Sharing internet connection in a 2 story house??

[mobutter]

I have a computer with cable internet that I would like to split with another computer that is upstairs and on the other side of the house. I went to best buy to see what I could do and the salesperson blasted off like 4 different things such as 400$ for wireless, or I could wire up some cable inbetween which is pretty much outta my league(time,inexperience), the third one was some telephone connection and I couldn't even understand the fourth and last thing he was talking about. I was thinking that by now, hooking up just 2 computers to the same internet connection would be cheaper than this? Anybody know what I can do??

 

[groovin]

you can get a cheap hub for around 20-40 bucks, wire the cable modem into the uplink port on the hub, then plug the 2 comps into it. all you would need is a hub, ethernet card for the second comp (unless u have one already) and cables. of course you will need to install the appropriate network clients and protocols on your 2nd machine. you will need to pay a few extra bucks a month to your ISP for the extra IP address though.

or u can get a cheap router, like a linksys... plug the cable modem into the appropriate port, and then the comps in their appropriate ports. you wont need the extra IP this way. set up the clients and protocols.. youre all set.

easy isnt it?

 

[cipher00]

Try looking at HomeRF.org. Another possibility is home PNA. The router solution is superior, imo, and I don't know how popular the RF and PNA solutions will be, but you can at least check them out.

 

[groovin]

oops forgot to say, sometimes networked games are a problem with using a router... there are workarounds in most cases but if youre new to setting up a home LAN, then dealing with routing rules and ports might be a real pain.

 

[gaidin123]

Does your cable modem connect to your computer's USB port or to a standard ethernet port? That can limit your options if it is a USB only cable modem.

First off, your cheapest solution: Buy yourself a long crossover ethernet cable and 1 or 2 $12 10/100 ethernet cards. Machine #1 which is hooked up to your cable modem needs 2 NICs. Machine #2 on the other side of the house needs 1 NIC. Plug machine #2 into machine #1 with a long crossover cable. Plug machine #1 into your cable modem (like it is right now). Run something like Windows ICS (Internet Connection Sharing) or any number of shareware connection sharing programs like WinRoute.

The easiest solution providing that you have a standard ethernet connection on your cable modem: But yourself a $100 Linksys 4 port Cable/DSL router. Plug cable modem into WAN port on the Linksys. Plug both machines into the LAN ports on the Linksys. Set both machines to "Obtain IP Address Automatically" and you're set. You may have to configure the Linksys some depending on your cable provider.

Edit: Forgot to mention one potentially big caveat: In the cheapest solution the computer that is connected to the cable modem will always need to be up and running whenever Machine #2 wants to use the internet. In the easiest solution the Linksys router is always on like your cable modem and both machines will be able to access the internet whenever they want, without running any special software.

Gaidin

 

[mobutter]

Thanx for the replies guys, my biggest problem tho, is i can't have tacky cable wiring all over the house.....how can I avoid this?.....will the cable company come out and run the wiring from the router through the walls to my 2nd computer upstairs for a reasonable price? Is this my only option to wireless cable?

 

[nihil]

<< Thanx for the replies guys, my biggest problem tho, is i can't have tacky cable wiring all over the house.....how can I avoid this?.....will the cable company come out and run the wiring from the router through the walls to my 2nd computer upstairs for a reasonable price? Is this my only option to wireless cable? >>



cat5 isn't a big deal to wire yourself. i've done it plenty of times. if you like this kind of stuff you can do it yourself. i doubt that the cable company would wire it up for you because their only job is to run the coax to your house. everything from there is pretty much your responsibility. with that said and done all i can tell you is that there is plenty of info on home networks available on the net. not to mention plenty of good stuff in the FAQ section. read up and enjoy.


Edit: had to clean up after my dyslexic tendancies. heh

 

[JackMDS]

What the cable company is willing to do is up to them, call them!

Here is a general primer that hopefully will let you to make a decision.

Basic Options for Internet Connection Sharing

<a target=new class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.
anandtech.com/guides/viewfaq.html?i=48">Hubs, routers, switches, DSL, LANs, WANs...?</a>

Here is a Wireless primer:

Wireless LAN consists on two main components.

1. Access Point (A/P).

Access Point is the Main Transmitter/Receiver that mediates between your LAN, and the Wireless computers, to the rest of the Network. It is connected to a regular RJ-45 port on LAN's Hub/Switch, or Router. It usually supports an excess of 100 clients.

2 . Wireless Client Card.

Wireless Client Card is the LAN card that you should install on each one your network computers, that you want to be Wireless.

Most Client cards are PCMCIA, which work very well with Laptops.
For Desktop, it is usually better to use USB Wireless Card. Most PCI Wireless Cards with fixed antenna (stuck behind the PC) yield inferior results versus the Flexible Antenna on a USB card.

Conventional Wisdom* claims that the Orinoco Gold (About $90) is the best Wireless Client Card (has PCMCIA, and USB versions).

This link:
ORiNOCO PC Card - Gold.

Access Points Compared

If you don't have Cable/DSL Router, you can buy a Wireless Cable/DSL Router, which is a Combo unit that includes Router to share the Internet, Switch for Wired Network and A/P for Wireless clients (plus more goodies).

The SMC Wireless Barricade is considered one of the favorites.

Wireless Routers Compared



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

 

[mobutter]

Again, thanx guys for the reponses.....i'm thinking a wireless LAN will be the way to go.....i just don't see how I can traverse all the interior walls to reach the 2nd pc upstairs.....so i guess a wireless LAN is my only option...... is this all I need for a wireless LAN? 1)a wireless pcmia card for my laptop(currently using the cable internet); 2)a wireless hub; 3)a usb wireless card for the upstairs pc?? Is wireless as fast as regular internet?

 

[JackMDS]

You are right on the Client Cards.

However, if you don't have Cable/DSL Router, you have to buy a Wireless Cable/DSL Router, (not Wireless Hub, AKA WAP) which is a Combo unit that includes Router to share the Internet, Switch for Wired Network and A/P for Wireless clients (plus more goodies).[/b]

The Wireless equipment mentioned above is capable of 11Mb/sec. ?Speed?.

Regular consumer Cable Internet is 1-3Mb/sec. In other word about 1/3 of the capacity of the Wireless LAN.

 

[Slogun]

Regarding wireless networking, it seems I have read that it doesn't work well through walls and around corners such as I assume is the case in this fellow's two story house. I am a firm believer in hard-wired LANs.

 

[slunk]

<< Regarding wireless networking, it seems I have read that it doesn't work well through walls and around corners such as I assume is the case in this fellow's two story house. I am a firm believer in hard-wired LANs. >>

Really depends on the house. Buy a Linksys router from Best Buy with some Linksys cards. See if it works. Then return it and buy the Orinoco stuff. You'll get much better range with the Orinoco products anyway.

 

[groovin]

i like Orinoco as well. i havent played with them for over a year now, but as i recall encrypting your signal slows the network by 15%... just keep that in mind. i believe in hard wired LANs unless you have an extreme circumstance that prevents it (temporary LAN, super long cableing distance, etc)