total idiot (me) needs to add wireless to home...

[mcewen]

I am a total idiot when it comes to technical stuff... bear with me....

I bought a new computer. It will be in my downstairs office. Old computer (2.4 ghz pentium4 will have its hard drive wiped, XP reinstalled and taken upstairs for my son.

In order to allow internet upstairs... I want set up a home network.

I need a wireless router and wireless adapter correct? Anything else?

I have seen adapter's that are USB plug-ins... are they only for laptops?- or are they the easy-mans way of installing the wireless on a non-wireless machine?

And what about security? If son is upstairs surfing... nothing can penetrate my downstairs computer correct?

Which system controls access? Or would each computer tell the router what are acceptable programs that can access the internet?

Thanks...

[CodecX81]

You got the right idea.. You'd need a wireless router and some sort of wireless card. I suggest you go with the USB kind, they work for PC as well as laptop.. and they are generally easier to work with than one that goes internally.

You'd plug your main PC into the router with the wire, and hook your modem into it as well.. Your router will now control the internet connection and distribute it out to PCs on your network.

You'd also want to setup some sort of "encryption" on your wireless signal, since everyone who lives around you could potentially see your network.. This is explained in the manual, but basically its a way to password protect your wireless connection.

Depending on the router you get, there are a few types of encryption you can choose from. (WEP64, WEP128, WPA, WPA2 etc.. )

You just want something simple, to keep the neighbors out. Anyone who really wants to get into your network will have the knowledge to do it, but 99% of people don't have the resources or patience for it.

That said, if I were you, I'd go into the router and under Wireless -> Security, choose "64bit WEP" encryption.

The router would ask for a 10 digit code.. Use your phone number...easy to remember, but secure enough to keep others out. Just make sure when you name your wireless connection, to not use your last name.

(ayone with a phone book and a little bit of smarts will figure it out fast.. )

From there, it is just a matter of scanning for wireless networks from the PC equipped with the wireless card, choosing yours.. it'll prompt you for your wireless encryption key.. put it in, and voila. It will never ask again, and you got yourself a nice little protected home network.

I am a total idiot when it comes to technical stuff... bear with me....

I bought a new computer. It will be in my downstairs office. Old computer (2.4 ghz pentium4 will have its hard drive wiped, XP reinstalled and taken upstairs for my son.

In order to allow internet upstairs... I want set up a home network.

I need a wireless router and wireless adapter correct? Anything else?

I have seen adapter's that are USB plug-ins... are they only for laptops?- or are they the easy-mans way of installing the wireless on a non-wireless machine?

And what about security? If son is upstairs surfing... nothing can penetrate my downstairs computer correct?

Which system controls access? Or would each computer tell the router what are acceptable programs that can access the internet?

Thanks...

[rfd_lurker]

You got the right idea.. You'd need a wireless router and some sort of wireless card. I suggest you go with the USB kind, they work for PC as well as laptop.. and they are generally easier to work with than one that goes internally.

You'd plug your main PC into the router with the wire, and hook your modem into it as well.. Your router will now control the internet connection and distribute it out to PCs on your network.

You'd also want to setup some sort of "encryption" on your wireless signal, since everyone who lives around you could potentially see your network.. This is explained in the manual, but basically its a way to password protect your wireless connection.

Depending on the router you get, there are a few types of encryption you can choose from. (WEP64, WEP128, WPA, WPA2 etc.. )

You just want something simple, to keep the neighbors out. Anyone who really wants to get into your network will have the knowledge to do it, but 99% of people don't have the resources or patience for it.

That said, if I were you, I'd go into the router and under Wireless -> Security, choose "64bit WEP" encryption.

The router would ask for a 10 digit code.. Use your phone number...easy to remember, but secure enough to keep others out. Just make sure when you name your wireless connection, to not use your last name.

(ayone with a phone book and a little bit of smarts will figure it out fast.. )

From there, it is just a matter of scanning for wireless networks from the PC equipped with the wireless card, choosing yours.. it'll prompt you for your wireless encryption key.. put it in, and voila. It will never ask again, and you got yourself a nice little protected home network.


Why would you recommend this guy to use the WORST type of security out there? the OP even asked about security and people surfing his local computers.
If the router and adapter support it, use WPA2 with a complete RANDOM pass phrase. The easiest way to crack WPA is with the dictonary attack, so don't use a word that is in the dictonary. If the hacker see's your WPA network and another that has WEP... 99.9% he'll choose the WEP network as it's easier to crack!

[mcewen]

If the router and adapter support it, use WPA2 with a complete RANDOM pass phrase. The easiest way to crack WPA is with the dictonary attack, so don't use a word that is in the dictonary. If the hacker see's your WPA network and another that has WEP... 99.9% he'll choose the WEP network as it's easier to crack!

um... yeah... .ok.....

Alright.. I am not a total idiot.. once I learn something.. I understand it and I can slowly build on my knowledge.... but I guess at this point I still don't have all the knowledge to understand you.

