Network options

[S1ght]

Evening all

K, my dad is trying to figure out the cheapest and best way to set up a network throughout our house. general layout is that we have 2 work pcs (email and stuff) on 1 side of the house and then my pc and my bro's laptop on the other side of the house, now our options could be putting cables through the roof connecting the rooms or maybe get 1 cable from side of the house and getting a wireless router on the side of the house with mine and my bros pc and we get wi-fi cards(or whatever ) or something like that.

but basically 3 rooms need to be connected and maybe 1 wireless connection so my dad can use the internet from his laptop, is wireless worth it or will lan cables to the trick & which is more expensive ...

Thanx in advance
S1ght

 

[Napalm]

Wireless is obviously more expensive, Most wireless routers go for R650 and up. Wireless network cards or PCMCIA cards are around R400 to R450.

Normal 100mbit switch costs less than R350 5-8 ports, Cables will prolly set u back another R60-R80 if its quite long (35-40meters) *doubt you'll need 40meters tho*

 

[Ekhaatvensters]

You can get wireless adaptors/cards for a lot less than R400...

It's more convienient and if you have a laptop you basically have to go wireless anyway. The cables through the roof are a las and you better not plan on moving your PC's.. but it will still be more expensive, and there are still problems, make sure you have decent signal..

 

[noswal]

I have 4 pc's networked in the house, cable cost me R2/m and R2/plug, switch was a couple of hundred.

Being on iburst modem is set up on side of house closest to tower, cable from there to switch on other side of house, and cables out from there to other bedrooms with pcs

 

[supersunbird]

WiFi is good enough for internet sharing, but it is slower than slow bro for big/lots-of file transfering...

 

[bwana]

WiFi is good enough for internet sharing, but it is slower than slow bro for big/lots-of file transfering...

802.11 n makes a bit of a difference.

 

[Juggy]

If it's throughout the house wireless is far easier. Get USB wifi adpater and an AP with a decent antennae.

 

[S1ght]

How far does the signal reach on most wireless routers? Obviously depending on price and brand I guess but an average router beable to go say more than 30m through walls etc?

 

[The_Techie]

Go for wireless. I love wireless

 

[S1ght]

http://www.sybaritic.co.za/store/product_info.php?cPath=100_122&products_id=8217

Now this says it goes 100m indoors... this makes me wonder if thats really true through all my walls from one side of the house to the other...

 

[IcemanSA]

Thats a bit of a stretch. I have used that card before. You can hope for about 40-50m but the signal will be very weak and data transfers VERY slow. Fine for browsing internet though.

 

[SuperAntMD]

I use a combination of wired and wireless. Had a wireless router in a corner of my house (no choice thats where the phone line was) and it was terrible. Then we recarpeted and I took the opportunity to run some cable. Because of the cable I was able to place the wireless router in a similiar but opposite corner of the house and for some reason its now brilliant.

If you going to go wireless try and test it out before hand, just because the box says 100m indoors doesn't necessarily mean you'll get 10m especially if there are a lot of walls and things.

 

[The_Techie]

You'll only get 100m in ideal conditions with inteference. I agree, always test out your new wireless equipment to make sure it meets your needs.