I haven’t a clue about home networking - at all. So the scenario is as follows:
Currently, we have a cable modem and 1 computer here; my laptop. The cable lines are in every room in the house, so wherever we end up playing the modem I guess should be okay. Anyway, for Christmas, my sisters are getting a new computer. What we want to do is let both my laptop and the new computer use our cable modem simultaneously.
I think we need a “router” perhaps? But do we need to tell the cable company anything? I want a wireless connection for my laptop to avoid having to be in the same room as the other computer, and I’m assuming that a desktop computer would need a wired connection. Is it possible to have a router connect my laptop wirelessly, as well as a desktop computer?
I have a wireless card for my laptop and the accompanying software; it’s a CISCO AIR PCM-352 card. The new computer has an ethernet card.
What’s the cheapest/best option to get the kind of results I’m looking for, and can I expect to do it myself without any cable company help?
You will need a router. You don’t need to tell the cable company anything, because the router pretends to be the lone device hooked up to your cable modem, and routes the network traffic from your computers to the modem when necessary.
I highly reccomend Linksys products. Specifically, the Linksys BEFSR41W Cable/DSL Wireless Ready Router. This connects to your cable modem and provides four Ethernet ports. Additionally, you can add a wireless PC card to turn it into an access point for your wireless devices.
You should be aware that there are 2 popular standards in wireless. The 802.11B and 802.11G. I think that the B standard would be adequate and is cheaper at this time. I like D-link routers and they make one that has a built in print server allowing you to print from any connected machine through the router. I works great in my wired setup. D-Link
friedo is correct; you’ll need a router. A few notes:
a) The fact that you have TV cable strung everywhere doesn’t mean that you’ll have data connectivity everywhere. You’ll pick one place to put your cable modem; you’ll hook the TV cable into one jack on it, and another jack will connect from the cable modem to your new router (or to a computer if you only have hooked up).
b) Not only do you not need to tell the cable company you are hooking up a router, I recommend that you specifically do not. Sometimes they get upset and feel that you owe them extra money. Also, when you have support problems, you’ll need to debug with a single PC hooked up; all the ones I’ve seen won’t support you with a router.
c) Unlike friend friedo, I do NOT highly recommend Linksys products, in fact I think they totally suck. However, my applications tend to involve things that must be up 24x7, and for home use, if the thing dies every so often, it’s not the end of the world. I will tell you though that the Linksys in my garage is only there because I haven’t had time to find something more reliable. It’s such a drag to have to walk out to the garage in the freezing cold and hard reset it every time it dies, which is perhaps twice a month.
Durnit. I forgot to mention that anyone nearby with a wireless card could likely use your connection to whatever nefarious ends they desire. Make sure you read up on securing the network, 'cause I guarantee the default setup isn’t.
Two ways off the top of my head are to use WEP (you kind of put a password on the network - fairly effective) or lock out all MACs except the one in the laptop. (Make sure the card accessing has the right serial #. More effective).
Civil, you want a router, and you want it near where the cable terminates (already has a connector for your television.) If you need that end for your tv, you can get a “y” connector.
Cable from wall to router. Get a wireless router with ethernet ports.
If your computer doesn’t have a wireless card, cable from router port to computer ethernet port. Laptop connects wirelessly.
Set a non-default password on the router that you can remember. Seriously. People war drive looking for such things, just for fun.
If you are worried about giving free service to the neighborhood or security or privacy or etc… use a non-default ESSID (network name), WEP (encryption) and, optionally, restrict access to your network based on hostid. These measures are up to you. Don’t be scared. If the documentation doesn’t explain the topics well enough, 1-800 numbers and www.google.com will.
Of course, you could leave it wide open. It’s up to you. But definitely set the password on the router to something other than the default.
As for telling the cable company, I told mine (Cox Communications) that I wanted to network two computers and a laptop and they were the ones to suggest I use a router and share one connection.
Depends on your cable company, I guess, but I think they are more worried about multiple households (apartments, duplexes, etc…) sharing one connection than one family sharing one connection.
Have fun. Don’t be scared. Cable from wall to router. Router to computer. Surf.
Do not plug your cable modem into just any old cable connector. Also do not put a splitter just anywhere to add a connection.
Digital TV/Cable broadband operates at higher frequencies than regular old cable. Higher quality splitters and cables are needed. Many systems also require special filters to separate the data signal from the digital TV signal.
If you try a DIY on something like this you are going to significantly downgrade the quality of your data and TV signal and that of your neighbors. That is, me.
It’s having thousands of customers putting in their own crappy stuff that gives cable companies nightmares.
The cable company should do it right and for free.
About adding your own router. Many systems register the MAC address of your Official Single Networked Computer in a database. If you connect something else, it won’t be allowed to connect (in particular, no DHCP service). So if you replace your NIC, you need to give the new MAC address to the cable company. And if the MAC (which includes make and model info) says it’s a router, expect extra fees at some point for having >1 Official Networked Computer. The way routers work around this is you can set the MAC address of the router on the WAN side.
So you look up the MAC address of your existing NIC, and configure it into the router. Cable company sees at as if you still have just the laptop connected. (There are systems to to really determine if >1 computer is networked, but they don’t seem to be in use… yet.)
