Jen_M

I have BT Broadband plug and go with a USB ADSL modem. I want to connect two PC's to the internet, preferably wireless. Do I need to buy a router with a built in modem? PC World said yes the cost for the router and two USB receivers for each PC would be about £250

Jen

NickAdams

iTrader: (5)

I have just recently purchased Linksys kit for my wireless lan.It was a damn sight cheaper than £250 though!!!
What I bought was a wireless access point WAG54G which is basically a router with wireless AP and built in modem (Keeps the clutter off my desk )
I then bought a wireless pcmcia card for my laptop (WPC54G) and a wireless gaming adapter to link my Xbox and PS2 onto my broadband (WAG54G)
I bought all my gear from www.nascenttech.com and they did me a better deal than these things were listed on their website.Speak to Stuart and mention my name (Hopefully he'll remember me)
Price wise,this is roughly what I paid:

Router = £95
PCMCIA Card = £45
Gaming Adapter = £65

Good luck

Nick

NickAdams

iTrader: (5)

If you're using two desktop computers (As opposed to a laptop and a desktop) then you'll need a pci wireless card as opposed to a pcmcia card!!

Jen_M

They are two desktops. The PC world man said because I was with BT he recommended the BT router with a built in modem. What provider are you with?

Jen_M

Nick,

That is a good website you gave the link to. One of the PC's is running Windows 98 and is a few years old. I think I will have to check things out before I order anything.

Jen

NickAdams

iTrader: (5)

I'm also with BT Broadband.Take no notice of what they say at PC World.No disrespect to em but you can hardly call these guys technical...
Linksys gear is definitely the gear to go for as they're part of Cisco now and that speaks volumes!!

Good luck

Nick

NickAdams

iTrader: (5)

Don't think Win98 supports wireless networking though!!

Butty

iTrader: (2)

D link 520+ PCi card supports XP,2000, W98 SE & ME

Nick

Jen_M

Looks like I will have to upgrade the windows on the old PC - might go for 2000.

Yuck Fou Motorsport

I am using a wireless access point with my pc (plugs into the lan port), broadband via a BT usb adsl modem and i have a pcmcia wireless adaptor connected to my laptop.

cost £59 from www.brackencomputers.co.uk

It works a treat...

RB5-Black

as above.... I use the BT USB modem and have a Dlink DWL2000AP in my Lan Port on my PC. I then Internet conection share all other stuff with my firts PC (Laptop/ Xbox)

Chris J

I thought that an access point only supported one connection, and to get multiple connections you would need a router. I still use the cable modem that ntl gave me, and that plugs into the router.

I have a desktop and a laptop both connected wirelessly to a belkin router which all seems to be fine. Both machines aer running windows 98, and the cards are netgear ones, I can't remember what the modela are though.

icantthinkofone

Comment 1) Is there much point in going for 802.11g (54mbps) stuff when the outgoing connection's adsl - plain old 802.11b (11mbps) is still 20 times faster than the avarage dsl connection, and cheaper.

(mine - pcmcia 20quid inc vat from www.netshop.co.uk)

2) Why wireless with a desktop? It's not that portable! Assume at least one is near to the phone point, for cheapness, why not leave that plugged into the wall, and wireless network it to the other (ad-hoc mode), saving on a router etc.

3) Ignore PC-world

Jen_M

I am totally confused - went into another PC World yesterday and he said I just needed pci cards in each PC.

The reason for wireless is, at first it looked easier than running cables round the house. One PC down stairs, the other upstairs.

GC8

Jen; you need to get a wireless DSL Router and a pair or wireless network cards; make sure that they are all 802.11g standard. You will not be able to use your existing USB modem; the simplest explanation being that you cant plug a USB soft modem into a router; they dont have a USB port and even if they did, your USB modem doesnt do all of the work; a lot is done by the processor in your PC (the DSL modem on a combined / modem router is complete). Personally Id choose Netgear kit, but Linksys is good too, avoid DLink. Prices range from about £100 to £145 for the DSL router. It is possible to use two wireless PCI network cards without the router if you enable Internet Connection Sharing but the machine that hosts the USB modem will be a gateway, and has to be on in order for the second machine to access the internet. Btw; from what I recall, unless you are with AOL it doesnt really matter which brand of DSL router you use. With regard to the rather predictable PCWorld knocking; there are a lot of very knowledgable people within the firm; but it'd be a mistake to assume that they worked as sales assistants...

Simon

icantthinkofone

GC8/Simon - why: It seems from the post that a *cheap* / easy means of networking is required - there's merit in _not_ having one of the pc's functioning as a router, but I can't for the life of me understand why you need 54Mbps wireless (802.11g) to share a 512kbps (0.5Mbps) adsl connection - even 11mbps (802.11b) is arguably overkill, and 54mbps cards are (predictably) more expensive than 11mbps kit.

