Cheap Wireless Network
Discussion
Help!!!!
We are finally getting ADSL installed today.
My problem is that we want to share the adsl between two computers at opposite sides of the house. This situation will only be for two months as I'm shortly moving out.
Therefore I want to cheaply connect the two computers however it will need to be wireless as we cannot get the wires acros the house. I can budget about £50-£60 for this as currently I pay for my computer £28 per month just for dial-up (unmetered acces £16 + dedicated phone line £12 per month)
Can I just get two wireless cards from novatech for £22 each? Or do I need to go down the route of getting a wireless router etc.etc.
If I can use the two wireless cards is there a kit or something I can get from somewhere like PC world so I can get it tonight on the way home?
TIA
Tim
We are finally getting ADSL installed today.
My problem is that we want to share the adsl between two computers at opposite sides of the house. This situation will only be for two months as I'm shortly moving out.
Therefore I want to cheaply connect the two computers however it will need to be wireless as we cannot get the wires acros the house. I can budget about £50-£60 for this as currently I pay for my computer £28 per month just for dial-up (unmetered acces £16 + dedicated phone line £12 per month)
Can I just get two wireless cards from novatech for £22 each? Or do I need to go down the route of getting a wireless router etc.etc.
If I can use the two wireless cards is there a kit or something I can get from somewhere like PC world so I can get it tonight on the way home?
TIA
Tim
You can get the cards to talk to each other in peer-to-peer mode rather than "infrastructure". No need for an access point. But wait ... what protection are you using? 
Most wireless routers have a basic and effective hardware firewall built in, and the price is often a bit less than £100 these days.
Most wireless routers have a basic and effective hardware firewall built in, and the price is often a bit less than £100 these days.
Tim
The wireless cards should have a config utility to allow you to set up the network - SSID, WEP keys etc. One of the options will be to select ad-hoc (peer-to-peer) or infrastructure (using an access point).
You'll need to connect the ADSL to one of your PC's. That PC will have a peer-to-peer network through your wireless cards, and will have to share its connection to the internet. This is pretty easy to do in XP, its a checkbox on the network connection advanced properties tab.
By linking the two PCS you obviously expose both to the internet through ADSL (always on) and without some protection you will get burned. The hardware firewall in an access point sits between ADSL (the internet) and your internal network and offers good basic protection of the "one inch air gap" type - if it can't be seen it won't be hacked. To my mind software firewalls on the PC are a bit like trying to close the door once the bailiff has his foot in the jam. Keep him outside!
The wireless cards should have a config utility to allow you to set up the network - SSID, WEP keys etc. One of the options will be to select ad-hoc (peer-to-peer) or infrastructure (using an access point).
You'll need to connect the ADSL to one of your PC's. That PC will have a peer-to-peer network through your wireless cards, and will have to share its connection to the internet. This is pretty easy to do in XP, its a checkbox on the network connection advanced properties tab.
By linking the two PCS you obviously expose both to the internet through ADSL (always on) and without some protection you will get burned. The hardware firewall in an access point sits between ADSL (the internet) and your internal network and offers good basic protection of the "one inch air gap" type - if it can't be seen it won't be hacked. To my mind software firewalls on the PC are a bit like trying to close the door once the bailiff has his foot in the jam. Keep him outside!
Gassing Station | Computers, Gadgets & Stuff | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff