Another Networking Dummy Needs Help

Agent Smith · 04-15-03, 09:10 PM

I'm probably the dumbest guy out there in regards to networking so bear with me if my questions sounds crazy. :rolling:
My main question is, is it really as simple as buying a wireless router and a wireless cf card (as well, as a wireless pc card for my laptop) to have access to my computer and ultimately to my internet?
Secondly, does all the components (router, cf card, pc card) have to be from the same manufacturer to work? Can I mix and match and what do I look for to ensure compatibility if I can mix and match.
Third, and lastly, does it matter how much I spend for all these components? I don't want to spend a lot but is there a correlation between price and performance?
I suppose a little background on what I want to do may help. Basically, my computer is hooked up to the net and all I want to do is share my internet with my laptop and my Axim. I'm not really concerned about going to the corner store and still having access although sitting in my backyard surfing the net sounds appealing. I want to be able to listen to online music and maybe even play some online games if thats possible on my Axim.
I am a relative newbie when it comes to networking so I don't want to fiddle around with too much and I want to be able to set up everything without having to take a course in university.
So, is there anyone out there that can help me?

redline135 · 04-16-03, 04:12 AM

Well my friend,.. THere are many ways to go about it. I can tell you the part of your question where you said .....

|Secondly, does all the components (router, cf card, pc card) have to be from the same manufacturer to work? Can I mix and match and what do I look for to ensure compatibility if I can mix and match.|

You can mix and match if you wish.... I have a IBM 8 port Hub with a belkin access point, and 2 linksys Wi-Fi Cards (wireless cards). But you must take into consideration.... Do you have DSL or Cable Bradband internet access, and do you have a current hub or router?. or dose your connection go into the back of your PC? If you dont have a hub or router. you should go out and get a wireless router. that is the easiest way. Linksys, D-link, Netgear, Belkin. They all make good wireless routers. its just a matter of choice. Yet If you have a hub. You can use what is called a Access Point. that will hook into your current Hub and supply a Wireless connection. Heres a... ok diagram of what I mean
http://www.dlink.com/products/Digita...ampleSetup.htm

Also the range on a Wi-Fi network {(wireless) = Wi-Fi} is about on avrage 200ft. Thats indoors... and even that varys.
It seems like alot:crooked:
but trust me youll get it.:D

catskillian85 · 04-16-03, 09:11 PM

If you read the last couple of posts in my thread, you'll see that I decided to upgrade my hardware to Netgear products--meaning, I now have a Netgear router (wired, not wireless), access point, and PC card for my laptop.

I highly recommend Netgear for at least these parts of your network. For a networking dummy, the setup was unimaginably easy. I'm regretting that I didn't buy a Netgear CF card as well, but I already spent big bucks for the Socket CF card, which most people here have said is the best one around. The Socket setup, though, has been a nightmare for me (I finally got it working tonight, but only with WEP, one of the big security features, turned off).

Anyway, to be specific, the Netgear products I bought and am raving about are:

RP614 4-port Cable/DSL Web Safe Router Gateway
WG602 54-Mbps Wireless Access Point
WG511 54-Mbps Wireless PC Card

Note that the router I bought is a wired version, since I already had a wired network set up in my home -- I simply plugged the wireless access point into it, and that's what transmits the signal to my laptop and now my Axim. Since you have no network in place at this point, you may opt to go totally wireless -- but I'd urge you to consider Netgear for sheer user-friendliness, not to mention performance. You won't be sorry.

Agent Smith · 04-16-03, 11:14 PM

Ok, so when I get a wireless router what do I need to do to my system so it connects with my Axim and my laptop? I mean besides getting a CF card and a PC Card. Do I need to configure my computer, do I need to install software or is it all plug and play? I'm also running Win XP on my desktop and Win 98 on my laptop.

catskillian85 · 04-17-03, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Agent Smith
Ok, so when I get a wireless router what do I need to do to my system so it connects with my Axim and my laptop? I mean besides getting a CF card and a PC Card. Do I need to configure my computer, do I need to install software or is it all plug and play? I'm also running Win XP on my desktop and Win 98 on my laptop.

I've never used a wireless router, but I imagine the installation is similar to that of a wired router. Sure, all this stuff comes with software, and you'll have to do some configuration. But if you choose Netgear, the instructions will walk you through it step-by-step. Other brands I've had previously have left me at least confused, and more often totally stumped. I had the Netgear router up and running in about 15 minutes. The instructions with the access point and PC card weren't quite as clear-cut as those with the router, but they were still light-years better than the documentation that came with other models I've used in the past.

(No, I don't work for Netgear. I'm just so totally impressed with their documentation and thoughtfulness. Competing networking manufacturers seem to assume anyone installing their products has a basic understanding of networking; Netgear makes no such assumption, and spells everything out for even the greenest of newbies. I'm absolutely sold on them.)

04-17-03, 11:43 AM

There are additional settings required so that the wireless units connect to each other-

Things like DHCP, setting IP addresses, SSID, and WEP.

I bought a D-Link PCI card and wireless router, and all of the settings out of the box connected except that I had to assign an IP to the card in the desktop.

Initial settings:
No DHCP, No WEP, SSID set to the word "default".

The manual on their CD told how to set an IP for the desktop card, then I could connect. After connecting to the router, you can tell it to change how it works, for instance turning on DHCP and changing your SSID. After this your PC won't connect any more until you change ITS settings to match.

When I put a SMC wireless card in the Axim, I changed its settings pretty easily to match my wireless router and it would connect.