Help!! Wirelessly Networking Computers

[Mr Sensitive]

g'day,
I'm planning on buying a computer for my bedroom and I'd like to know how to go about networking it with the family computer. The new pc will be 10-15 metres away from the old one so a wireless network is the only way to go.
Primarily I just want to share the internet connection of the family pc with the new computer but ideally I'd like to be able to share files as well, though it isn't essential.
How do I go about this and what kind of equipment do I need?
Any pointers would be greatly appreciated by this shameful luddite!!!

Thanks!!
Brad

 

[seanoff]

You will need a wireless router.

I'm going to assume the family PC is a desktop and the bedroom one is a laptop. If not the one in the bedroom will need a PCI wireless network card.


As for the router/switch/modem i'd go for something like this.
D-Link DSL G604T


others will have other ideas like Netgear, or Linksys etc. There all much the same.

go to http://www.ht.com.au/N/Networking-Modems-Internet-Wireless-Broadband-Modems/list.hts to see a full range. Don't buy here tho, easier to get cheaper elsewhere.

They generally have an ADSL modem, 4 wired ports and a wireless link

To set it up.

KNOW YOUR ADSL username and password.
Attach your family PC by ethernet to it. it will walk you thru the setup procedure. This will vary by device.

To make both PCs be able to share files easily, use the home network setup wizard and make them part of the same WORKGROUP. PLEASE use help if you have no idea, it is actually quite useful

I use a share folder. (it hides stuff ) You can share any folder by right mouse clicking (in XP) on the folder and going to "sharing and security" on the menu. Vista ????

 

[Mr Sensitive]

thanks mate, much appreciated!! i'm no longer stumbling in the dark quite so badly!!

 

[JasRulz63]

I personally wouldn't get D-Link though, many bad stories about them, I've had a one that just kept rebooting itself.

Don't forget to set wireless security password, or else anyone that is around your house (ie. neighbour), can steal your internet.

As mentioned above;

Computers will need a PCI Wireless card or a USB one, if you don't feel confident opening up the computer, or letting someone else do ti for you (around $30-40, I have a Netgear WG311 PCI one, works great guns)

Laptops will nearly all have wireless built in these days. If not, a USB one, or PCMCIA one is the way to go.

And you need an ADSL2+ Wireless Router/Modem, which are about $120 or so. (I have a Billion 7300G that works quite well, about $110 at MSY, others include the Linksys WAG54G which is about the same price, etc.)

Here's how to set it up on Vista;
http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/help/76174f4a-7522-425a-9424-324dd299265e1033.mspx

 

[Benno_900]

I recommend NetGear, I've had problems with D-Link (both card and router).

 

[Renegade]

I recommend NetGear, I've had problems with D-Link (both card and router).

Yeah i'd recommend NetGear as well. Haven't had an issue in the 2 years i've been using their kit.

 

[burto]

Apologies in advance if I hijack this thread, but I've got a similar question.

We've currently got a main PC which has the router next to it, and 2 other PC's around the house, which aren't networked, but use the same ADSL internet (each PC is individually connected to the router on the main PC)

I'm looking at getting a Laptop now and I want it wireless so I can move around the house with it and still use the ADSL that we currently have. I'm not a computer whiz so I don't really know if that's even possible...Ive heard I just need a wireless router or something...

Any help in what equipment I need appreciated. Don't need extremely fast internet so I don't want to be spending a fortune. Cheers

 

[JasRulz63]

I'm looking at getting a Laptop now and I want it wireless so I can move around the house with it and still use the ADSL that we currently have. I'm not a computer whiz so I don't really know if that's even possible...Ive heard I just need a wireless router or something...

Any help in what equipment I need appreciated. Don't need extremely fast internet so I don't want to be spending a fortune. Cheers

Your laptop should come with wireless anyway, so you'd need a single-port wireless access point, to plug into the last router port (assuming it's a four-port), for the wireless.

 

[seanoff]

Apologies in advance if I hijack this thread, but I've got a similar question.

We've currently got a main PC which has the router next to it, and 2 other PC's around the house, which aren't networked, but use the same ADSL internet (each PC is individually connected to the router on the main PC)

I'm looking at getting a Laptop now and I want it wireless so I can move around the house with it and still use the ADSL that we currently have. I'm not a computer whiz so I don't really know if that's even possible...Ive heard I just need a wireless router or something...

Any help in what equipment I need appreciated. Don't need extremely fast internet so I don't want to be spending a fortune. Cheers

http://www.ht.com.au/N/Networking-Wireless-Networking-54Mbps-G-Wireless-Routers/list.hts

get one of the cheaper ones of the devices on this page. problem solved. Plugs into the back of your current router via ethernet and there you have a wireless access point. buy wherever you want, not at ht.com unless they have the best prices.

pm me if you have any problems

 

[burto]

thanks lads, much appreciated