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Wireless Networking

M

morksbeanbag

Junior Member
I'm wanting to get a wireless broadband router though i'm worried as my house has thick walls and people will be using the broadband upstairs too. Will this affect the performance of the networking? Are these things really just for offices or wide open spaces or will it make no difference?
 
Guy,

I use a D-Link 802.11b wireless router in my house which has normall wallboard walls and do not have a problem. I even take my laptop out on the porch which has metal in it. My response times stay the same.

To prevent stealing of the broadband, use the WEP or WPA encryption when you first install the router. Install is self explnatory in the software setup. Read the manual throughly before you install.

Ed
edward@edcorack.com
 
How thick are the walls? If they are say 1ft or thicker concrete, maybe you'll have a problem. If they are normal sheetrock and 2x4 house walls, then don't worry. Just try to place the router as close to the center of your house as possible, that way your wireless computers have a good chance of connecting. Also, don't stick it in a bookshelf or something. Keep it up high and unobstructed for best performance (on top of a bookshelf for example).
 
I recently set up a wireless network in my house, my main computer is in the basement (plenty of concrete walls there) and my son's computer is not on the next floor, it is on the second floor. I too was worried the signal strength would be bad.

No worries, I get a great con and the two computers couldn't be any further apart in my pretty good size colonial house. I bought the D-Link DI 524 wireless G router and pci card.
 
We have a wireless AP in our school where I work. Cinder block walls. I have a range of about 75ft through 1 metal stud wall, the ajoining office, then a cinderblock wall. At home, we have our wireless AP in the basement. I get a full signal on the second floor of the house.
You should have no problem in your house.
 
Originally posted by: Zuke
We have a wireless AP in our school where I work. Cinder block walls. I have a range of about 75ft through 1 metal stud wall, the ajoining office, then a cinderblock wall. At home, we have our wireless AP in the basement. I get a full signal on the second floor of the house.
You should have no problem in your house.
Click to expand...

damn dude,.... what router u got?

i got a netgear and i have low signals in the next room!! (maybe 20-30 feet away)!
 
Originally posted by: EdfromCocoa
Guy,

I use a D-Link 802.11b wireless router in my house which has normall wallboard walls and do not have a problem. I even take my laptop out on the porch which has metal in it. My response times stay the same.

To prevent stealing of the broadband, use the WEP or WPA encryption when you first install the router. Install is self explnatory in the software setup. Read the manual throughly before you install.

Ed
edward@edcorack.com
Click to expand...

i'd never have even figured about people stealing my broadband. from how far away from the main unit can people steal my broadband? my neighbours wouldn't have a clue how to do that anyway. but i think i'll still use encryption, would using encryption noticably slow my broadband performance?
cheers.
 
Originally posted by: morksbeanbag
Originally posted by: EdfromCocoa
Guy,

I use a D-Link 802.11b wireless router in my house which has normall wallboard walls and do not have a problem. I even take my laptop out on the porch which has metal in it. My response times stay the same.

To prevent stealing of the broadband, use the WEP or WPA encryption when you first install the router. Install is self explnatory in the software setup. Read the manual throughly before you install.

Ed
edward@edcorack.com
Click to expand...

i'd never have even figured about people stealing my broadband. from how far away from the main unit can people steal my broadband? my neighbours wouldn't have a clue how to do that anyway. but i think i'll still use encryption, would using encryption noticably slow my broadband performance?
cheers.
Click to expand...

use WEP *and* registered MAC address to secure your access point. even then it's prone to be hijacked by people who really want to, but it's good enough to make regular 'wardriver' not interested and move on.

the distance would vary depending on the situation. i live in the 4th floor of a 8 story apartment building, and everytime i run Netstumbler, it's connecting me to someone else's WAP in the first floor who doesn't have any protection turned on. if you still don't realize how scary it is, think about Microsoft Networking and all of your shared files. it's wide open for anybody who has access to your network.
 
Saxguy,

You are right. I have 1 neighbor who uses WEP and the other runs the Linksys-default.

Since I work for the federal governemnt, I am security conscious.

Forgot to tell the original guy that he does not have to use only a wirless card in his desktop with the little antenna but can buy a piece of equipment (actually looks like a thumb drive) that connects to the desktop via a USB port. My son uses this "wireless" thumb drive and has it hanging on a wall to get the signal from his wirless router.

Ed
 
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