Gentlemen, we have networking...
- Thread starter vat_man
- 23 comments
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- 3,176
Most likely a wireless router...
- 12,993
- USA! USA!
Sweet. Right now I've got 4 computers networked at home. Linksys Wireles Router.
- 3,176
I doubt its networked properly if you can't even spell wireless.
- 12,993
- USA! USA!
I won't correct your grammar gaff, wanker. It's too much fun.
Wireles!
Wireles!
GilesGuthrie
Staff Emeritus
- 11,038
- Edinburgh, UK
- CMDRTheDarkLord
Hmm. "Wanker" probably wasn't called for there Klos.
I've got a Linksys wireless router as well. I'm running three machines off it currentyl, two fixed and one wireless. Although right now I'm typing on the wireless machine, which is some 8" from the router, so my signal strength is quite good!
I've got a Linksys wireless router as well. I'm running three machines off it currentyl, two fixed and one wireless. Although right now I'm typing on the wireless machine, which is some 8" from the router, so my signal strength is quite good!
- 3,176
Screw you.
- 10,309
- San Francisco, CA
- Vasco506
- Vasc0
Hey, i've been wondering this. OK, so say i get broadband on one computer, will i be able to also get a wireless router and get the other computer hooked up, or will i need another modem (costing another 180-280 AU dollars)??
Check with your retailer.
We have an Alcatel 4 port ADSL modem that also works as a router (very clever thing). So, both PCs are hooked to it, just the desktop is connected via a rather longer cable that runs under the house. Dunno about wireless - don't fancy some freak with a beard sitting out the front of the house in his old station wagon stealing my bandwidth.
GilesGuthrie
Staff Emeritus
- 11,038
- Edinburgh, UK
- CMDRTheDarkLord
Originally posted by Cobraboy
I've never thought about that before...
I'm planning on building my own computer, I'll put in an Internal ADSL modem, I have to use a router don't I? If I want to have the ADSL on both pcs?
OK, the way it works is this:
You can only connect one machine to your cable/DSL modem, and this is usually done by running a network cable from the modem to your machine.
The way to hook more than one machine to a broadband connection is to buy a router, and as we've already seen, there are a variety of these about.
You can get a single-port router that has one WAN port (for the cable modem) and one LAN port (for your device). Typically, you would only buy one of these if you already had multiple devices connected to a hub: connect the router to the hub too, and hey-hey, internet on all machines.
You can do this another way, by setting up a PC as a router. You would put two network cards in the PC, one 'public' (connected to the modem) and one 'private' (connected to your hub). Your PC is the router.
In each case, you would configure local addressing (use 192.168.1.x) on each of the machines in your network, changing the x for each individual device. The router's (or PC's private address in the alternative suggestion) IP address will be defined as the gateway on the other networked machines.
You can also get routers that have multiple LAN ports, so they function as a router AND a hub. These are the best bet because they tend to look after the IP addressing for you. And finally, you can get routers which have hub ports and also wireless access points. This is what I've got, and I'm typing downstairs on the laptop at the moment. They're cool.
On the security issue, there are some simple things you can do to make sure that no scrote nicks your bandwidth:
Change the default address of your wireless router.
Wireless LANs use a Session ID, which can be broadcast or not. If you can get the lan to work with the Session ID not broadcast, then this is a good thing, but it's unlikely if you're using hardware from different manufacturers. My Session ID is being broadcast because my US Robotics WLAN card cannot see the Linksys Router.
Set the Session ID to a long string, with letters and numbers and something hard to guess.
Change the default Channel.
Set WEP (Wireless Encryption Protocol) to ON, and define a long key, different to the Session ID.
On your router (and this is the real killer for the bandwidth thief), set MAC Address Filtering to be on, then allow only the addresses that your WLAN cards have. All other addresses would not be able to associate with the WLAN.
Job done! This is all relatively simple stuff mind...
- 10,309
- San Francisco, CA
- Vasco506
- Vasc0
Sorry to bring this thread back up but...
So this means that i can buy a modem with inbuilt "router"? Sounds like a good thing, but with wireless...doesn't it have something plugged into the router and then another thing plugged into the computer? That means someone would have to put in another block thing into the router to actually steal my bandwith
So this means that i can buy a modem with inbuilt "router"? Sounds like a good thing, but with wireless...doesn't it have something plugged into the router and then another thing plugged into the computer? That means someone would have to put in another block thing into the router to actually steal my bandwith
GilesGuthrie
Staff Emeritus
- 11,038
- Edinburgh, UK
- CMDRTheDarkLord
Originally posted by DODGE the VIPER
Sorry to bring this thread back up but...
So this means that i can buy a modem with inbuilt "router"? Sounds like a good thing, but with wireless...doesn't it have something plugged into the router and then another thing plugged into the computer? That means someone would have to put in another block thing into the router to actually steal my bandwith
Hmm. Not sure I understand the question, but I'll have a go at answering it anyway!
Don't confuse routers with wireless access points. Wireless networking is just that, and has nothing to do with routing.
Some ADSL modems have in-built routers, which have a number of switch ports on them for you to plug in devices such as PCs. At this point, no-one can steal your bandwidth.
If you wish to use wireless networking, and have an ADSL modem with built-in router/switch, you would need to buy a wireless access point, which you would plug into the router/switch as another device. At this point, you would need to secure the wireless network from others potentially stealing your bandwidth.
I can feel another diagram coming on...
GilesGuthrie
Staff Emeritus
- 11,038
- Edinburgh, UK
- CMDRTheDarkLord
Originally posted by DODGE the VIPER
OK, so i'll just stick with wires along the walls then!
Wireless protection is easy if you have a network which is stable in terms of the devices on it, because you can define the addresses of machines that are allowed to connect to the wireless network, excluding all others. That's what I do, anyway.
- 12,993
- USA! USA!
You're right, Super Moderator, GilesGuthrie, but he knows I'm kidding.
GilesGuthrie
Staff Emeritus
- 11,038
- Edinburgh, UK
- CMDRTheDarkLord
Absolutely. I think that bandwidth theft is more of a concern to the average law-abiding citizen though. Encryption strength and cracknig ability will always be in an arms race, so it comes back to basic physical security, in that you only go so far as to prevent the casual snoop. This is one of the areas in which it pays to go for slightly better performance, as the more expensive WLAN kit can overlay WEP without a significant performance hit. Something like 5% for my Linksys router and USRobotics WLAN card.
- 2,732
I think this is one of the main reasons why we went with a wired LAN. That, as well as the fact that it's quicker and wireless didn't work too well for us(the computer that was wireless always got kicked off the network after 10 minutes, then we had to change channels on both the router and the computer, a real pain in the butt.)
