noobie wireless question:

[LETitBERN]

Ok, I'm setting up a wireless network in my bro's house. There is a desktop (windows 98) and a laptop (win me), and roadrunner cable internet. My brother already bought a linksys B wireless router and a B pci card. So, while I was setting this up, I realized that the desktop computer doesn't have any onboard ethernet. It was connected to the cable modem via usb. I was planning on hardwiring this computer to the router.

It looks I will end up buying a usb network adapter (something like thisnetwork adapter), if possible. Will this work, or do I need to hardwire one of the computers to the wireless router? In the quick install diagrams, it looks like at least one computer needs to be hardwired to the router...

 

[JeffMD]

does the laptop have a built in ethernet port? You will really want a hardwired computer when setting it up, because if you mess up setting up the encryption or turn wifi off, you would cut yourself off from the router. But you can just hook your laptop up via ethernet for setup, and when you're done your laptop and desktop can run off wifi.

 

[amdskip]

Sounds to me like you want the desktop to be hardwired all the time. I would just put a pci network card in the desktop and don't worry about a usb to ethernet adapter. Program the router with the desktop and be done with it.

 

[ktwebb]

NIC's can be had for 10 bucks shipped. That's what I'd recommend. Wired ethernet is generally always preferable over USB and wireless as well as far as network connectivity is concerned. Having said that, the wireless USB client device you linked to would work fine.

 

[LETitBERN]

Thanks for the advice, guys. I forgot to include this in my first post, but the reason that I don't want to put an NIC card in the desktop is because it is my bro's downstairs neighbor and they are really stingy about me doing anything to their computer. But yea, I'll hardwire the laptop for setup, then use wifi from then on.