Setting up Home Wireless ADSL Network

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LancelotSA

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Hi guys,

Not 100% certain where to put this request for help, so I hope this section is ok?

I currently have a 384k ADSL line at home connected to my wired SMC router to which I connect my laptop via wires to surf the net etc. I use OpenWeb as my ISP and use the 30Gb local quite extensively to download.

What I am looking to do is set up a "wireless network" at home. I would like to be able to use my laptop in any room in the flat (it is only 100m2 so not a big area) without the hassles of plugging in. I also have an N95 which I would like to be able to connect to to browse via my OpenWeb account on it.

My question is what all is required? My "research" so far shows me that I need :

A wireless router - I assume I would need a new one as my SMC is wired only. What recommendations do you guys have? Bear in mind my needs and the smallish coverage area so the cheapest possible will suit me best.

Laptop network adapter - my laptop is a fairly old HP (about three years) and has no built in wireless. A recommendation here will also be appreciated. Once again the more affordable but best suited option will be preferred.


Is this all that is required? I assume the N95 connects via built in "wireless"?

Any thoughts on why doing this is not a good idea will also be appreciated?

Thanks in advance!
 
LancelotSA said:
Hi guys,

Not 100% certain where to put this request for help, so I hope this section is ok?

I currently have a 384k ADSL line at home connected to my wired SMC router to which I connect my laptop via wires to surf the net etc. I use OpenWeb as my ISP and use the 30Gb local quite extensively to download.

What I am looking to do is set up a "wireless network" at home. I would like to be able to use my laptop in any room in the flat (it is only 100m2 so not a big area) without the hassles of plugging in. I also have an N95 which I would like to be able to connect to to browse via my OpenWeb account on it.

My question is what all is required? My "research" so far shows me that I need :

A wireless router - I assume I would need a new one as my SMC is wired only. What recommendations do you guys have? Bear in mind my needs and the smallish coverage area so the cheapest possible will suit me best.

Laptop network adapter - my laptop is a fairly old HP (about three years) and has no built in wireless. A recommendation here will also be appreciated. Once again the more affordable but best suited option will be preferred.


Is this all that is required? I assume the N95 connects via built in "wireless"?

Any thoughts on why doing this is not a good idea will also be appreciated?

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

Yes, you would need a wireless router and a wireless network adaptor. I have used the D-Link brand with good results, but others have had problems with that brand.

You can check out some of their products here.

The USB wireless adaptor should work well for your laptop and quite cheap too at R215.
 
I can't really recommend a specific wireless router, but I think most of the cheaper ones perform the same. If you get a wireless router, and your "SMC" (dunno really what it is) has DCHP, you would probably need to disable the routers DCHP if it has it. If your laptop has a PCMCIA slot, then you can get a wifi card for it (like this : http://www.sybaritic.co.za/store/product_info.php?cPath=100_122&products_id=3395). Last time I checked it was cheaper than PCI wireless adapters. You should be able to plug the SMC's cable into the router and all should be fine(or the wifi router into the SMC, AFAIK, they just need to make contact - suppose it ends up being the same thing). Just remeber to set up a WPA or something password on the wireless... dont want the neighbours to use your bandwidth!

If you have coverage problems - I would REALLY, REALLY recommend http://www.freeantennas.com/projects/template2/index.html
I had a coverage problem, but after printing this out on a carton board and setting it up, my setup works 100%. And, yeah, N95 has build in wireless. So, you will be able to use it on your wifi network (disclaimer: I am no network expert, but I have sort of the same setup at home -replace N95 with ipod touch - and it works perfect)
 
Thanks Saule.

I have been looking at some D-Link stuff but thought it was not the cheapest. I have also seen mention of a USB vs PCMCIA card and heard talk of the USB "using more of the system resources" so any opinions on this will be welcome. Does using the USB affect speeds at all? I assume it is not of much importance with a 384k line though! :)

Thanks too, Sleeper.

My SMC is a 7904BRA. I'm a little confused now as your post seems to indicate connecting my SMC router to my soon to be acquired wireless router? Would the wireless router not connect directly to my ADSL line with no further need for the old SMC?

Thanks for the mention of security. I will be ensuring I secure my network once set up and may ask more details then about WPA.


From experience with a "low end" wireless router would I have coverage problems in a two bedroom flat with a floor area of less than 100m2? The idea would be to have the wireless router in the lounge which is where the phone line is and then need coverage some times in the bedroom which is probably 15 metres away at most but through two walls line of sight or down a passage?
 
I see mention on a PCMCIA card's specs like this...

"Distance Coverage 35~100 meters indoor, 100~300 meters outdoor (depends on the environment)"

Could someone advise me about these distances? Would the 35 metres be line of sight or do you reckon the lower figure would be with obstructions while the 100m figure is line of sight?
 
You could, instead of getting a wireless router, get a wireless access point, which you could connect to your router. Like a Linksys WAP54g.
 
pip said:
You could, instead of getting a wireless router, get a wireless access point, which you could connect to your router. Like a Linksys WAP54g.
Click to expand...

Would that be a cheaper option than a wireless router? I have read about the additional useful functions of a wireless router like security but I suppose with your solution you would get these functions from my old SMC router, correct?
 
LancelotSA said:
Would that be a cheaper option than a wireless router? I have read about the additional useful functions of a wireless router like security but I suppose with your solution you would get these functions from my old SMC router, correct?
Click to expand...
That's what I've done. I'm a really big fan of the 7904BRA and I also didnt feel like going through the hassle of setting up a new router.

