adding a wireless router to my work network

[Kelt]

I was wondering if they is possible. I would like to add a wireless
media router to my existing network so that I can use my own laptops
wireless network card. I would only like to use the laptop for
Internet connectivity. Currently I have to unplug the ethernet cable
plugged into my work pc and plug it into my laptop. The company's
cable modem is connected to a switch, which is connected to the other
PC's in the office. DHCP is used, so there is no Static IP address
needed.

If I were to connect a wireless router to my wall jack (which is
connected to the switch), will I be able to use both my work PC, which
would be plugged into the wireless router and my laptop, using the
wireless NIC?

Are there any security issues that I should be aware of regarding
wireless?

Thanks.

 

[James Egan]

If I were to connect a wireless router to my wall jack (which is
connected to the switch), will I be able to use both my work PC, which
would be plugged into the wireless router and my laptop, using the
wireless NIC?

Yes, you could get it to work, but your machines would be on a
different network or subnet from the others and so you would have to
configure some of the other equipment in the office with static routes
if you wanted to connect with the other pc's. Also you would have to
configure the cable modem device to send packets destined for your new
network via the ip address of the wireless router which would
consequently need a static ip address.

Are there any security issues that I should be aware of regarding
wireless?

Yes there are. You would need to use encryption and if your kit is
pre-windowsxp you might have to settle for WEP which isn't
unbreakable.

Overall, I'd say you're better off continuing to change the cables
round or ask for another wall jack for the laptop


Jim.

 

[Rick Wintjen]

I was wondering if they is possible. I would like to add a wireless
media router to my existing network so that I can use my own laptops
wireless network card. I would only like to use the laptop for
Internet connectivity. Currently I have to unplug the ethernet cable
plugged into my work pc and plug it into my laptop. The company's
cable modem is connected to a switch, which is connected to the other
PC's in the office. DHCP is used, so there is no Static IP address
needed.

If I were to connect a wireless router to my wall jack (which is
connected to the switch), will I be able to use both my work PC, which
would be plugged into the wireless router and my laptop, using the
wireless NIC?

Are there any security issues that I should be aware of regarding
wireless?

Thanks.

You could connect a switch to the wall jack and plug PC and laptop into
it. And, switches are relative cheap.

 

[James Egan]

You could connect a switch to the wall jack and plug PC and laptop into
it. And, switches are relative cheap.

I can't say I'm a switch expert, but I don't think that will work. The
main office switch would need to send packets destined for more than
one address down a single channel (like a hub) and everything would
have to go half duplex. Am I mistaken?


Jim.

 

[Rick Wintjen]

I can't say I'm a switch expert, but I don't think that will work. The
main office switch would need to send packets destined for more than
one address down a single channel (like a hub) and everything would
have to go half duplex. Am I mistaken?


Jim.

If the network is DHCP, the PC and laptop will each just be clients on
the network; the switch expands the number of ports privided by the main
server.

 

[James Egan]

If the network is DHCP, the PC and laptop will each just be clients on
the network; the switch expands the number of ports privided by the main
server.

You must be thinking that the main network switch is in fact a hub,
which it isn't.


Jim.

 

[Rick Wintjen]

You must be thinking that the main network switch is in fact a hub,
which it isn't.


Jim.

"The company's cable modem is connected to a switch, which is connected
to the other PC's in the office. DHCP is used, so there is no Static IP
address needed."
I suspect that the 'switch' is actually a router, or that the company
has multiple IPs provided by the ISP via some sort of DHCP through the
modem (not sure how that would work). Adding a switch to such a network
merely expands the capacity of the existing switch, provided the number
of available IPs is not exceeded.