Advice on wireless network / modem

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savant

3 posts

Wannabe Geek
Inactive user

#9192 28-Aug-2006 20:05

I will soon be up in Kuala Lumpur. I get up there about once / year or so, and because electronics are half the price they are in NZ, I generally get myself a few components etc.

We have two PCs; one is the internet gateway for broadband, the other connects via the network. I figured that I am sick of having network cables run across the floor to link our two PCs, so figured I'd go wireless. The other thing is that I understand that a modem/router might be a better option than a modem, as I could then connect each PC independently to the internet.

Is this possible, or have I grossly misunderstood things? If not, what (broadly speaking) do I need? (is 'router' the correct term?)

Do I get myself a wireless ADSL router? Do I then get compatable wireless cards for each PC? Anything I should be aware of? (I presume I should get a router with a hardware firewall? Should I future-proof and get a router that can handle ADSL2?

Any advice / steer appreciated. :)

maninimepo

72 posts

Master Geek

#44902 29-Aug-2006 06:34

Hi savant,

I will try to explain this as simply as posisble. Sorry if I sound a little patronising at any point.

As I understand it, you currently have a PC sharing it's net connection to the other PC.

A router (yes that is the correct term) would effectively take the place of that PC. The router would negotiate and keep the internet connection, as the PC currently does.

This means that either PC can access the internet whilst the other is off, or both can access at the same time.

To set this up, you will need three pieces of kit (I assume you are on ADSL).

- An ADSL wireless router.
- 2 PCI Wireless network cards.

An ADSL wireless router will include a modem, router, switch, and wireless access point as standard.

The modem part is what connects you to the internet, the router part is what directs network traffic across your network, or out to the internet, the switch is wired connections on the back of the device to connect PC's by ethernet should you wish, and the wireless access point is the part that sends network traffic to any wirelessly connected devices.

Most routers will also include an SPI firewall. This will protect PC's on your network by closing any ports on your network that you don't need to use. This is not essential.

So, what you do is plug your net connection into the router, the router chats with your ISP and maintains the internet connection, whilst the 2 wireless cards you put in your PC's use that internet connection through the wireless access point.

The internet home of Nick Jennings

savant

3 posts

Wannabe Geek
Inactive user

#45855 11-Sep-2006 21:39

Hey - thanks for the response - certainly not patronising - very informative.

The only question is now whether the router from malaysia would be a compatable standard - I presume it would? If I get an ADSL2/2+ router, would that also be backwards compatable with ADSL? And is there any info on whether NZ is going to move to ADSL2 anytime soon anyway?