confusion, I believe you need a router, wired or wireless before you can use an access point. Some modems have a built in router, but a lot and maybe most don't. If you have a wireless router, you don't need an access point unless you are trying to extend your range.

If there's any misunderstanding that you can go with a standard modem and then only an access point, I would strongly doubt it unless some new access points have the features of a router. If they do, they ARE a router, lol. :)

Routers are sometimes called traffic cops. They are by default and definition a firewall. They also provide NAT translation and DHCP. Some access points (AP's) also provide DHCP but if enabled, you're getting complicated. The router provides DHCP and you can't have two DHCP servers on the same subnet! Turn it off on the AP!

To save some typing, this from Microsoft: Link

"Routers

Routers enable computers to communicate and they can pass information between two networks—such as between your home network and the Internet. This capability to direct network traffic is what gives the router its name. Routers can be wired (using Ethernet cables) or wireless. If you just want to connect your computers, hubs and switches work well; however, if you want to give all of your computers access to the Internet using one modem, use a router or a modem with a built-in router.

Routers also typically provide built-in security, such as a firewall. Routers are more expensive than hubs and switches."

--------------

"Access points


Access points (also called base stations) provide wireless access to a wired Ethernet network. An access point plugs into a hub, switch, or wired router and sends out wireless signals. This enables computers and devices to connect to a wired network wirelessly.

Access points act a lot like cellular phone towers: you can move from one location to another and continue to have wireless access to a network. When you connect to the Internet wirelessly using a public wireless network in an airport, coffee shop, or hotel, you are usually connecting through an access point. If you want to connect your computers wirelessly and you have a router that provides wireless capability, you don't need an access point. Access points don't have built-in technology for sharing Internet connections.

To share an Internet connection, you must plug an access point into a router or a modem with a built-in router."

Gunner,
MCSE/MCSA, retired senior VP, IT.
 
Some say that you need a computer hardwired to the router with a cable. Maybe that is an old axiom. But accessing your router settings online with wifi is not considered safe. YMMV. Are you using "N"?
rhtwist
 
Some say that you need a computer hardwired to the router with a cable. Maybe that is an old axiom. But accessing your router settings online with wifi is not considered safe. YMMV. Are you using "N"?
rhtwist

Things change so fast in the tech world, but this has been true to keep outsiders from breaking into the system. You had to have physical access to the router to change settings, especially security settings. If there was no computer hard wired, I just took a laptop and ethernet cable to the router.

My router is wireless N, and I already mentioned that my main squeeze box is hard wired to it for speed.

PS When I say speed, you won't notice a difference when surfing the web because wireless is usually faster than the internet connection. Transferring files between computers such as doing backups from one to the other is where the difference is very noticeable. All of the computers in my home office are hard wired: Router> switch> computers. I have another 4 computers for a "lab" and for a Microsoft Server (domain controller) that are connected via a KVM switch, and one ethernet cable from the LAN switch.
 
So it looks like you might be looking for something like this (assuming your slot is PCI-E): http://www.iguanamicro.com/aspciexx180w.html or for USB: http://www.iguanamicro.com/trte30winusb.html

These are dual-band wireless-N adapters, but also support the wireless B/G standards. ASUS and TrendNet are OK and what I would consider middle-of-the-road vendors. If you wanted top-of-the-line, then I would look for similar products from Cisco/Linksys, Netgear, Broadcomm or Intel.


elsie
 
If any of you have a wireless router and need an extra boost i have antennas and amplifiers that you can hook up.
I have an antenna that has 28db gain and a 1 watt amplifier hooked up to it. I can sit 1/2 a block away and use my laptop. Walls are not a problem with my setup.

I have a few antennas left and only one complete dish system with amplifier if anyone is interested.
 

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