Need Help Choosing Wireless Hardware

[ChuckVanover]

I have a Dimension 8200 running Windows XP Home (my home computer) hooked up to an RCA cable modem through a CNet Pro200WL (the standard 10/100 card that came in my system from Dell). I also own a Inspiron 5000 (pIII 500mhz, 384mb ram), which I use for work, also running Windows XP Home (this computer has no network card of any kind). My question is what is the cheapest, reliable way to wirelessly share the internet connection (sharing files & printer would be nice, but not a necessity) of my home computer w/ my laptop when I am at home. Obviously, it needs to be compatible with XP. Will I need to buy a wireless PCI card for the home computer or will I be able to run the cable from my CNet card to the wireless gateway? $$$ is a real concern for me (Less than $400).

Also, will my cable company be able to tell that I have more than one computer hooked up to the internet, because I would think they would want to charge for what amounts to an additional outlet? Charter Communications is my service provider.

Thanks for any input.

Chuck

 

[SaigonK]

You can get a wireless router for around $190 give or take, this would allow you to run a regular ethernet cable to your Desktop PC
(i assume that is where the cable modem is) and then you can buy a PCMCIA wireless card for your laptop for about $85.

This would keep you well under the $400 mark you set AND if you want to add another ethernet line, (say for a visiting friend or something) you will have available ports on the router to do this.

Check out Pricewatch for the LinkSys BEFW11S4 wireless router or the Lucent Orinoco.


SK

 

[noced]

If you buy a router you won't have to deal with your cable company at all, they won't be able to tell you have more than one pc. Depeding on your provider, though, you may want to change the MAC address of the router (which I know you can do in the linksys, not sure about others).

 

[cipher00]

A router is certainly a way to go, and well under $400 total. My SMC 7004AWBR Barricade has been working well. Orinoco cards seem to be the favorite in this forum, though I personally use SMC for those too (2632W).

If your cable company really wanted to know you were using a router, they can figure it out, but I haven't heard of one that really cares yet. (Packets are changed when passing through a router, but it's kinda hard to spot.)

 

[ChuckVanover]

I was just getting ready to ask about the SMC. Are they XP compatable out-of the-box or will I need to upgrade the software? I have been doing a lot of research, and I found this good review on the SMC:


Link


What is the difference between the Orinoco Gold & Silver Cards?

Chuck

 

[JackMDS]

Orinoco Silver 40WEP, i.e. 64bit encryption.

Orinoco Gold 128 bit encryption.


Conventional Wisdom* claims that the combination Orinoco Gold, SMC Wireless Router yield the best results in the Entry level category.

This link:

ORiNOCO PC Card - Gold.

There are no real big differences between the entry level Routers.

As can be seen in this link:

Wireless Routers Compared

The SMC Wireless Router has build in Printer Server interface.

When it comes to Wireless your mileage may varied, there are too many environmental variables that are unique to each individual setting.