Wireless desktop help

Tombles

Tombles

Tombles

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Joined
10 Jun 2005
Posts
765
Hi all,

I have recently moved into a house and just had our Sky broadband activated (10mb). Our phone line is on the other side of the room however and my fiancée does not want me running cables and is adamant that I should have a wireless network to not spoil the looks of the house :rolleyes:

I am completely out the loop regarding wireless networks as I have always used wired networks but would like some help.

What would be the best way to get a wireless network to my PC? I have been having a look at some wireless network card adaptors but then stumbled across the powerline technology (devolo dlan 200 specifically). I have never heard or seen these before. Are they any good? Would they be considered better than a wireless network card?

To summarise, I would like a good Internet connection to my PC that doesn’t involve having to run metres of cables across the room from the router to my PC and would like to know my options and what is generally regarded as the best way.

Many thanks
 
Hi there,

If you are setting up a wireless network, you need both a wireless card and a wireless router,
The I'v never tried the Dlan stuff, but i would imagine, you cant get the same range and security from these sort of devices.

Your best bet is to invest into the router option, Heres a checklist on what you need,

1. Wireless Network Card, check in your network connections if you have one of these, ( look in control panel )

2. A Wireless Router, There are three "standards", the 802.11B, 802.11G and 802.11N, those been in the order of oldest to newest.

802.11N is the newest standard, and been recently released, this offers upto a 600mbit/s transfer rate, ( Remember megabytes and megabits are DIFFERENT !! ) with a greater range as it can reflect off things.

802.11G is the most common around at the moment, and has upto a 128mbit/s and about a 30-50m range on average.


Depending on how much you would be willing to spend, will vary on what type you can afford, 802.11N routers cost pretty much £60+, and the card on top of that is another £20- £50, so your looking at about £100, whereas a 802.11g network would be considerably cheaper getting a router for £20+ and the card from £5+

Hope this helps
James
 
Hi James,

Thanks for the helpful information.

I currently have the wireless router that Sky provided (sagem one (think its 802.11G) but if i would really notice a difference by getting a 802.11N router i would invest in a new one.

Would it be worth it with my 10mb line or would it not be that noticeable

If we put the router upstairs and kept the PC downstairs should it make much of a difference?

Thanks
 
if its only 10mb, you wont notice any difference, but i do know that the standard routers arnt paticularily good for security, your better off buying a cheap belkin, netgear, or d-link.

but G will do just fine.
 
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