We purchased a new home, and if possible I would like to make it wireless for the computer rather than have cable outlets and modems in various rooms. How do I do this, how much would it cost, and who provides services? Sorry if this is a dumb question, but I don't know much about it. Thanks.
How to make my house wireless
- Thread starter Dtrigg
- Start date
You need a wireless AP(access point) and wiress card on your PC. 
To spell it out a little bit more:
You don't need to subscribe to any services other than your DSL or Cable modem service as you do today for a wired internet connection.
1) You need to buy a wireless router:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=cat01024&type=category&categoryRep=cat01000
I have the Linksys one mentioned there. You'll find 802.11B only routers are cheaper, but you may as well get a 'G' router as they provide more bandwidth. You may be able to take advantage of that if you're doing computer-to-computer transfers and/or have a very high bandwidth cable service. They're also not that much more than the 'B' ones. 'G' is backwards compatible with 'B', so you don't lose out on anything by going 'G'.
2) If you have an Apple laptop, it will have wireless networking built-in. If you have a PC laptop, it may or may not have it. If it doesn't, you'll need to buy a Wi-Fi PCMCIA card, like one listed here:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?type=category&id=cat01032
3) If you're wirelessly connecting a desktop machine, it will likely not have wireless networking built in, and you'll need to buy a card like one of these:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?type=category&id=cat01031
Most are PCI cards that fit inside your machine, although there are also some USB external options as well. Either one is fine.
4) Connect your cable to your cable modem
5) Connect cable modem to wireless router from step 1
6) Plug in your WiFi access card into your laptop or desktop (if it needs it), and you may have to do some software setup. If you're on a Mac, you should see it right away. If you're on a PC and it doesn't work, call whomever is the designated computer nerd in the family (there's always one!), and have them set it up for you
At this point the only thing "wired" is the cable modem and router, which can be hidden away anywhere. All of your machines will now be able to access the internet wirelessly.
Other notes:
-You can enable various levels of security on your router to prevent other people/neighbours from snooping your internet traffic or stealing your service. The simplest is WEP, and then there are more secure methods like WPA, etc. The linksys router has all of these built in. Some routers also allow you to lock access based on MAC address. Each machine has a unique MAC (ethernet) address and you can tell your router to only allow those specific machines to connect.
-Some routers allow you to increase the transmission power to get better range. eg. the linksys mentioned above lets you go up to 300mw. I think it starts off at like 60mw or something. I've got mine set to about 120mw and can hit all parts of my house without any problem.
Hope that helps and doesn't make it sound more complicated than it is.
You don't need to subscribe to any services other than your DSL or Cable modem service as you do today for a wired internet connection.
1) You need to buy a wireless router:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=cat01024&type=category&categoryRep=cat01000
I have the Linksys one mentioned there. You'll find 802.11B only routers are cheaper, but you may as well get a 'G' router as they provide more bandwidth. You may be able to take advantage of that if you're doing computer-to-computer transfers and/or have a very high bandwidth cable service. They're also not that much more than the 'B' ones. 'G' is backwards compatible with 'B', so you don't lose out on anything by going 'G'.
2) If you have an Apple laptop, it will have wireless networking built-in. If you have a PC laptop, it may or may not have it. If it doesn't, you'll need to buy a Wi-Fi PCMCIA card, like one listed here:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?type=category&id=cat01032
3) If you're wirelessly connecting a desktop machine, it will likely not have wireless networking built in, and you'll need to buy a card like one of these:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?type=category&id=cat01031
Most are PCI cards that fit inside your machine, although there are also some USB external options as well. Either one is fine.
4) Connect your cable to your cable modem
5) Connect cable modem to wireless router from step 1
6) Plug in your WiFi access card into your laptop or desktop (if it needs it), and you may have to do some software setup. If you're on a Mac, you should see it right away. If you're on a PC and it doesn't work, call whomever is the designated computer nerd in the family (there's always one!), and have them set it up for you
At this point the only thing "wired" is the cable modem and router, which can be hidden away anywhere. All of your machines will now be able to access the internet wirelessly.
