Going Wireless.

SpicyDuck · 25 Mar 2006 at 15:15

Hi thar!

My mum told me today "Phil, here is my card. Make us wireless" so that's exactly what I'm going to do.

Problem is, that I don't know much about how the whole thing works, though I can obviously grasp the basic concept of it all. I just want to make sure I have a strong signal throughout the house at all times.

Not sure which way to go, or what to look for.

Edit: I'd ideally like to keep a signal throughout the house that is always on. I suppose I could put up with one reboot a week.

At the moment (wired) I have to reboot the router at least twice a day. cArp I tell thee!

Help please!

Phil.

tolien · 25 Mar 2006 at 16:00

So, er, what exactly are you trying to do. "Make us wireless" isn't particularly meaningful.

You'll need a card of some kind for each machine (that doesn't have one), and probably some wireless device for them all to connect to (most likely an access point or router). The wireless sticky is (to some extent) your friend.

basmic · 25 Mar 2006 at 16:52

He wants a router to connect to a cable-modem, and wants to connect three computers to the router.

I have suggested the Linksys WRT54GS and 3x Linksys WMP54G or WMP54GS cards.

Going the whole hog and getting Speedbooster devices all around, will bring the price of the entire setup to around £180. :eek:

basmic · 25 Mar 2006 at 16:55

1x Linksys WRT54GS Wireless-G SpeedBooster Broadband Router/4-Port Switch (NW-006-LS) -- £45.95
3x Linksys WMP54GS Wireless-G PCI Adapter with SpeedBooster (NW-010-LS) -- £98.95
Total including VAT -- £170.14

1x Linksys WRT54G Wireless-G Broadband Router/4-Port Switch (NW-000-LS) -- £37.95
3x Linksys WMP54G Wireless-G PCI Adapter (NW-003-LS) -- £71.85
Total including VAT -- £129.02

tolien · 25 Mar 2006 at 17:03

Unless I'm missing something, £45.95 + £98.95 = £144.90, and £37.95 + £71.85 = £109.80.

There's also the somewhere in the middle option - get the GS router, and use the normal cards. Assuming you don't get the VXWorks version, you should get a better router.
Works out (using your prices) at £117.80 for GS router and the 3 normal cards.

Mikey1280 · 25 Mar 2006 at 17:29

I think you're missing the VAT Tolien

basmic · 26 Mar 2006 at 00:03

tolien said:
Unless I'm missing something, £45.95 + £98.95 = £144.90, and £37.95 + £71.85 = £109.80.

There's also the somewhere in the middle option - get the GS router, and use the normal cards. Assuming you don't get the VXWorks version, you should get a better router.
Works out (using your prices) at £117.80 for GS router and the 3 normal cards.

a) I included the VAT, as crystal clearly stated in my post.
b) What's the point in buying a router with speedbooster, when you can't use it? :confused:

tolien · 26 Mar 2006 at 00:09

basmic said:
a) I included the VAT, as crystal clearly stated in my post.

Unless I'm missing something

So the original prices aren't including VAT. Makes sense (though what's the point in quoting ex-VAT prices).
You didn't "crystal clearly" state the individual prices were ex-VAT though.

b) What's the point in buying a router with speedbooster, when you can't use it?

Because there's more to it than just the Speedbooster (GS models in some cases have twice the RAM/flash than Gs, though both now come in lobotomised VXWorks versions)?
You can keep the rolleyes though.

basmic · 26 Mar 2006 at 00:19

tolien said:
So the original prices aren't including VAT. Makes sense (though what's the point in quoting ex-VAT prices).

I suggest you ask OcUK to have their checkouts show item prices including VAT then - I'm not going to dig out a calculator for the benefit of those unable to read.

tolien said:
Because there's more to it than just the Speedbooster (GS models in some cases have twice the RAM/flash than Gs, though both now come in lobotomised VXWorks versions)?
You can keep the rolleyes though.

I would assume it's extra buffer because of the faster wireless speeds.

Again: What's the point in buying a router with speedbooster, when you can't use it?

tolien · 26 Mar 2006 at 00:21

basmic said:
I'm not going to dig out a calculator for the benefit of those unable to read.

The shop isn't my problem, and you can put your handbag back in the closet.

I would assume it's extra buffer because of the faster wireless speeds.

Flash ROM? Great buffer that'll be.

Again: What's the point in buying a router with speedbooster, when you can't use it?

For "the benefit of those unable to read":

GS models in some cases have twice the RAM/flash than Gs

Think third party firmware, and more room for a NAT table perhaps?

Granted, all bets are off when it comes to the VXWorks models, but they're mostly crappy anyway.

basmic · 26 Mar 2006 at 11:57

tolien said:
The shop isn't my problem, and you can put your handbag back in the closet.

I hadn't even got my handbag out - if I had, you'd know about it.

tolien said:
Flash ROM? Great buffer that'll be.

I misread what you said. Plus you said "GS models in some cases have twice the RAM".

tolien said:
For "the benefit of those unable to read":

Think third party firmware, and more room for a NAT table perhaps?

Granted, all bets are off when it comes to the VXWorks models, but they're mostly crappy anyway.

At the end of the day, OvertoneBliss wants a wireless setup for the household. Nowhere does he (or doesn't he) mention anything of wanting to modify anything.

So what's the point in burning money away on a device which has SpeedBooster, if he won't benefit from it? All he's doing is paying for a larger ROM which he might not even flash.

I have had the the Linksys WRT54GS for about 4 months now, and I have yet to feel the urge to modify my ROM.

I think OvertoneBliss needs to clarify some points, so we can point him in the right direction.

tolien · 26 Mar 2006 at 12:11

basmic said:
Plus you said "GS models in some cases have twice the RAM".

tolien said:
GS models in some cases have twice the RAM/flash than Gs

At the end of the day, OvertoneBliss wants a wireless setup for the household. Nowhere does he (or doesn't he) mention anything of wanting to modify anything.

Not being a psychic, I didn't know if he knew the option existed in the first place.
Adding decent QoS and the option to turn up the wireless power (among other things, www.linksysinfo.org is your friend), at no extra cost, is always good.

All he's doing is paying for a larger ROM which he might not even flash.

Possibly. If it's the v5, there's no difference - both have less RAM and flash than the earlier versions. Depending what was causing the instability in the existing router, extra RAM could help there.
But the VXWorks devices are mostly rubbish :shrug:
The option for using Speedbooster's there for the future too.

I have had the the Linksys WRT54GS for about 4 months now, and I have yet to feel the urge to modify my ROM.

I did mine straight away. But I wanted some of the options that the third party firmware had.
Neglects the extra RAM the pre-VXWorks models have too.

I think OvertoneBliss needs to clarify some points, so we can point him in the right direction.

Possibly. Then again, I asked exactly that in the second post

tolien said:
So, er, what exactly are you trying to do.

basmic · 26 Mar 2006 at 14:13

All I am doing is being economical. If Overtone wants to spend extra money for extra speed, then fine - if not, stick to what he needs and nothing more.

That's a bloody good link there, cheers Toilen.

Although I haven't changed my router's firmware (apart from upgraded to the official Linksys one/s), I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious as to what was available to me.

If I were to change to a different firmware, could I downgrade at any time?

tolien · 26 Mar 2006 at 20:46

basmic said:
All I am doing is being economical.

I'm just pointing out another option.

If I were to change to a different firmware, could I downgrade at any time?

Yup.