wireless

[ACE2M]

Anybody advise me on wireless between two computers please.

Is it best to have the more powerful computer as the base station?

What exactly do i need to to have another PC wirelessly connected to it? Wireless card and wireless router? Is it easy to install the wireless card?

[ifm]

If you are talking 2 PC's (rather than laptops) then it is pretty simple.
I'd have the more powerful one as the main one.
Basically you buy a pci ethernet adapter (very cheap) and a wireless router, probably best to buy from the same manufacturer.
Installing the card(s) is very simple but you need a spare pci slot!
Open up the PC casing and at the back there should be a blanking plate in front of a spare slot, remove the plate and plug in the card, 2 screws to hold it in place and put the casing back on.

Once this is done you need to follow the installation instructions for the card.
Install the router (again with the instructions/software supplied) and set up and connect the first PC to the network.
Then you boot up the second PC, install that card and search for a wireless network connect it and it's done.
This is very basic i know but if you need any specific answers let me know, i've done it a few times.

[RED-DOG]

I don't have wireless between two computers. My wireless is between a clock and a pot elephant.

[Royal Flush]

I don't have wireless between two computers. My wireless is between a clock and a pot elephant.

 

[ACE2M]

cheers ifm, nice one red.

Does this one look alright?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BRAND-NEW-D-LINK-DI-514-DSL-BROADBAND-WIRELESS-ROUTER_W0QQitemZ330038234802QQihZ014QQcategoryZ86765QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[Decider]

You would be better going for one that is wireless G rather than B - e.g., 802.11g - it's 54Mbps instead of 11Mbps.

I'd recommend getting one that has a built in modem too, this one would require a seperate DSL or Cable modem.

Cheers,

Eoan

[Decider]

Not knowing this brand that well, but this one looks ok...

http://www.dabs.com/productview.aspx?Quicklinx=43DV&CategorySelectedId=11177&PageMode=1&NavigationKey=11177,4294958848,4294955603

And since I last looked at wireless routers, looks like they have upped the ante again as this is claiming 108Mbps with Wireless G+  Don't have time to look further, but should do the job.

If you have ADSL that is, if you have Cable then you want one with a cable modem built in.

[MrsLime]

Anybody advise me on wireless between two computers please.

Is it best to have the more powerful computer as the base station?

What exactly do i need to to have another PC wirelessly connected to it? Wireless card and wireless router? Is it easy to install the wireless card?

I don't think there is a concept of a 'base station' or 'main computer'.  The router itself is the 'base station' and it views anything connected to it as equals.  To set up a wireless router I think you intially need to use a wired connection. But once that's done, you can unplug the wire.

If you are not comfortable opening up your PC, you can get USB wireless adapters that work quite well -- you just plug them into a spare USB slot and there is no need to tinker with the PC's innards.  I use one sometimes and it works well without any problems.

I recommend the Netgear brand. They look nice too.

[Bongo]

What effect are you trying to achieve a2m?

2 pcs connected to the internet? Filesharing?

[mikkyT]

You can set up a wireless network between two computers, with one as a base "hosting" the network. But thats not efficient, and would mean that PC being on all the time in order to share the internet connection. The base PC would need to have the USB DSL modem plugged into it to share, or else share the wired ethernet card onto the wireless internet card.

The most efficent way of running a wireless network is to get a wireless router. Preferably one with an ADSL modem built in so that you don't need a separate one. These things cost about the same anyway with or without.

If you have an all singing all dancing router/modem combo already (mine cost 170 quid) that doesnt have wireless, then you can easily add a wireless router to your network, just make sure it has some kind of ethernet uplink port and the ability to route the wired traffic accross the wireless network.

[Bongo]

Preferably one with an ADSL modem built in so that you don't need a separate one.

Unless you have cable internet of course...

If you already have a router you can just plug an access point into it.

[mikkyT]

Preferably one with an ADSL modem built in so that you don't need a separate one.

Unless you have cable internet of course...

If you already have a router you can just plug an access point into it.

Sorry I was thinking that when I wrote that I did add a bit later one that would apply if you had a cable modem.

[ACE2M]

Thanks guys.

To clarify it will be a cable modem (NTL) and i would like to set it up with a file sharing network type scenario.

If anyone could point me in the direction of the stuff i need for about £100 (bit less or more is fine) that would be amazing.

[Decider]

Are either of your PC's going to be next to the router? If so, connect that PC to your router with an Ethernet cable (assuming you have a network card in your PC. Then you will need to buy only 1 wireless card, either PCI or USB for your 2nd PC and one wireless router.

As you have a cable modem already, you could go for this:

http://www.dabs.com/productview.aspx?Quicklinx=3YRS&SearchType=1&SearchTerms=cable+wireless+router&PageMode=3&SearchKey=All&SearchMode=All&NavigationKey=0&v=3#infoarea

then you need a wireless network card for your PC, so could try this:

http://www.dabs.com/ProductView.aspx?Quicklinx=38DX&CategorySelectedId=11175&PageMode=1&NavigationKey=11175,4294960297,50468&InMerch=1

Or you could instead get a USB wireless card like this:

http://www.dabs.com/ProductView.aspx?Quicklinx=3ZGR&CategorySelectedId=11175&PageMode=1&NavigationKey=11175,4294960297,50468&InMerch=1

Just make sure that you have USB 2.0 on your PC, most newish PC's will have this. The older version, USB1.1 runs at 12Mbps full speed, while USB 2.0 runs at a 480Mbps!!

Hope this helps

Cheers,

Eoan

p.s. Have you quit smoking yet?

[ACE2M]

Are either of your PC's going to be next to the router? If so, connect that PC to your router with an Ethernet cable (assuming you have a network card in your PC. Then you will need to buy only 1 wireless card, either PCI or USB for your 2nd PC and one wireless router.

As you have a cable modem already, you could go for this:

http://www.dabs.com/productview.aspx?Quicklinx=3YRS&SearchType=1&SearchTerms=cable+wireless+router&PageMode=3&SearchKey=All&SearchMode=All&NavigationKey=0&v=3#infoarea

then you need a wireless network card for your PC, so could try this:

http://www.dabs.com/ProductView.aspx?Quicklinx=38DX&CategorySelectedId=11175&PageMode=1&NavigationKey=11175,4294960297,50468&InMerch=1

Or you could instead get a USB wireless card like this:

http://www.dabs.com/ProductView.aspx?Quicklinx=3ZGR&CategorySelectedId=11175&PageMode=1&NavigationKey=11175,4294960297,50468&InMerch=1

Just make sure that you have USB 2.0 on your PC, most newish PC's will have this. The older version, USB1.1 runs at 12Mbps full speed, while USB 2.0 runs at a 480Mbps!!

Hope this helps

Cheers,

Eoan

p.s. Have you quit smoking yet?

Cheers and no, i've been to busy moving house so haven't got throught the book yet.