help me go wireless....

**0rion** · 03-10-2008, 02:42 AM

I have 2 desktops and a laptop that I want to make wireless. What do I need to make that happen? My laptop only has 1 usb port so I'd rather use a card instead of the thumb drive for it since I have slots for the cards anyhow. On my desktops I have plenty of usb ports but one of the desktops is not usb 2.0, does that matter?
Router
wireless card for the laptop
2 thumb drives for the desktops

Sound right? Any certain brand I should look for? I use cable internet, am I gonna have speed problems with a wireless router? Will it slow me down much?

**redls1** · 03-10-2008, 05:47 AM

Wireless slows me down a little. I go from 16mb down hardwired to 11mb wireless. Everybody has their own preference for wireless. I use to use linksys but they kept on dying on me for some reason every 3 months or so. I now use either dlink or netgear with good results.

**Zedicous** · 03-10-2008, 06:13 AM

Originally Posted by 0rion

I have 2 desktops and a laptop that I want to make wireless. What do I need to make that happen? My laptop only has 1 usb port so I'd rather use a card instead of the thumb drive for it since I have slots for the cards anyhow. On my desktops I have plenty of usb ports but one of the desktops is not usb 2.0, does that matter?
Router
wireless card for the laptop
2 thumb drives for the desktops

Sound right? Any certain brand I should look for? I use cable internet, am I gonna have speed problems with a wireless router? Will it slow me down much?

A thumb drive is the same as a flash drive.
I use Linksys, i've had problems with Netgear..
My Linksys WRT54G has been running 5ys with no problems and i have customers that have been running them longer and they are on cable, me dsl.
You must d/l the newest firmware before you hook it all up. Get a pcmcia card for the laptop and a nic card for the desktop and a wireless router. Make sure you setup some kind of security. It it was me i'd hard wire the desktop and do the laptop wirelessly..

**0rion** · 03-10-2008, 06:29 AM

thanks for the info...
I knew thumb drive=flash drive. I could easily just do the desktop hardwired and the laptop wireless. The only reason to make the desktops wireless is so I could move them in the house without running lines if I wanted but that's not a big deal either.

**stoney2677** · 03-10-2008, 06:30 AM

Originally Posted by 0rion

I have 2 desktops and a laptop that I want to make wireless. What do I need to make that happen? My laptop only has 1 usb port so I'd rather use a card instead of the thumb drive for it since I have slots for the cards anyhow. On my desktops I have plenty of usb ports but one of the desktops is not usb 2.0, does that matter?
Router
wireless card for the laptop
2 thumb drives for the desktops

Sound right? Any certain brand I should look for? I use cable internet, am I gonna have speed problems with a wireless router? Will it slow me down much?

how old is you laptop? newer ones have the wi-fi built in already so you dont need a card for that. i have netgear. works fine and the loss of speed is minimal.

**Zedicous** · 03-10-2008, 06:37 AM

Loss of speed has to do with distance and whats in the way of the path, at 54 wireless and the fastest inet at 10 down here, there is no loss of speed. At my house you could d/l from the median in front of the house at a meg a sec..

**Spaz** · 03-10-2008, 06:49 AM

scissors... cut the wires...

**0rion** · 03-10-2008, 06:53 AM

Originally Posted by Spaz

scissors... cut the wires...

only if you'll use those same scissors on your hair.....hippie

**0rion** · 03-10-2008, 06:55 AM

Originally Posted by stoney2677

how old is you laptop? newer ones have the wi-fi built in already so you dont need a card for that. i have netgear. works fine and the loss of speed is minimal.

I have no idea how old that laptop is......I bought it used. It's a dell latitude c510/c610. I'm guessing it's fairly old though. It's mainly used just for tuning but it would be nice to be able to get on the web from the garage when I'm out there.

**Zedicous** · 03-10-2008, 07:24 AM

Originally Posted by 0rion

I have no idea how old that laptop is......I bought it used. It's a dell latitude c510/c610. I'm guessing it's fairly old though. It's mainly used just for tuning but it would be nice to be able to get on the web from the garage when I'm out there.

Get a WAP and use foil to focus it out there..

**Spaz** · 03-10-2008, 08:47 AM

Originally Posted by 0rion

only if you'll use those same scissors on your hair.....hippie

i'll lose my super human strength...

**0rion** · 03-10-2008, 01:47 PM

Originally Posted by Spaz

i'll lose my super human strength...

if that's a reference to smell then yes.......you would probably smell better.

**redls1** · 03-10-2008, 03:30 PM

So why is there a difference in say a belkin wireless n router and a buffalo wireless n?
I have a dlink that I cant get secure for some reason. Ill enter a security key in the router then enter the sane key in the windows settings but can never connect. This happens in vista and xp. Im tempted to just buy another router.

**Zedicous** · 03-10-2008, 03:38 PM

Originally Posted by redls1

So why is there a difference in say a belkin wireless n router and a buffalo wireless n?
I have a dlink that I cant get secure for some reason. Ill enter a security key in the router then enter the sane key in the windows settings but can never connect. This happens in vista and xp. Im tempted to just buy another router.

Dlink makes good stuff but i nevr cared for their wireless, i use them for wiried gigabit. Buy a Linksys WRT54g, update the firmware & you'll have no problem.

**redls1** · 03-10-2008, 03:42 PM

Guess I can try it again. For some reason though Ive had linksys in the past and ever 3 months they would die. Happened a couple of times thats why I havent had another linksys.

**Zedicous** · 03-10-2008, 03:44 PM

Originally Posted by redls1

Guess I can try it again. For some reason though Ive had linksys in the past and ever 3 months they would die. Happened a couple of times thats why I havent had another linksys.

I've never had a problem with one, sounds like you should buy a good surge protector too, not a power strip..

**Zedicous** · 03-10-2008, 03:48 PM

Order it from www.newegg.com

**redls1** · 03-10-2008, 03:51 PM

I was using a battery back up. I have 3 and use them for most of my electronics.

**Zedicous** · 03-10-2008, 03:53 PM

Originally Posted by redls1

I was using a battery back up. I have 3 and use them for most of my electronics.

Good deal and what about the coxial cable on the modem..

**redls1** · 03-10-2008, 03:56 PM

Just had a comcast guy here the other day cause Im having problems with my phone and tv. He said dont go through it. He said it would cause interference.