Setting up a home wireless network between a desktop & laptop

Question

My family recently purchaced a dell Inspiron 530 desktop PC from Wal*Mart, and I recently purchaced a Dell Studio 15 notebook computer from Dell.com. While I wait for it to be delivered, I'm trying to figure out how to set up the wireless network, so that when my laptop arrives, I'll be able to set everything up and share our cable internet connection between our desktop and my laptop.

I understand having to get the wireless router and everything else, but what is this about a wireless PCI card for the desktop? How do you install one? Or is there a way to keep the desktop connected to the internet with a wire? My laptop already comes with a wireless card, so that is taken care of. I just don't know how to adapt our desktop to a network.

Answer 1

You don't need to worry about a PCI wireless card for the desktop, almost every wireless router has wired ports (marked LAN) on it.  I assume it has eithernet (looks like a fat phone plug) that's connected to your modem?  That will do fine, you can have a wire going from your router to the computer, or buy a USB wireless adapter if you want to move the desktop farther away from the modem.

I like the Belkin 54G router because it's the cheapest name-brand one I've found ($39 at most office stores) and I know it works (I've installed 3 of them) but the brand is really up to you.  Only one of those Belkins has gone bad, and Belkin replaced it for free.  I don't know if all routers include this but the Belkin one comes with a setup CD that guides you through plugging everything in correctly and automatically programs the router to work as well as guiding you through enabling security.

If you only care about internet, 802.11b (11Mbps) is plenty fast. They don't really sell these anymore but what they do sell is 802.11g (54Mbps) which replaces and is backwards compatible with 802.11b.  This is also what most built-in WiFi laptops and handhelds sold today use. I wouldn't get anything else because it's just a waste of money. Residential broadband internet is usually only 1-5Mbps so even WiFi-b is plenty fast.

If you plan to do file-sharing, you care about the wireless speed more so go with 802.11g (54Mbps) or the new 802.11n (108Mbps).  I should say I've never actually seen 802.11n in action but from what I understand it's compatible with all 4 standards (a/b/g/n) and claims to be wider-range.

Put your wireless router as high up as you can and as far from electrical and metal things as you can, that'll give you the best coverage.  Try to put it in the middle of where you expect to be (usually the middle of the house).  If you have 2.4GHz cordless phones you may want to replace them with 5.8GHz, 900MHz, or the new DECT6.0 phones that won't cause interference.  Also, wireless video senders, or wireless cameras that run on 2.4GHz should be set to the farthest channel from your router (e.g. set video sender to 1 or A and put the router on channel 11).

Make sure you secure the wireless to keep others from piggybacking and/or monitoring your private information:

1. Change the web-admin password of your router (even if it's wired this is good) so not anyone can get into the config page.

2. Change the default SSID (name) and don't use something that identifies you, your location, or your brand of router to outsiders (e.g. "Home", "Cox.net", "My Network", "Wireless", etc).

2. Enable WPA-PSK, WPA-PSK2, or if those aren't supported MINIMUM of WEP128. Refer to the manual or call the manufacturer for directions.

3. Don't hide the SSID. It just makes your life harder and it's easily found out anyways.

4. Don't bother with MAC filtering, if someone can crack your security they probably know how to spoof your MAC address which will circomvent the filtering.

5. Don't use static-IP, it just makes your life harder. Anyone with the slightest knowledge about networking knows how to use a static IP.

The reason you don't want to identify your router's brand/location/owner:

1. Default passwords and settings are available online. Knowing the brand makes it easier to bypass these.

2. Knowing where it is makes it easier to get a stronger signal while staying away. This gives the attacker an advantage of getting a strong signal and being hidden.

3. Knowing who owns it makes guessing your password easier. Most people use names, dates, and other personal info for passwords (bad practice) and if they know you they probably know the things you would use for a password.

Answer 2

Buy a Linksys WRT54G. $50.00

This Router has Ethernet connections as well as being a Wireless Router.

