PC gurus: I need home network help (wireless?)

In My Humble Opinion
1

I currently have my PC set up in the lounge, connected to a broadband cable modem. However, my girlfriend will be moving in soon and I want to make more space downstairs and turn a spare room upstairs into a study.

However, the broadband cable won’t reach upstairs, and I don’t really want the hassle of drilling and routing a cable through to upstairs. Plus, my gf will have a laptop and might want to use the internet at the same time.

I am clueless really about my options here, but I believe it ought to be possible to get some kind of wireless doohickey that will allow me to use the PC upstairs, and allow a laptop to share the connection too. Is this feasible without sacrificing boradband speed? And if so what do I need?

Thanks for any advice.

2

Get yourself a wireless NIC, get her a wireless PC card, enable ICS on your PC, enable security on both NICs and you’re set.

3

Of course, her PC won’t be able to connect to the internet unless yours is powered up.

I’d go with a wireless router and wireless ethernet cards. Or, USB ethernet cards if you don’t have any open ports.

4

It is definately feasible. And it won’t affect your broadband bandwidth since wireless lan speeds are likely higher than your max download speed from your ISP anyway.

Of course, you have to keep in mind that you are sharing that bandwidth with other coputers in your house. So if you’re downloading a 200MB game Demo on one, expect to get reduced internet bandwidth on another computer. :wink:

You’ll need:

  1. A wireless router: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=1051384664188&skuId=5250809&type=product&productCategoryId=pcmcat25300050001

  2. A wireless card for your laptop: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=1051384276884&skuId=4163229&type=product&productCategoryId=pcmcat25300050003

  3. A wireless adapter for your desktop: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=1051384382576&skuId=4463459&type=product&productCategoryId=pcmcat25300050002

Note, you might find better prices or models elsewhere. These links were found on a cursoray search on the best buy website.

5

OK, so the router plugs into the cable downstairs, right? And then the two PCs can access the internet from anywhere within range, independently (ie the desktop doesn’t need to be on for the laptop to be used)?

6

The only things I can add that haven’t been said already:

-Avoid USB based adapters like the plague. A PCI based wireless NIC for your  
 system is easy to install, and PCMCIA wirelesses for notebooks are brain-dead 
 simple. USB based units are notoriously awful because the data has to be 
 translated through two different interface protocols.

-Be sure to enable encryption, and use a firewall. Open wieless installations are 
 precisely that, and without protection, someone can go for a walk on either or       
 both systems.