Wireless Networking

[Musashi]

Hi
Sorry if I'm posting in the wrong group.
If there is one for hardware and networking please let me know.

I am looking at setting up a network (probably peer-to-peer w/windows) with
4 PCs in a large house that has 2 floors.
The objective is to share a dsl modem through a router. Orginally I was
thinking of running cat5 but I am wondering whether wireless nic cards and
wireless router would work through residential floors. I am aware that
wireless networks dont have the 10/100 speeds that cat5 does.

Any advice appreciated.
Mush

 

[Don_B]

A wireless network can go through floors. LinkSys, and I'm sure other
manufacturers, has a model numbered something like BESW4 that has four
hardwired outlets and will handle wireless too. They also make a signal
booster if you need one. Wireless isn't an on/off phenomona. As you get
further away or impose more material between the router and the computer,
the transmission speed drops. The Linksys system and amplifier stack. I've
found .11b sufficient for handling Internet traffic on a four computer
network and that includes one computer owned by my son who never met a music
file he didn't want to download.

 

[Don_B]

By the way, one of the groups appropriate for your networking questions is
comp.dcom.modems.cable

 

[yellowpike]

Musahi
Don B gave you a good synopsis.
I run a combination of ethernet and wireless with 2 PCs & 2 laptops.
I use all 802.11b D-Link equipment (and recommend it) but linksys and
netgear also make good stuff for the money. All 802.11b stuff is going at
"rock bottom" prices but the 802.11g line promises better speed.

Good Luck
yellowpike

 

[Musashi]

Thanks very much.

A wireless network can go through floors. LinkSys, and I'm sure other
manufacturers, has a model numbered something like BESW4 that has four
hardwired outlets and will handle wireless too. They also make a signal
booster if you need one. Wireless isn't an on/off phenomona. As you get
further away or impose more material between the router and the computer,
the transmission speed drops. The Linksys system and amplifier stack. I've
found .11b sufficient for handling Internet traffic on a four computer
network and that includes one computer owned by my son who never met a music
file he didn't want to download.

 

[Musashi]

Thanks very much.

Musahi
Don B gave you a good synopsis.
I run a combination of ethernet and wireless with 2 PCs & 2 laptops.
I use all 802.11b D-Link equipment (and recommend it) but linksys and
netgear also make good stuff for the money. All 802.11b stuff is going at
"rock bottom" prices but the 802.11g line promises better speed.

Good Luck
yellowpike

 

[Mitchua]

Try the group alt.internet.wireless

If you go with a 802.11b network you can get max speeds of 11Mbps but
realistically, you'll probably get about 1/2 that on the 2nd story. Since
your DSL is probably 1.5Mbps, that's still fast enough for web browsing. If
you're transferring big files between your computers a lot, I'd spend the
$20 more on 802.11g equipment.

--Mitchua

 

[Paul C ATL]

Mush,

At this point if cost is not an issue. I have found the 11g is quicker. Over
the last year and 1/2 I have switched from 11b to 11 g in a 3 story house
and 11g is better. I can now travel to the finished basement , with my
Laptop (Router Located on Top Floor) and get a Good Signal whereas with 11b
the signal was low or non existent. In addition I have realized quicker
speeds.

Hope that helps

 

[Alex]

Try to use some encyption other than WEP as well. So easy to break it's
unreal.

 

[Dave]

You've gotten some great advice from everyone here, which I agree with. The
only thing I want to add is that Super G (802.11g) is available through
Linksys at 108 Mb/s speed. That's 2x as fast as the current 802.11g
standard. The 4 port router/switch sells for about the same as other regular
G stuff (a router for about $115) . You can find some online deals of this,
as I have. I have a 5 pc network of 802.11g (Super) and I get comparable and
in some cases better speeds than wired (limited to 100 Mb/s).

Check into this option as well.

Dave