explain wireless broadband please to a newbie
 

Hi,
After many years with a cable modem and virgin i have moved house and now need a new ISP, i am favouring going with O2 as it seems a good price with no download limit.

I am a complete newbie about wireless, but as i understand it , if i go with the basic package at O2 i get a 'g' type router which is the basic one but hopefully be good enough for me.

What else do i need that wont come with the package that they would send me, ie - a wireless network card or usb wireless dongle thingy-which is best as seem so many differnat types on ebay with different speeds etc, bearing in mind my pc is approx 6 - 7 years old so doesnt have a higher speed USB2 port.

Also i would plug router into main BT socket and be totally wireless and not have my desktop plugged into phone socket-is that ok?

need help please-thank you

From reading your post I assume you are referring ADSL (with the option of wireless LAN), wireless broadband could be misinterpreted as broadband via the mobile phone network (i.e. 3G/HSDPA).

First up: Router plugged into phone socket (via ADSL microfilter). You will need to configure the router with the username / password etc. given by O2 it should then synch up the router with the ADSL equipment at the telephone exchange and connect it to O2's network. The router may be pre-configured by O2 in which case you may not need to do the above.

At this stage you've got the same setup as you would have had with the cable modem. The router will have regular Ethernet sockets on it and you could just hook up you PC to it with an Ethernet cable as before. If you have this option, i.e. router is close to PC, then do that. While wireless is convenient it's not as fast or reliable as a hard-wired connection.

Now assuming you want to pursue the wireless route as you say you'll need a wireless adapter for your PC. This can a PCI card or USB dongle as mentioned. My personal preference is for a PCI card as you then don't lose a USB port to the dongle. Also if your PC is only USB1 then PCI may be preferable from a speed perspective. Sounds like you need on that supports 802.11G (54Mbps). Anyway follow the manufacturers instructions to install your chosen device on the PC.

Okay so now we have both ends that are wireless. You'll need to set up pass keys in both the PC and router, use WPA-2 security if available. Configure both ends with the same password and it should all connect.

You now have wireless access to the Internet. If you want to add a laptop or something at some later stage you'll need to configure it with the same pass key.

So thinking about it - My comp is tops 15m from where main BT socket ( and so router will be there), so i buy a length of ethernet cable and hardwire my comp into it to be best, is all ethernet cable the same or is there different types? plus one more question, in room where my desktop pc is going there will also be my gf's can i run an ethernet cable from router to my PC then a link cable from my pc to her's so in effect both pc's are hardwired into router?

Definitely have one PC hard-wired to the router. As is said above, it's more reliable. See here ... Guide to rewiring internal UK phone wiring .... for wiring stuff.

See here .... Category 5 cable - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ..... for more on cat5/5e cable specifically. PCWorld sell lengths of ethernet cable. Others may be cheaper but if you have a store just down the road then it may not be worth shopping around. Even PC World can't c*ck-up a piece of ethernet cable .... :Suspiciou

You *can* link two PCs together as you describe but then, one 'con' is that your PC has to be 'on' for the GFs to work. But see here .... [tutorial] Pc-pc Home Networking. .... for how to do it. I'd hard wire the *main* PC and use a wireless link for the other.

Dave

If the two PCs are in the same room run a single Ethernet cable from the router into a switch (e.g. Tenda 5-Port 10/100 Switch - DECEMBER EXCLUSIVE - Ebuyer ) in that room, then connect the PCs to the switch. Or as mentioned use the wireless for one of them.

ok one more question i think-whats best then-to plug the router into main BT socket by front door and run a 20m approx ethernet cable to back bedroom where computer is and use it hardwired that way, and that means say leaving the router turned on 24 hours a day, or running a phone line the 20m from main Bt socket to back bedroom and then putting router in that room and a short 1m length of ethernet cable to computer?-which would give best signal? or would it be basically no difference? I know it be easier to run a phone line up stairs then a thicker ethernet cable?

Running Ethernet cable by far - as the quality is much better than phone extension cable.

You could either run the Ethernet cable from the BT Plug to your router in the bedroom (will require you to make your own cable up) and have the router in there, or simply have the router by the phone socket & run the ethernet between your router & PC.

Rather than running cables why not get a home plug system. Using the electric in the house. This I how I run my desk top pc with no loss of speed. :)

This is the kit I use :)

Extra Value 200Mbps Powerline Adapter Twin Pack - PRICE ENDS 23RD DEC - Ebuyer

Agreed. See the link I posted as here ...

The best way is to rewire your phone system at least as far as your router, with cat5e cable. See the link for details. Just like phone cable in as far as you wire it up but much better quality. In my present house I have nothing past the master socket as that is in an upstairs room (2nd phone put in by last tenants) with the router and main phone hanging off it. The phone is a DECT unit so no need for extensions anywhere else and makes fault-finding easy! I rewired my last house like this and the ADSL went from about 1.5Mbs to 2.3 (ish) Mbs. That was in my upstairs office.

It may seem like a pain in thje posterior doing this stuff, but believe me you'll be glad you did it in the future! Do it once do it right etec etc ....

Dave

Exactly what I've got to get round to doing. Run a dedicated CAT5e ADSL extension from my BT master socket which will be fitted with one of these face plates: XTE-2005 Filtered Master Faceplate - ADSL Nation up to my computer room where the router will go. No unsightly router by the master socket and a hardwired internet connection to my desktop :)

ask your supplier if you can have a dongle for free you never know unless you ask