Security should be the same as if you had a wireless ADSL router.
 
bwana said:
That's what I've done. I'm a really big fan of the 7904BRA and I also didnt feel like going through the hassle of setting up a new router.

Security should be the same as if you had a wireless ADSL router.
Click to expand...

Thanks guys.

I may look at this option although it does mean another piece of hardware in my lounge. At the risk of being told I am being laz and should just look, are access points a hell of a lot cheaper than wireless routers? If not then would the router alone be the better option?

Also on that point do you tend to find different brands "talk to each other" properly? Eg if my router is SMC and my access point is D Link.
 
LancelotSA said:
Thanks Saule.

I have been looking at some D-Link stuff but thought it was not the cheapest. I have also seen mention of a USB vs PCMCIA card and heard talk of the USB "using more of the system resources" so any opinions on this will be welcome. Does using the USB affect speeds at all? I assume it is not of much importance with a 384k line though! :)
Click to expand...

Have not used the PCMCIA cards so can't comment on that issue. I have only used the USB and PCI ones and the PCI version definitely have a better working range.

LancelotSA said:
From experience with a "low end" wireless router would I have coverage problems in a two bedroom flat with a floor area of less than 100m2? The idea would be to have the wireless router in the lounge which is where the phone line is and then need coverage some times in the bedroom which is probably 15 metres away at most but through two walls line of sight or down a passage?
Click to expand...

The wireless access points we have at work covers 2 floors of our building. So I'm pretty sure 100m2 on a single floor shouldn't be a problem.

LancelotSA said:
Thanks guys.

I may look at this option although it does mean another piece of hardware in my lounge. At the risk of being told I am being laz and should just look, are access points a hell of a lot cheaper than wireless routers? If not then would the router alone be the better option?

Also on that point do you tend to find different brands "talk to each other" properly? Eg if my router is SMC and my access point is D Link.
Click to expand...

Our work ADSL router (wired) is a different brand from our wireless access point and we have not had any communication problems between these two devices.
 
LancelotSA said:
If not then would the router alone be the better option?

Also on that point do you tend to find different brands "talk to each other" properly? Eg if my router is SMC and my access point is D Link.
Click to expand...

I think it is a matter of cost and preference. Having a separate AP means that the functionality is split - if one function fails you still have the other. In my house I had to place the AP high up on a shelf to get strong signal to other parts of the house. But I am sure the combined devices have as much security and whatever else on the wireless side as a plain AP - it is just two ( more really ) devices in one box.

On the compatibility side, I have not had problems. The AP is the Linksys, plus a Range Extender, and I connect fine with other cheapo USB adapters, various Linksys ones, the missus's Lenovo notebook's built in one, and an XBox360 with the official MS one. I would just Google and look on forums before laying out cash for your chosen one, to see if it has known issues.
 
Thanks all!

Wireless definately sounds like the way to go.... this tripping over wires in the lounge is getting me down!

I think I will price an access point to connect to my SMC wired router and compare this to the price of an all in one wireless router. If they are similar I reckon I like the idea of one device... I will always have my SMC in a cupboard as back up. Unless there is a market for second hand routers?

From what I'm reading into all your posts is that the brand does not seem to make much of a difference? And with my smallish required range anything should do? Don't want to buy and then be frustrated by having to sit in the same room!
 
Several of the online retailers bundle the Netgear ADSL Modem Router and the USB Wi-Fi Adaptor.
See: http://www.digitalplanet.co.za/shop/product.asp?StockID=108974

From my experience it always works better when the Router and the Wi-Fi adaptor are "matched". I have a pc which is quite a distance away through several walls and the Netgear Router 2 Netgear Wi-Fi works better than Netgear 2 Gigabyte or Netgear 2 D-Link. In my case it enhances transfer speeds from 11mbps to min 36mbps.
 
LancelotSA said:
I have been looking at some D-Link stuff but thought it was not the cheapest. I have also seen mention of a USB vs PCMCIA card and heard talk of the USB "using more of the system resources" so any opinions on this will be welcome. Does using the USB affect speeds at all? I assume it is not of much importance with a 384k line though! :)
Click to expand...

The USB will consume more CPU cycles than PCMCIA/CardBus for the same traffic - probably not important at 384kbps internet though.

One thing though - the USB would be more prone to getting 'bent off' than a PCMCIA card if it's in a laptop (I speak as one who has done it). The flipside is that the USB is more portable and would fit in a desktop too if you needed to.
 
Violator said:
Several of the online retailers bundle the Netgear ADSL Modem Router and the USB Wi-Fi Adaptor.
See: http://www.digitalplanet.co.za/shop/product.asp?StockID=108974

From my experience it always works better when the Router and the Wi-Fi adaptor are "matched". I have a pc which is quite a distance away through several walls and the Netgear Router 2 Netgear Wi-Fi works better than Netgear 2 Gigabyte or Netgear 2 D-Link. In my case it enhances transfer speeds from 11mbps to min 36mbps.
Click to expand...

That's only important for file transfer between machines on the network, but won't make much of a difference for internet speeds because we are nowhere near those speeds yet.
 
I can advise against the Netgear FWG114P wireless firewall/print server ... good in many respects but the wireless bit sometimes crashes (on a bad day, several times a day, but otoh it can stay working for as long as we have power). Then you need to go to the router and reset it.

However, my onboard RALink wifi works fine with it; Netgear USB wifi adapters work fine with it; some Mecer-branded far eastern USB wifi adapter works fine with it.

(My uninformed opinion is that a USB adapter takes less resources and is less troublesome than a PCMCIA one.)
 
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