Other notes:
-You can enable various levels of security on your router to prevent other people/neighbours from snooping your internet traffic or stealing your service. The simplest is WEP, and then there are more secure methods like WPA, etc. The linksys router has all of these built in. Some routers also allow you to lock access based on MAC address. Each machine has a unique MAC (ethernet) address and you can tell your router to only allow those specific machines to connect.
-Some routers allow you to increase the transmission power to get better range. eg. the linksys mentioned above lets you go up to 300mw. I think it starts off at like 60mw or something. I've got mine set to about 120mw and can hit all parts of my house without any problem.
Hope that helps and doesn't make it sound more complicated than it is.
The great thing about wireless is that, well, its wireless. I.e., you don't need to do any special wiring to get your wireless connection between computers. However, if you want to make a smart house, then you'll need wiring. That gets far more involved, but can be very, very, very cool. Automated blinds, varying lighting scenarios, complete control over lighting and other electronics. The options are endless. If, however, you are just looking to be able to surf the 'net from anywhere, the costs and set up are minimal! I love being able to park myself on the couch and watch speed channel and surf on the laptop!
Arshad--
Thanks for the information. It seems simple. All I have to do is get down to Best Buy and make a purchase. I thought I would have to subscribe to a different cable provider or something.
Thanks for the information. It seems simple. All I have to do is get down to Best Buy and make a purchase. I thought I would have to subscribe to a different cable provider or something.
Why is a wired conection 10X faster. I've used wireless conections in lots of hotels and I really couldn't tell a differe3nce.
Well, yes you can go to Best Buy, but their prices arent so good. go to either www.newegg.com or www.tigerdirect.com for some good prices and products.
Funny story - a friend of mine just got a new Dell laptop & it came with built-in WiFi; she sent me an e-mail proudly extolling how great this wifi was in that she was sending this message with her new laptop.Arshad said:
I got to thinking about it later, questioning how she could have sent it so late (I was in Europe so morning with me) - could she be late night at Starbucks or the library or??? Must be the excitement & eager to test it out.
So I asked her next day where she connected from - "right from my bed with my laptop" she proudly related.
Me - "I don't understand - do your parents have a wireless system?"
She - "No, I have the wireless, in my new laptop, it's great!"
Innocently, she had no idea that she needed to have a router with access to connect to - thought the wifi was truly broadcast in free air. It turned out to be an incredible coincidence that (presumably a neighbour) had an unprotected router in close proximity. So unknowingly she just hit connect & Bingo! instant free broadband!
There are an incredible number of wireless routers out there that are completely unprotected: drive around with your laptop & I guarantee you could find one in under 15 minutes. These things are flying off the shelves over the last year & users don't take the trouble to read all the details, just hook it up & have it operational.
Bottom line - it's a great tool - use protection!
Dtrigg said:
Hard-Wire is faster if you are transferring data between computers - for your internet service you will see no difference as that is much slower than the transmission between the pcs and therefor the limiting factor. Most home applications are for internet as opposed to data transfer so won't need the extra speed.
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And none of us NSXPrime patrons would ever snag someone else's wireless signal now would we? :wink:
And none of us NSXPrime patrons would ever snag someone else's wireless signal now would we?
I would just caution anyone using someone else's wireless access point. In 99% of the cases, this is a non-issue ... BUT.. some hackers purposefully set up a wide-open AP in public places and then snoop and log all traffic passing through their router. This is ridiculously easy to do, and the data can then later be parsed to check for unencrypted login/passwords in the raw packets. Usually your important logins (eg. banks) are on secure connections which cannot be trivially decoded, but everything else is fair game. This is another good reason to have a unique password for your secure connections, so someone doesn't snoop your NSXprime password for example and then find it also works for your online bank or trading acct!
Well, yes you can go to Best Buy, but their prices arent so good.
BTW, I wasn't endorsing Best Buy... it just happens to be easily accessible for most people and has a decent selection. There are definitely cheaper places, eg. Tiger Direct etc.
Dtrigg said:
Not really. They are faster within your network, but they are not faster to the internet. Your internet speed is restricted by the speed of your cable/DSL line. You could have a Gig-E network (1000Mbps) and only a 1.5Mb down DSL line, and you'll only get 1.5Mb down. Since 802.11g is 54 Meg, even with the overhead your throughput should sill be plenty to maximize the cable/DSL bandwidth.
