Wifi Question

lennshow66 · 23 Aug 2013 at 09:29

Hi,

So im going to university in a few weeks, in my room there is an Ethernet port, I am looking into a device that will allow that Ethernet port to become a secure WiFi network am I just looking for an extender?

Many thanks!

Linkex · 23 Aug 2013 at 09:47

Any wireless router will work. Ethernet cable from wall to router, set up wireless how you want it. You should also be able to plug into the spare ethernet ports if you want to.

ci_newman · 23 Aug 2013 at 10:17

Just a word of caution though, this is almost certainly against your Universities IT policy and you could be in big trouble if they find out.

As for the comments above, not "any" wireless router will work, you need a wireless router with an Ethernet based WAN port (e.g. cable router). Your University is almost certainly only going to allow a single MAC address to be connected at any one time.

JoeF1 · 23 Aug 2013 at 10:19

ci_newman said:
Just a word of caution though, this is almost certainly against your Universities IT policy and you could be in big trouble if they find out.

This. I would ask the IT dept firstly if your allowed that.

I would rather go through the hassle of having to connect up than putting my future at risk.

If its for tablets of your phone etc, could you not just keep the laptop hooked up and share the connection?

Linkex · 23 Aug 2013 at 10:33

ci_newman said:
As for the comments above, not "any" wireless router will work, you need a wireless router with an Ethernet based WAN port (e.g. cable router). Your University is almost certainly only going to allow a single MAC address to be connected at any one time.

Why would you need a WAN port? Its connecting to a network, not a modem.

sja360 · 23 Aug 2013 at 11:45

Chances are they may do WiFi throughput campus. Strathclyde uni does this.

KIA · 23 Aug 2013 at 16:28

Linkex said:
Why would you need a WAN port? Its connecting to a network, not a modem.

His router will be doing DHCP, etc. Connecting to anything other than the WAN port would be suicidal.

lennshow66 · 23 Aug 2013 at 22:16

So lets just say the uni is fine with this, what would be the best option for me to buy?

Thanks

bremen1874 · 23 Aug 2013 at 23:06

As mentioned you'd need a router with an Ethernet WAN port, so anything sold for cable/fttc use would be suitable.

The odds are that many of your neighbours will have the same plan, so it'll be a mess of routers all fighting for the very limited number of available wireless channels. Depending on what you want to connect it might be worth looking at 5GHz options.

For a single room the TP-Link TL-WR702N is worth considering. Considering their diminutive size they work very well.

You've already been warned, but do check the IT policies, and what sanctions are likely to be imposed. You could find yourself without any Internet access at all.

Orcvader · 23 Aug 2013 at 23:51

As said, check the IT policies. I know Sussex allows it, as long as it's configured correctly.

I bought the TP-Link TL-WR841N since it was cheap and allows doing this, as well as giving me LAN ports for my desktop. Although, things happened and I'm living with friends in a flat instead of the campus

. But I still wanted my devices in it's own network...