You do not need anything for your Desktop.

Answer 3

Your desktop probably came with an Ethernet Network Controller, (adapter) installed. The laptop probably also already has some type of Wireless adapter installed. All you need to add your laptop to the network is a Wireless Access Point, which you can plug into your modem. Many people prefer though to buy a Wireless Router. A Wireless Router is basically a Router with a Wireless Access Point built into it.

Home and Small office routers usually have four ports at the back. These ports are for a couple of purposes. First, for hooking the Router to the Modem. Second, hooking Wired Ethernet systems up to the Router. You can also hook a Range Extender to the Router to give your Access Point more range if that is needed. You use the Uplink port for that purpose.

For the Wireless part of your network you will need to configure security. This is of vital importance unless you want anyone jumping onto your connection and using what you pay for while risking them accessing your systems. Those with the proper tools can do so easily in an open unsecured WiFi network.

Instead of my attempting to explain here all the details on creating and securing your network I am going to give you some excellent pages from the Microsoft Vista Help and How-to Networking. Here it is:

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows...

This page has links from the beginning of setting up a network, wired and wireless, securing that network, file and printer sharing, and troubleshooting. Basically, nearly everything you need is there.

Now, when you buy your router just read the information for installing it on your network. I know, that sounds odd because most people think of a router installation as the means of creating that network, but in truth the router is simply a component to the network. There are several different components, so it is referred to as "adding a router".

Your router should have detailed steps which are very simple to follow. The basic idea is:

1: unhook the computer attached to the modem.

2: hook the end you unplugged from the computer into the router.

*note* you always unplug the modem before starting. Once the modem is attached to the router, and the router software is installed, you then first turn on the modem, and then the router, in that specific order.

3: install the drivers and software on the CD that come with the router. At this point a Router Setup Procedure will also initiate. This procedure will scan your modem for specific information regarding your Internet connection settings with your ISP. If it is not successful in determining these settings it will tell you and you may need to phone your ISP technical support. Occasionally, the procedure will fail, and your ISP technician will need to walk you through manual steps, or if they refuse, phone the router manufacturer (In the manual) and a technician there will walk you through and help get you up and running.

Now, if you have Vista, you can use Connect Now technology. I have not yet been able to find this information in the Vista section of Help and How-to, so I am giving you information from the XP Help and How-to. Connect Now technology is so simple in setting up a network with a router. Most routers these days have a USB port. This USB port allows you to upload configuration settings from the first system you add to the network, the one you use to add the router. Just follow the steps.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using...

The basic idea is to run the Network Setup Wizard, which is actually called something else in Vista. I wish they hadn't changed all these names. In Vista, open the Network and Sharing Center. To the left of the window, in the blue/green area, click on "Setup a Network or Connection". On the first page click on "Setup a Wireless Router or Access Point", and click Next. On the next page note the link at the bottom to "setup file and printer sharing". You can come back to this page later on and click that link to enabled file and printer sharing on your network. Just wanted you to be aware of this option. Continue to follow the instructions and prompt on each page of the Wizard. Make sure you use a Workgroup Name which is the same for each computer and device to be on your network, but each Computer name must be different in order for each to recognize the others and be able to open shares in the Network Connections folder.

Make sure you set your home network to Private. If you take your laptop to a library, cafe, airport, hotel, or any other public location to access a WiFi hotspot, always go into Network and Sharing Center, and click on the Customize link next to Network (Private) and set it to Public. This causes the Windows Firewall to reset application and file/printer sharing permissions to a more secure configuration. It causes your laptop to not be visible to other computers in that public location, which helps keep your system secure from those who would wish you harm.

This should get you off to a good start. Be sure to read other information at the Vista Help and How-to, and the XP Help and How-to pages. Remember you can always phone the toll free number to your router manufacturer for technical support. Don't put that off if you have an issue, any issue, as that is what they are there for.

Good luck and enjoy your new computers and network, please have a nice weekend.