Wireless network question

[Lord Athlon]

Hey folks

I know that it will sound very newbish but do i need to always have my main computer ON (the one with the wireless router) if i want to access the internet with the other ?

Can my secondary computer communicate with the wireless router even if my main one is shutdown ?

Thanks in advance for any clarification

 

[Matthias99]

What do you mean "the one with the wireless router"? The router is not *in* your PC, is it?

Assuming you, like just about everyone else on Earth, has a standalone router, then yes, of course the systems can all access it independently. That's the whole point of having a standalone router/switch.

 

[Lord Athlon]

Originally posted by: Matthias99
What do you mean "the one with the wireless router"? The router is not *in* your PC, is it?

I meant the PC in which the wireless router will be plugged in

The router , even if wireless, still need to be plugged somewhere isn't it ?

Sorry for the confusion but i never messed with that stuff before and that's why i came here to ask these questions

 

[imported_Twitch]

You have your DSL/cable modem plugged into your wireless router, and your 'main' computer connects via a network cable into one of the hardwired ports in the back of the router.

You don't need to have the main computer on for a wireless PC to connect/use the router's connection to the internet.

 

[imported_Mitchell]

Cable/DSL modem
Router
PC
PC
PC
PC
etc.

All seperate units (Normally).

 

[Lord Athlon]

Originally posted by: Twitch
You have your DSL/cable modem plugged into your wireless router, and your 'main' computer connects via a network cable into one of the hardwired ports in the back of the router.

You don't need to have the main computer on for a wireless PC to connect/use the router's connection to the internet.

Thanks !!!

That's exactly what i wanted to know

 

[piasabird]

I dont have a wireless router but the principle is the same.

A router is a limited use computer. It has two ports. One one side you connect to a WAN like cable network or DSL. On the other side you have a LAN PORT or a switch built in. The settings for the internet connection are on the Router only. You can usually clone the Nick of your primary computer to confuse the network and to act as a firewall. So the Router has two IP Addresses.

My Cable Modem and my Router are on a separate Surge protector than my computer/s. This is so I can turn them off without turning off my computer. This is a very handy way of working things. Sometimes you may want to turn off the router or the cable modem to do some task. Then each computer has its own Surge Protector. More expensive surge protectors are designed to block larger surges. They usually have a surge rating.

The Router is definitely independent of your computer. You could decide to get a VOIP enabled router if you want to use a service like an IP Phone. Even AT&T has a IP Phone Service now.

 

[JackMDS]

Wired or Wireless Cable DSL/Routers are stand alone devices (actually many of them are a small Intel Pentium 486 computers with the firmware acting as the OS).

Networked computers interact individually with the Router independent one from the other for Internet proposes. Interaction between the Computers is only on LAN level for Files and printer sharing.

:sun:

P.S. It is always advisable to have at least one Wired computer on a Wireless Router for Configuration purposes; it does not have to be On when it is Not used.