Wireless Networking

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Donovan

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I've decided to sell my WinXP notebook in favour of an Apple iBook G4... the 12" one. I'll be making the switch soon, not because I have anything against WindowsXP or my old notebook, but because I had the chance to use (REALLY USE) a mac and it just amazed me.

Anyways, the iBook comes with Airport Extreme (802.11g) networking built in. Because of this, I want to set up wireless networking in my home. My question is:

<ul><li>What router, wireless gateway, wireless access point, etc, could you guys recommend, and where can you get it from? I'm looking for something cost effective, simple but functional. This will replace the smoothwall box, but does not need to function as a firewall. </li>
<li>How exactly do you set this sort of network up? Does it behave in the same way as normal wired ethernet?</li>
<li>How do I make sure that it's only authorised users that access my network, and the data that is transferred? I don't want my next door neighbor downloading porn over my network.</li>
<li>How many meters radius coverage does the average wireless network span?</li>
<li>Costs?</li>
</ul>
Your help is very much appreciated.
Thanks,
Donovan
 
Since you use the Apple iBook, you might consider Apple's Airport Extreme 802.11b/g access point router w/ 56k V.90 modem at approx. R2300.

It connects to my MW modem through PPPoE with the MW ethernet cable. In true Apple fashion, it was a breeze to setup.

Airport includes DHCP, NAT firewall, DNS proxy, suppport for RADIUS, 40-bit and 128-bit WEP as well as WPA security to stop your neighbours, MAC address filtering, etc.

On the downside, I think the radio power output 15dBm may be a bit on the low side compared to others, but it works for me. However, you can extend the range by connecting external antennas. Also, I would have preferred better UDP and TCP port management over the firewall.

A neat feature is its ability to use the built-in 56k modem as RAS facility which would allow you to dial in from anywhere for internet access. Alternatively, you could use the 56k modem to dial-in to ISP when your MW goes down. Also comes with a USB port for connecting a printer.

And, it looks cool!
 
Thanks anakin,

The trouble is, in true apple fashion, it's also expensive :-/ Or is that the going rate? Thats almost a quarter of the cost of the notebook for me. Sounds like an amazingly good system though.

Do most wireless routers also have a few ports for a "wired" network? There will still be wired pc's on the network for a while (desktops), so Idon't want to lose support for them.

Thanks,
Donovan
 
Try these:

http://www.computersonly.co.za/Detailed.asp?product=DWL2000
http://www.3com.co.za/promotions/q105_wirelessgateway_promo
http://www.incredible.co.za/services/catalog/moreinfo.asp?sku=38564&rcat=
http://www.zastore.co.za

Note that 802.11b only access points are considerably cheaper.

Apple Airport Extreme has a WAN port for your MW modem, and a LAN port for your wired network.
 
I've also recently acquired the apple taste :) my powerbook's on it's way from the states, it's much cheaper if you buy from them.

Tower: PTA Sunnyside (36)
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I also use the Airport. And, I use my iBook in bed. Now I just need a wireless keyboard with integrated mouse so that I can surf from bed without lugging the iBook on my lap. Anyone know of such a keyboard with mouse?
 
I played a couple of hours with the AP router from:
http://www.giga-byte.com/Communication/Products/Products_AccessPoint_GN-A16B.htm

It has 4 LAN ports and a WAN port (that works with the MyWireless modem). You should be able to get it for around R600.
 
Thanks for your help guys! I really appreciate it.

malec, I've emailed you about ordering from the states... I'm trying to do that too to avoid being ripped off by the local shops. Proudly South African: rip you off.

Thanks everyone!!!
 
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by malec</i>
<br />I've also recently acquired the apple taste<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

I think apples are really great. Almost all PC notebooks for about R 10k are insanely heavy and bulky. Or their keyboards get flimsy. They just feel fragile. It was time for me to upgrade, so I looked for something small and light, and found the Asus S3 notebook - which was small, light, but um a little scrappy.

Eventually I stumbled on the iBook - I went to look at the lah-de-dah people in the apple centre in Sandton City had (only one decent guy would bother helping me, because I am quite obviously a poor student who deserves to die for entering their shop), and was very impressed with the smaller iBook 12" model. So elegantly styled, and so rugged. The only small thing I've noticed on all iBooks is that the battery is a little "raised" (abotu half a millimetre, yes I am picky), but thats okay.

Nice thing about me is I am not into much gaming, so all the software I use (MS Office, Internet, Messenger, p2p, and so on) is all available for OS X now. And the only games I really ever played - Simcity, The Sims - are there too.

I'm not too worried about FAST wireless networking. 11Mbps would be fine, it's only going to be used here for normal web browsing and downloading, and it's not like the net is anywhere near that speed.
 
Dionovan... take a look at the Acer TM 371 too.
If small, thin and well priced is what you are after.



<font color="blue">Bay of Plenty: </font id="blue"><font size="1"><font color="black"> Signal 46% - SNL 17 - ber 71%
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The Apple Airport is a briliant device which has gotten several damn good ratings - and its the best looking too [;)] but we wouldnt expect less from them.

- Colin Alston
colin at alston dot za dot org

"Getting traffic shaping right is easy and can be summed up in one word: Dont." -- George Barnett
 
Erm... well okay.

I do agree that the single mouse button is one of the downfalls of the mac, but sjoe. So much anger!

Damn that rap music!
[;)]
 
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"> Any computer company that in this day and age still recommends the use of a single mouse button is retarded. I rest my case.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

Shame, you're missing out then. I think any computer company that has to design software in such a way that you need 2 mouse buttons instead of 1 is retarded.

- Colin Alston
colin at alston dot za dot org

"Getting traffic shaping right is easy and can be summed up in one word: Dont." -- George Barnett
 
I had the misfortune to have developed on Crapintoshes for well over 2 years. I'm tainted goods I'm afraid. [:)] The one thing Mac's <b>have</b> got right is fonts, and screen sizing/ratios. Other than that (and I've been in their internals for a while) they really are substandard computers when running MacOS. Installing Linux makes em slightly better. I hate XWindows. But I hate MacOS even more. Installing X on Mac hardware at least makes them useful.

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">
Shame, you're missing out then. I think any computer company that has to design software in such a way that you need 2 mouse buttons instead of 1 is retarded.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

I have 5 buttons on my mouse. Come over for some quake ownage sometime if you don't mind... If FPS gaming isn't your cup of tea, then I'll own you with copy and paste on the window manager of your choice too, sometime. That's just a few samples of the utility of a multibutton mouse.

Of course, on a Mac you can do all this by continually bashing the shift states of a key called "Command" and it's incessant little delay timer before clicking to induce an action. Yeah. Right... Your software company is better Karnaugh.

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These Mac vs Windows debates tend to drag on endlessly without one ever reaching a conclusion.

MacOS (pre OS X) based on an operating system released over 5 years ago - there is no point comparing it to any OS available currently. To be fair, comparisons should be based on Mac OS X Panther and the soon to be announced Mac OS X Tiger.

There is a place for Macs and Windows.

Mac OS is designed for single button mouses. Nonetheless, if one sticks on a multibutton mouse, full functionality of all buttons can be achieved, as per Windows.

I love the Mac and miss the Mac. Unfortunately, reality at work and Apple market in South Africa dictates I use Windows.
 
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