Wireless kit recommendations?

[~Yuckfou~]

OK time to do this.
I've got 1mb adsl, a desktop pc, a laptop pc, an IPAQ and a PS2, I want to connect them all to t'internet but not necessarily to each other, preferably using usb (not IPAQ) if possible.
My preferred supplier has a large list of kit available here.

So what would you buy? Cost isn't the main issue, but if I'm going to spend more money then there needs to be a good reason.

Ta muchly.

 

[Ardrias]

Bought the Netgear DG834G a month or so ago, and it am teh rox. ADSL modem, wireless router and 4 ports switch, with a firewall and supporting 54mbps LAN. *Lick* It has no USB tho, so if thats the only way to connect a PS2 I suppose you're screwed.

iPAQ connects to it at 11mbps with no problems, while my PC zooms away at 54mpbs. I went with a Linksys WMP54G nic after a Netgear one had decided to be a **** with my MSI motherboard.

Anyway, thats what I'm using and it works.

 

[TriGGer]

I use netgear myself, drivers available for Linux aswell, and top quality kit.

After a modem/router too ? DG834 iirc

http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=107468 - router/modem

http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=107544 - pcmcia for lappy

http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=112242 - 108mb version of above

http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=112242 - pci for desktop

Dunno about USB stuff for PS2 and I dont have an IPAQ :/

 

[~Yuckfou~]

Ta, there is a wireless network jobbie (non usb) available from the PS2 official website, sure that will work. The PS2 is the least important though tbh.
Will makes puchases

 

[~Yuckfou~]

Ok I might be missing something, but this seems to be better featured for less money.
aye aer teh confused

 

[Ardrias]

That one has no built-in modem, but if you've already got one, thats not really that much of an issue.

 

[~Yuckfou~]

Ok I might be missing something

I was right then

 

[~Yuckfou~]

I use netgear myself, drivers available for Linux aswell, and top quality kit.

After a modem/router too ? DG834 iirc

http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=107468 - router/modem

http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=107544 - pcmcia for lappy

http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=112242 - 108mb version of above

http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=112242 - pci for desktop

Dunno about USB stuff for PS2 and I dont have an IPAQ :/

The router/modem and pci stuff are sat on my desk at work having arrived last week.
Work apparently are to provide pcmcia stuff for free, result
Anything I need to know about setting this up? Bit of a networking noob tbh.
Desktop is XP pro.
Lappy is 2k, but getting a new one soon so I'll probs wait cus that will also be Xp.
Yet to get the kit for the PS2, sony are out of stock of network adaptors fs.

 

[Ardrias]

Setting up the router was piss easy.
I think WLAN is not enabled by default, so you have to use a cable to set it up at first. Also you have to flash the router using cable, at least from in the first revision.

Just about every setting in the router has a builtin explanation, and they are actually pretty damn good.

So anyhow, use a TP cable, set up the router using the builtin wizards, or do it yourself. Set up WLAN with your preferred encryption etc.
Shouldnt be a problem to find your WLAN after you've installed the Netgear, I recall it went smooth (sadly my motherboard and the Netgear hates each other) and it found it at once.

If the Netgear utility wont work, you can always use XP's WLAN thingy. Thats what I have to use with my Linksys, and that works well too.

Good luck, shouldnt be too hard.

 

[Ardrias]

So did it work?

 

[~Yuckfou~]

Setting up the basic network and getting ADSL connected was a p.o.p.
Once I temporarily nicked a nic from work anyway
Getting the security side of things setup has been a nightmare, I can allow certain machines access only, installed the "Freedom" firewall software, but buggered if I can get WEP or WPA to work. Whenever I try to "apply" the page hangs, and I end up having to hard reset the router.
Also just noticed that the icon for wireless in systray has a red cross through it, meaning I guess that it's not working, but it is otherwise you would not be able to read this

 

[Xavier]

or it's your LAN interface, detecting it's disconnected... ?

 

[~Yuckfou~]

OK, turns out it was just the Config Utility for the PCI stuff.
Don't need that running so taken it out of "startup".
All seems to be working fine, just need to get WEP running and I'll be happy

 

[sibanac]

OK, turns out it was just the Config Utility for the PCI stuff.
Don't need that running so taken it out of "startup".
All seems to be working fine, just need to get WEP running and I'll be happy

Use WPA unless ofc your kit doesnt support it, WEP is about as secure as a wet paper bag

 

[PLightstar]

I got the Linksys 54G set for work which works great, a bit of a problem getting everything automated on pre-XP machines, but if you've got XP your laughing.