GC8

Through the chosen retail route; there is little difference in price between 'b' and 'g' standard kit. You need to consider that people regularly use their new network for more than their original intention; buying all g standard is good advice. Perhaps this is where my experience tells?

Jen_M

Simon,

Do you think my old PC running windows 98 support this ? I was going to order the Linksys today, but think will check out Netgear first.

Jen

NickAdams

iTrader: (5)

You don't work for them by any chance do you Simon?

NickAdams

iTrader: (5)

Just to add something constructive again to this thread.I would personally stick with 11g standard as you're at least building some future proofing into the equation.Plus no doubt once you get a network up and running you'll wanna blast files from one machine to another!!
Remember what I said about Linksys being part of Cisco though,says a lot really!!

Good luck

Nick

Jen_M

You have all been really helpful on this.

I am going to have to have a complete rethink. I don't want so spend out too much money on the old PC - it works OK, just a little slow starting up, its running on windows 98 which does not support wireless. Basically just want to to use it for the internet, maybe we should just wire the two PC's together - any suggestions on whether this will work and what I would need ?

Jen

GC8

Actually I do Nick; but not in a store! I'm no corporate boy..... and as I deal with them Im more aware of the problems than anyone; but the endless knocking of PCW by people who dont know their **** from their elbow really p1sses me off...

Jen; If they are on seperate floors then the wireless option is best; if you can live with the main broadband machine that you have now being on (as a gateway), in order to use the upstairs machine; then two wireless cards will do it, ad-hoc (working together without a router; limited to 2 devices only) for about £60 for the pair from DSG (product code: 888167). They are only Belkin 11Mbps 802.11b cards. 54Mbps 'g' standard cards would cost about £80 for the pair; theyre DLink (product code: 944716) -it was DLink routers that I advised you to steer clear of btw; the cards are ok- The cheap as chips option would be a pair of (cheap) PCI network interface cards and (cheap) 4 port hub and two (cheap) patch cables. I wouldnt recommend PCW for the NIC's cables and hubs as their prices arent realistic. For both of these methods youd need to enable internet connection sharing on both machines; its not quite as easy on win98 as on WinXP and it was only introduced with the Second Edition.


With regard to WIndows98 and wireless networking; its amazing how quickly you lose something that you stop using; as far as I recall there are no issues but Id recommend checking with the card's manufacturer.

Hope this helps; and makes sense, as Im shagged out.

Simon

GC8

Also:

Ebuyer Wireless 1 Port Ethernet/USB ADSL Modem Router (802.11b Wi-Fi) quickfind code: 55543 @ £62:27. D-Link Wireless PCI 11mbps - Adapter quickfind code: 51332 @ £21:62 should do it too. Its a single port router and DSL modem, it connects to your big machine via Ethernet or USB (easy!) and it will allow remote access independantly, to your second machine. The cost is very attractive but you need to know what youre doing, or have a friend who does (thats REALLY does). Very tempting for £84 inc. VAT, exc. carriage; Its £160 cheaper than getting a pair of matched 'g' NIC's and DSLRouter from Netgear/Linksys.....

GC8

Btw; Im sure that you realise that I wasnt referring to you there Nick.

Jen_M

Decided to get Windows 2000 on old PC, if it runs Ok will order Linskys as suggested by Nick earlier.

Will let you know how I get on.

Jen

NickAdams

iTrader: (5)

Tis ok mate,I know

Jen,give Stuart a call at www.nascenttech.com and see what prices he can do on the Linksys gear.As stated earlier,he did me a stormin deal (Cheaper than their website and any others for that matter)
I don't know him personally but mention my name as hopefully,he should remember me!!

Good luck

Nick

Jen_M

Thanks Nick, I was going to order on the website, I will phone instead.

Jen

icantthinkofone

I rather hope you don't mean me either, with respect you know nothing about my experience, I simply happen to disagree with you.

My solution would be a matched paid of D-links at about 40 all in. FWIW that's based on Jen's hardware sounding like it's somewhat older and probably .11g would be wasted on it. But, that's just my opinion.

Jen_M

I am a bit lost here. I think you are saying that the PC's will run faster on Nick's suggested Linsks, which it what I want, one PC is only weeks old, top spec and flys along - I don't want it slowed down. The older PC is currently being looked at.

Jen

Neanderthal

iTrader: (6)

Don't go for anything less than 11g. If you're transfering large files between the PC's it'll take ages otherwise.
As for slowing down your PC, it won't affect the performance of the PC one bit, I think they were refering to the speed of the network.
I've got an 11g wireless network at home and it took ~10mins to transfer a 800Mb file (although I was utilizing the network for other things at the same time)