Hash anyone sheen my pocket protector?
HTH - it can get very complicated, this is a brief. Wired connections rated at 100 mbps are faster than the older B wireless at 11 mbps, almost 10X (not exactly). The newer B and G wireless can be as fast as 108mbps. So a wired connection at 100 mbps is only faster than B and G because its bandwidth is predefined and constant. Wireless is dependant on the signal strength at any given time. Walls and interference affect the signals. B and G wireless signals are prone to interference from microwave ovens, cell and any other consumer devices on the 2.4 GHz frequency. This means that if the signal degrades than so will your transmit/receive speed. Current consumer wireless devices will not exceed a wired gigabit (1000 mbps) connection. If you wire your house for Cat5E that is correctly installed it will exceed wireless by nearly 10X.Dtrigg said:
Read CNET. CNET has a guide that helps. They explain the various terms such as wireless G, wireless B, Pre-N, etc.
Also, getting wireless working in your house is step one. "Making your house wireless" takes some extra steps such as adding wireless repeaters if needed. You'll info on at at CNET.com as well.
Also, getting wireless working in your house is step one. "Making your house wireless" takes some extra steps such as adding wireless repeaters if needed. You'll info on at at CNET.com as well.
Wireless = More convenient. Easy to install. However, slower and less secure than wired.
Why didn't you just have the house wired for Cat5 (or 6)?
Why didn't you just have the house wired for Cat5 (or 6)?
zahntech said:
Thats the reason i'm going back to wired!
I love wireless (have been using 802.11b for years), but, as I plan to remodel before moving to my new house, I plan to have cat5 installed in a few key places. I'll still have a wireless network too (for portable devices like the PSP and my wife's notebook computer), but I definitely feel wired provides more stability when moving large files (especially video). I've also found that my 802.11b setup isn't stable enough for streaming video files that are encoded at more than 1mbps...even though it should be good for 11mbps. I'll probably switch to 802.11g around the same time I get my house wired.
I have 4 desktops and 1 server on my network so the data transfer speed is very important as 3 of the mechines are Media Centers getting content from the server....if you are only using the network for internet the speed is not so much of an issue..however if you need to access and work with security sensitive data the wireless may not be for you...
My Xbox 360 runs as an extender for the mediacenter and needs wireless A to make it work well, G will also work but not as smooth...I use wireless to sit in bed and play poker....(online) :wink:
My wife works for "large software company in the seattle area" and some of her work she cannot do over wireless due to the security issue.
My Xbox 360 runs as an extender for the mediacenter and needs wireless A to make it work well, G will also work but not as smooth...I use wireless to sit in bed and play poker....(online) :wink:
My wife works for "large software company in the seattle area" and some of her work she cannot do over wireless due to the security issue.
You might find that certain cordless phones or other devices using the 2.4ghz band might interfere with your wifi connection. I only use wireless when I have to. Otherwise wired is the way to go.
Even with name brand gear, switching channels, and upping the routers transmision strength, I was losing connection when our cordless phones were in use. I got tired of trying to stabalize the wifi network and opted to change the cordless phones in the house. Now my stupid neighbors cordless phone jacks me.
ughhh. The ideal home will have cat5 cabled into the rooms as well as a secure wifi network.
Even with name brand gear, switching channels, and upping the routers transmision strength, I was losing connection when our cordless phones were in use. I got tired of trying to stabalize the wifi network and opted to change the cordless phones in the house. Now my stupid neighbors cordless phone jacks me.
ughhh. The ideal home will have cat5 cabled into the rooms as well as a secure wifi network.
If you are wiring a new house ust Cat 6, you would hate to have to pull out all of the Cat 5 just because it won't handle the transmission speeds you are going to need in the very near future.
Carguy! said:
Or at least Cat5E..... Also check with your building code to see if it needs to be Plenum Rated cable...
zahntech said:
Yes they still make it... There are a lot of applications that will never need more than that...
May as well use the best Wire available (My opinion only)
Some may never use it's speed.. But look at is as an upgrade that may be needed at a later date...
