I'm a Noob to networking

DietDrThunder

Platinum Member
Apr 6, 2001
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OK, here is the situation. I want to set up a wireless network at home so that my laptop can communicate with my PC. I also want to be able to connect a Cantenna to something (maybe a router) so my neighbor across the street and I can do some gaming against each other. Here is what I was thinking of buying. I already have a linksys 10/100 lan card in my PC. I was thinking of buying a LINKSYS Wireless G 54Mbps Broadband Router, Model WRT54G in which I'd do a wired connection from my PC to it. Then I'd buy a LINKSYS 54Mbps Wireless-G PCMCIA Ethernet Adapter, Model WPC54G for my laptop. I'd also buy a Cantenna http://www.cantenna.com/ and connect this to the Router. My neighbor has also purchased the WRT54G router. My question is, can you communicate this way between 2 routers? Or is there some other combination of wireless networking equipment I should buy?

Thanks,

Tom
 

Fiveohhh

Diamond Member
Jan 18, 2002
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just make sure one is set as AP and your friends is set as a client( I believe the linksys can do this). Than your neighbor won't have wireless in his house, unless you're AP covers his house. If your's did cover his house he could just get a wireless card and wouldn't need the linksys.
 

DietDrThunder

Platinum Member
Apr 6, 2001
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So Fiveohh, are you essentially saying that if he already has a wireless router, all I need is a wireless card to communicate with his router? Would I still need a router to have my pc communicate with my laptop? Can I have wireless cards in each of my computers and have them communicate?
 

Fiveohhh

Diamond Member
Jan 18, 2002
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Originally posted by: Cepak
So Fiveohh, are you essentially saying that if he already has a wireless router, all I need is a wireless card to communicate with his router?
yes, if you can get a signal
Would I still need a router to have my pc communicate with my laptop?
No, If both can connect to his router(and he doesn't mind).
Can I have wireless cards in each of my computers and have them communicate?
If both are connected to his router yes.
 

DietDrThunder

Platinum Member
Apr 6, 2001
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Fiveohh,

Now for my next stupid question: Can you plug a wireless access point into a router? That way I can have my two computers networked, then use the AP with a Cantenna to connect to his router?
 

dc5

Senior member
Jul 10, 2004
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Originally posted by: Cepak
Fiveohh,

Now for my next stupid question: Can you plug a wireless access point into a router? That way I can have my two computers networked, then use the AP with a Cantenna to connect to his router?

why would you need to have a wireless access point? if you can connect to your neighbor's router with your laptop or desktop then you can communicate with him/her. if you can get a signal then everything fine. if you can't, then tell your neighbor to buy the antenna booster for his wireless router.
 

DietDrThunder

Platinum Member
Apr 6, 2001
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I was just thinking that if I could connect an access point to my router, then when I didn't want to see his router that I'd just turn the access point off. This would leave me with just both of my home pcs communicating. Like I said, I'm a noob. I don't even think I know what I'm talking about.
 

dc5

Senior member
Jul 10, 2004
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Originally posted by: Cepak
I was just thinking that if I could connect an access point to my router, then when I didn't want to see his router that I'd just turn the access point off. This would leave me with just both of my home pcs communicating. Like I said, I'm a noob. I don't even think I know what I'm talking about.

so your buying an access point and a router? kinda expensive. just get a wireless router and when you dont want to share with your neighbor, turn off your wireless setting.
 

VirtualLarry

No Lifer
Aug 25, 2001
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Out of the box, with stock firmware, the LinkSys WRT54G cannot act in AP client mode, nor do wireless bridging, nor WDS. The Sveasoft firmware apparently allows one to do this, but I haven't gotten around to flashing mine yet. (Trying to get this other RTL8181-based Linux-based 200Mhz MIPS router to accept other-brand firmware that enables its WDS feature first, then I'll flash the LinkSys.)

Unless you both want to ugprade to the 3rd-party Sveasoft firmware, then one of you should consider getting a WET54 or WAP54G instead, as one of those offers WDS and AP client mode support out of the box.
 

HKSturboKID

Golden Member
Oct 20, 2000
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Here is what I play and test on my home networking.

I've a 4 port dsl/router (smc), linksys 8 port switch, no name 4 port switch, belkin access poing, no name 5 port switch and a bunch of wireless nic and regular nics. My neighbor has a linksys wireless dsl router.
I can configure my access point to connect to his wireless network and mooch his bandwidth and then on my laptop with the wireless card and wired nic card, I cannot my cat5 to the switch and all my pcs that care connect to switch have access.

Second scenario.
I have my 4 port dsl router connected to my dsl modem. Two of the ports are connected to the switches and one is connected to the access point. access point receive IP from the 4 port dsl rerouter and feed it to my laptop in the wireless network.