Questions regarding setting up an home router wireless/wired connection.?

Question

We want to give my father a router for his birthday, because he currently use a laptop, and the main computer (Desktop Computer) is used almost 24/7 by me. Since the computer is taken, and is the only one connected to internet, he need to interupt the me to actually use the internet. So, we decided to buy him a router. I've read the most basic on Microsoft website, taken overall informations/prices on routers, but still, some questions remains.

1rst: Is the router going to slow the current internet if two people use it at once ? For example, person 1, who is on the desktop computer is playing an online game, then person 2, who is on the laptop open internet to make an internet search, will the person 1 get lags/internet connection problems ?

2nd: Is it necessary to have built-in wireless cards/wireless network adapter on BOTH the Desktop and Laptop computers ?

3rd: How can I actually know if I have built-in wireless OR if I don't, which network adapter should I buy and why ?

Answer 1

1. yes & no........ best answer have a router w/ load balancing features

2.it is not necessary but if you'll be moving around it is a must..

3.ask ....vendor & read specs.....& actually wired is faster than wireless........

Answer 2

Answer to your questions.

1st) This all depends on the actual speed of your internet

If it is dial-up, dsl, and cable speeds are different.

2nd) No, since you will go wireless on the laptop, you only need

1 wireless card. It doesn't matter if it is built in, or you can purchase one, if you don't have one as well.

3rd) Under Control Panel/Network Connections you should

see a wireless connections icon.

If you don't then you need to buy a wireless card that is compatible with the wireless router you will buy.

You should buy a Wireless G router. It is the most common type found in homes and businesses and is faster than the Wireless B routers.

I have the Linksys WRT54G

Answer 3

It might slow it down very very very very little but if like 30 people r using ur router than it will be very slow. You can plug the router into the desktop computer so it doesnt need a wireless card.  Your laptop should say if it has a built in wireless connection.

Answer 4

1) the router can slow down the speed, but depending on what you're doing it might not matter. For example if someone is just browsing it wont impact it much. That also depends on the internet speed you have, if it's high up there with like DSL or Cable it shouldn't be too noticeable.

2) You are going to need at least built in LAN cards which most PCs and Laptops have now, however you can get a router that can cast a wireless signal and it will also have a few hardwire connections, so you can use the Laptop wirelessly and connect the main PC to the router with a wire.

3) You would have to check the PC specs and Laptop specs to see if you have wireless, most newer Laptops have wifi so you should have one. Check to see if there is a label on the laptop itself that says so.

Linksys are one of the best in my opinion but others should work well too.

Answer 5

1st: i sometimes have 4 people on my router and i notice no lags in anything i do on the net.

2nd: ethernet is faster than wireless so if you can go ethernet do it. but you don't have to.

3rd: if you have a new laptop they usually have them built in. or see if you can get a connection in the control panel under internet and such. i like netgear's wireless adapters.

Answer 6

no, a router wont slow anything down enough to be noticable.. even in the game.

if you buy a router i would suggest a wireless router, and your desktop has a network card that is not wireless, so you would connect the desktop the same way as before, just the wire would go from the router in stead of the modem. The laptop would most likely be wireless.. if it dosent allready have a wireless card (Which now a days most do) then you are gojng to have to buy one.. it will cost anywhere from $50-$150 depending upon the brand and place of purchase..

good luck.

Answer 7

1. no it wont slow down at all

2.its not but it doesnt matter at all i prefer exeternal wireless adapters because you can move it around to get a better connection

3.you can connect to a wireless router without an external router and your dads laptop should have a built in adapter

btw go with linksys it pwns and never failes

Answer 8

1. I have a router for my home network and run two computers off of it doesn't seem to slow any thing down.

2. Most newer laptops have a wireless adapter built in and most newer desktops have a wired network adapter built in. To check the laptop for a wireless adapter right click on Mycomputer select properties then select device manager. In the list of devices there should be soething that says network adapters or wireless adapters click the plus to the left to expand it and it will tell you if there is a a wireless adapter. Also some laptops have a physical switch somewhere to actuall turn the wireless adapter on and off. To check youe desktop for a wired network adapter just look at the back of the machine, if you see something that looks like a really big phone jack and a phone coard wont fit in it then you have a wired network adapter.  If you have a broadband internet connection, which you will need inorder to install a router, you may already have wireless capabilites built in to your broadband modem, contact you internet provider. If you have dialup then the router won't work for you. It is possible to share a dilaup conection but it is complicated and the connection will be bogged down. If your broadband modem doesn't have builtin wireless capabilities then buy the router and plug the Cat5 cable (that's the bigger phone jack looking cable that isn't a phone cord) comming from your modem into the WAN port of the router. Take another Cat5 cable and plug one end into an open port in the back of the router and the other end into you nework adapter for the desktop. Your router instruction will walk you through the steps for setting up the wireless network.

Answer 9

1. No.

2. Your desk top would have the wireless router connected, Then any other computers (including your laptop) should have a wireless card.

3. Go to the Control panel and pull the network. If you have it should be listed there.