Best ways to share an internet connection ?

[GTF]

Hi all

I have recently got wireless installed for my office, and all I have is a wireless point where I can plug a single ethernet cable into a single computer from, then I "dial in" to connect.

I was told I could set up "internet connection sharing" but that means I must have one of the computers on all the time that is connected - and we use laptops. Is there any easier way ?

Previously I had an ADSL router which I plugged into the phoneline, and then I plugged the router into the computers using ethernet cables. So the router made the connection and the router allowed each computer that plugged into it internet access.

Is there a cost effective way that I can re-create the same setup with the wireless as I had with my ADSL? Im not an expert on these things so could someone put me in the right direction?

I want the ease of me and my staff just being able to plug in and out of the connection with our laptops.

Could you recommend products if possible too.

Thanks.

[PearlJam]

I'm no expert, but i would think you could plug a wifi access point into that wireless modem and connect all laptops with data cards.

[bwana]

What wireless point is it? Is it just a wireless point or does it have a built in ADSL modem? I

f it does then you should - depending on the make/model - be able to connect a cheap network switch to it and let the wireless point handle the connection.

[bullfrog]

I'm not exactly sure how your set up works, but you could plug the ethernet connection into a switch/hub and then connect all the computers to the switch. Then just use the same dial up settings to connect from all the pc's. A friend of mine has a similar (I think) setup to you and that works for him.

[GTF]

I'm no expert, but i would think you could plug a wifi access point into that wireless modem and connect all laptops with data cards.

Hi PJ. I don't seem to have a modem that I can see. I have a point that comes from an antenna on the roof where I can fit a single ethernet cable into and into the ethernet port on a single computer and then from that I create a broadband connection where I specify a user/pass and then it connects to the wireless network like that.

[bwana]

Hi PJ. I don't seem to have a modem that I can see. I have a point that comes from an antenna on the roof where I can fit a single ethernet cable into and into the ethernet port on a single computer and then from that I create a broadband connection where I specify a user/pass and then it connects to the wireless network like that.Oh . . is this iBurst or someting similar (and not an wireless LAN set up) we're taking about?

[Syndyre]

Hi PJ. I don't seem to have a modem that I can see. I have a point that comes from an antenna on the roof where I can fit a single ethernet cable into and into the ethernet port on a single computer and then from that I create a broadband connection where I specify a user/pass and then it connects to the wireless network like that.

The company may have installed a modem on the roof along with your antenna though, and then the ethernet cable runs from that modem. That's the wireless setup I used to have.

[GTF]

Oh . . is this iBurst or someting similar (and not an wireless LAN set up) we're taking about?

Its from a company called Wireless Online in Cape Town. It could be like iBurst? Im not sure.

[PearlJam]

Hi PJ. I don't seem to have a modem that I can see. I have a point that comes from an antenna on the roof where I can fit a single ethernet cable into and into the ethernet port on a single computer and then from that I create a broadband connection where I specify a user/pass and then it connects to the wireless network like that.

Do you want to go wireless to all the laptops?

[bwana]

Its from a company called Wireless Online in Cape Town. It could be like iBurst? Im not sure.Ok - in that case I'm going to bow out of this gracefully as I've had no hands on experience. Good luck. :)

[GTF]

Do you want to go wireless to all the laptops?

I just want to be able to provide internet connectivity for all the laptops from that single wireless point.

I don't care if I need to use physical cables or some type of hardware but I need to confirm that it will work for the setup I have and Im no expert.

It was nice to just plug in and out of the ADSL router.

I've thought of setting up a single computer and connecting with that, and then sharing that computers internet connection but I was hoping there would be an easier way.

Thanks

[Syndyre]

If the companies one of the myriad of 802.11 wireless providers then there'd have to be some sort of modem somewhere, you couldn't plug a cable directly from the antenna into your laptop's ethernet port. So try and find that modem and see how it works, whether you can authenticate with it etc.

[GTF]

If the companies one of the myriad of 802.11 wireless providers then there'd have to be some sort of modem somewhere, you couldn't plug a cable directly from the antenna into your laptop's ethernet port. So try and find that modem and see how it works, whether you can authenticate with it etc.

It must be in the roof then !!! :eek:

[Syndyre]

It must be in the roof then !!! :eek:

Follow the cable and see what you find...

[GTF]

Follow the cable and see what you find...

The cable goes right up into a sealed box that is attached to the antenna itself on the top of the roof. I don't want to tamper with the box as its the property of the company. I only paid for the service and installation.

What options do I have to share this connection ?

Thanks

[PearlJam]

Does the line come directly from that box with no place to plug in an ethernet cable? Can you borrow a switch/hub from someone? I would first try that. Plug it in then two pc's/laptops into the hub and see if it works.

[GTF]

Does the line come directly from that box with no place to plug in an ethernet cable? Can you borrow a switch/hub from someone? I would first try that. Plug it in then two pc's/laptops into the hub and see if it works.

In order to establish a connection to the internet I need to "dialup" using a broadband PPOE connection along with my username and password. If I plug the ethernet cable from the access point into the hub, and the computers into the hub I can "dialup" to the connection, but again, only one computer can do this at a time.

If one of the computers is connected and another connects, then it cancels out one of the computers connections.

I'm sure there must be a simple way of sharing the connection ? Will I need to resort to internet connection sharing ?

[GTF]

Couldnt I just buy a router of some kind and somehow access the router software from another computer on the network, punch in the username and password, dns servers etc and have the router make the PPoE connection itself, and then plug it into a hub and then the other computers into the hub set their gateways to the routers IP - to give internet access to all the other computers on the network that way ? could that work?

Is there any particular product to recommend that would work with this type of wireless setup?

[werner]

i have a wrt54g wireless router which is running the opensource dd-wrt firmware, and this has provision for creating a pppoe connection that you require.