Setting up a network / internet connection

Ricki

Ricki

Ricki

Associate
Joined
23 Oct 2003
Posts
413
Location
Cornwall
I am currently having a complete nightmare trying to get the internet to everything at home and I have no clue where to go or what to do -- and I was hoping you nice people would be able to help me and show me where I am going wrong... I must first say, also, that setting up networks etc is not my strong point.

Currently I have an Orange Livebox thing (must say that I am not a fan) and my old Linksys WAG354G (not used). We have a couple 3x Belkin and 4x Dynamode wirelss dongles, 1x Linksys and 1x Netgear wirelss cards.

Basically we have the following to connect:
2x PC in the office
1x PC in my room
1x PC in the annex
2x Laptops in the annex

Using the livebox we have the 2 office PC's wired, PC and Laptop in annex wireless. My PC and the other laptop are never able to connect.

The annex is about 10m or 20m away from the office and a wireless connection is preferable.

I expect that we'll have the 2 office PC's wired with the rest wireless -- can possibly have my PC wired too, but its a bit of a long, twisty way to my room. We just can't seem to get the setup working - my PC won't ever even connect to the Livebox, and we have to keep reinstalling it onto the Laptops in the annex. The only ones working are the office PC's.

Can you please help me out here as I haven't a clue where to go, what to do, what to use. We don't mind buying new kit (probably upto £100 or so) and have had a look at the powerline plugs but we'd rather find a decent router with the range and available ports to allow us all to connect!
 
My advice would be to get a half-decent gigabit switch and move completely to wired (apart from maybe your laptops, I guess). If you do *have* to have wireless, buy a decent AP and set that up. All that combined should be less than £100.

In /re to the router, dump the orange-provided rubbish and then buy a sky-branded Netgear DG834GT from auction land (10-15 pounds) and flash it back to regular firmware.

The router by itself might be enough to boost wireless + will provide you with 4 ports to plug ethernet cables into.
 
Thanks!

Wireless really has to be the way forward I'm afraid - cables to the annex are a bit tricky.

So, going with what you have said, then basically I get a decent router (or maybe use the Linksys?) and plug the DSL cable into it. From that I have 4 ethernet ports - two can go into the office PC's with a third going to an access point, such as the Netgear WG602. From this access point I can then connect upto 4 additional PC's through wirless?

Can no modem/router support more than 4 connections?
 
Mains networking will work if your rooms are all on the same circuit but it's rather chug-worthy and with that many client PCs you might see some congestion.
 
I think 6 PCs on a what would basically be a "hub" setup would be rather hideous to behold if you're remotely used to modern networks.
 
Thanks for the help guys! OcUK has come through yet again :D

Looking at the various options I think we'll end up going with powerline jobbys - the annex is on the mains circut so should allow decent connection with no trailing cables! It's a tad more costly than originally hoped but looks to solves most problems such as poor wireless signal, number of PC's etc.

From looking at things I can simply prurchase 2 or 3 units and plug into the sockets and use. Just one last question though - can I mix and match the units? So, say I purchase the Netgear HDXB101 Powerline HD Starter Kit I would need a third adapater; would I have to get the Netgear HDX101 Powerline HD Ethernet Adapter or could I use the Netgear WGXB102 54Mbps Powerline Wireless Range Extender Kit or even a different manufactuers?
 
Don't mix is the advice I read a while ago - not like wifi - not the same for different manufacturers, even for same speeds. I use Devolo AV (200 mbs)

Do a search?
 
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