:)

[rfd_lurker]

Here's the wiki entry on wireless security... Have a quick read, if you have any questions just reply ;)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_security

[CodecX81]

Why would you recommend this guy to use the WORST type of security out there? the OP even asked about security and people surfing his local computers.
If the router and adapter support it, use WPA2 with a complete RANDOM pass phrase. The easiest way to crack WPA is with the dictonary attack, so don't use a word that is in the dictonary. If the hacker see's your WPA network and another that has WEP... 99.9% he'll choose the WEP network as it's easier to crack!

I kinda explained that in my post..But, I'll put it out here again:

You just need something to keep the neighbors out, but still effective enough to remember.

You wouldn't believe how many people's houses I go to, who, when I get to the point of where I need to set their wireless back up onto their PC, they have to hunt for this random passphrase that they stored in a manual, which is now at the back of a closet..

and then it turns out to be a huge thing that they may or may not have written out correctly...

Almost everyones neighbors are not hackers...If someone wants into your network, they can and will get in... Period. ..So, keep it simple and save yourself the headache, that is why.

Aside from that, you will also have to consider security being used with non-pc devices... Game consoles & Handheld devices do not all support higher levels of security, so that could be a factor as well. I used to use WPA for my home network, but neither my DS or PSP support it...Instead of changing it every time I need to go online with one of those devices, just gonna keep it simple.

[rfd_lurker]

I see where you're coming from with the non-PC devices... but for the PC's?

Open notepad and bash the keys for 3 seconds, there's your pass phrase ;)

Easy enough to get it to the wireless PC, save on a 3.5 disk.. USB mem stick, CDR etc etc etc.. heck even email it to yourself.

Anwyays OP, if you choose WEP be forwarned.Your neighbours might not be hackers, but they could be bored kids with nothing better to do.

[CodecX81]

I see where you're coming from with the non-PC devices... but for the PC's?

Open notepad and bash the keys for 3 seconds, there's your pass phrase ;)

Easy enough to get it to the wireless PC, save on a 3.5 disk.. USB mem stick, CDR etc etc etc.. heck even email it to yourself.

Anwyays OP, if you choose WEP be forwarned.Your neighbours might not be hackers, but they could be bored kids with nothing better to do.

Yea, I guess if you had the foresight to to keep it somewhere electronically, yet kept safe physically, that would work.

All too many people aren't willing to go to those lengths to safeguard themselves though. Your points are totally legible and OP would be keen to listen to it / read up on wireless security to decide which works best for their situation.

How about this:

To get up and running quick, use the advice I provided. When you are feeling confident about running your home network and want to step it up to a more robust & secure connection, follow up with Lurker's advice ;)

Or, run ethernet cable through your house and turn off the wireless altogether :D

[mcewen]

Or, run ethernet cable through your house and turn off the wireless altogether :D

I was almost there.. because it wouldn't be that hard.. but I also would like wifi for my blackberry.... wifi is way faster than 3G.

[CodecX81]

I was almost there.. because it wouldn't be that hard.. but I also would like wifi for my blackberry.... wifi is way faster than 3G.

Careful, I've heard horror stories.
My friend has a BOLD and apparently, the WiFi isn't exactly super powerful compared to the 3G. He lives downtown Toronto, so he gets both options very clear.

Also, not sure if these have been worked out yet, but a lot of Rogers customers are being dinged with bandwidth charges, that they thought were going through WiFi, but were being tacked on to their Rogers Bill as 3G traffic.

[sahilz]

Also, not sure if these have been worked out yet, but a lot of Rogers customers are being dinged with bandwidth charges, that they thought were going through WiFi, but were being tacked on to their Rogers Bill as 3G traffic.

Had that happen with my brother's HTC touch. Thankfully Rogers refunded the charges.]

BTW, excellent advice CodecX81 for the setup. +1

[mcewen]

I have the 6 gig data plan... not worried about bandwith... but here in Oshawa.. I find 3G is so bloody slow. I was in Kingston several months ago when the Bold was brand new.... actually.. I am not sure if it was even released yet.... but they had one. It was faster than my PC connection.

I think I am going to wait a few weeks till I find a wireless router on sale... then pick one up... I can always run a chord if I need to later right.....

thanks for all your help.

[mcewen]

k... I have been doing some reading on Wireless networks.....

seems they interfere with cordless phones... or rather the phones and wireless interfere with each other.....

I have 2.4Ghz cordless phones in my house..... I understand that means 802.11b/g is out. 802.11n is apparently the "newest" wireless technology.... any word on how it reacts with 2.4ghz cordless phones around?

thanks again.

[Zero1]

k... I have been doing some reading on Wireless networks.....

seems they interfere with cordless phones... or rather the phones and wireless interfere with each other.....

I have 2.4Ghz cordless phones in my house..... I understand that means 802.11b/g is out. 802.11n is apparently the "newest" wireless technology.... any word on how it reacts with 2.4ghz cordless phones around?

thanks again.

If you are really worried about frequency, Linksys has routers that work on higher frequency like 5.8GHz. Its about $170 for the router though.