Very Basic Question

Hi

I have a Netgear router doing a great job of allowing the internet to be
shared through the house but I want to go the next step and set up a
wireless network.

The question is, do I need to put a wireless network card in my main pc
to setup the network? The guy at the store said all I need is the router
but I'm not so sure.

Currently a cable goes from the cable modem to the router and another
from the router to the PC's "normal" network card.

Any comments or articles appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

>From what you have said this is what I understand:

1. You currently have a wired-only router
2. It shares the connection from the modem to a number of computers
3. You want to connect one or more computers to the network wirelessly

I see two options

1. Upgrade to a new router that has both wired and wireless
capabilities
-you need a new router
-your main computer does not need a wireless card
-your main computer does not need to be turned on all the time

2. Install a wireless card in the main computer, and install internet
connection sharing software
-you don't need a new router
-your main computer does need a wireless card
-your main computer does need to be turned on all the time

vonda wrote:
> Hi
>
> I have a Netgear router doing a great job of allowing the internet to be
> shared through the house but I want to go the next step and set up a
> wireless network.
>
> The question is, do I need to put a wireless network card in my main pc
> to setup the network? The guy at the store said all I need is the router
> but I'm not so sure.
>
> Currently a cable goes from the cable modem to the router and another
> from the router to the PC's "normal" network card.
>
> Any comments or articles appreciated.
>
> Thanks in advance.

Just to clarify - most (all?) wireless routers typically have 4 or more
"ports" on them where you can also plug in PCs by using a normal RJ45
network cable (the normal wired connection). So PCs without a wireless
adapter can continue to cable in to the router; laptops or other PCs that
*have* a wireless adapter can talk to the router wirelessly. As long as the
router is powered on and connected properly to you cable or DSL modem, all
or none or some of the PCs will work regardless of which others are
on/off/connected

HTH

"vonda" <adorabella@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:WShjh.12338$HU.2180@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
> Hi lee
>
> Just to confirm - it looks like its option 1. The current router is
> wireless and only the main computer is connected to it by the wire. When
> the main computer is turned off everyone can still access the internet.
>
> So its a matter of running the wireless network wizard again and making
> all the settings correct. This is why I asked the question - bc I thought
> the reason things weren't working as expected was bc the main pc didin't
> have a wireless card as well. I will now perserver to make it all connect
> as a network.
>
> kind regards, vonda
>
> ps - thanks heaps for the answer!!
>
>
>
> lee wrote:
>>>From what you have said this is what I understand:
>>
>> 1. You currently have a wired-only router
>> 2. It shares the connection from the modem to a number of computers
>> 3. You want to connect one or more computers to the network wirelessly
>>
>> I see two options
>>
>> 1. Upgrade to a new router that has both wired and wireless
>> capabilities
>> -you need a new router
>> -your main computer does not need a wireless card
>> -your main computer does not need to be turned on all the time
>>
>> 2. Install a wireless card in the main computer, and install internet
>> connection sharing software
>> -you don't need a new router
>> -your main computer does need a wireless card
>> -your main computer does need to be turned on all the time
>>
>> vonda wrote:
>>> Hi
>>>
>>> I have a Netgear router doing a great job of allowing the internet to be
>>> shared through the house but I want to go the next step and set up a
>>> wireless network.
>>>
>>> The question is, do I need to put a wireless network card in my main pc
>>> to setup the network? The guy at the store said all I need is the router
>>> but I'm not so sure.
>>>
>>> Currently a cable goes from the cable modem to the router and another
>>> from the router to the PC's "normal" network card.
>>>
>>> Any comments or articles appreciated.
>>>
>>> Thanks in advance.
>>

Hi lee

Just to confirm - it looks like its option 1. The current router is
wireless and only the main computer is connected to it by the wire.
When the main computer is turned off everyone can still access the internet.

So its a matter of running the wireless network wizard again and making
all the settings correct. This is why I asked the question - bc I
thought the reason things weren't working as expected was bc the main pc
didin't have a wireless card as well. I will now perserver to make it
all connect as a network.

kind regards, vonda

ps - thanks heaps for the answer!!



lee wrote:
>>From what you have said this is what I understand:
>
> 1. You currently have a wired-only router
> 2. It shares the connection from the modem to a number of computers
> 3. You want to connect one or more computers to the network wirelessly
>
> I see two options
>
> 1. Upgrade to a new router that has both wired and wireless
> capabilities
> -you need a new router
> -your main computer does not need a wireless card
> -your main computer does not need to be turned on all the time
>
> 2. Install a wireless card in the main computer, and install internet
> connection sharing software
> -you don't need a new router
> -your main computer does need a wireless card
> -your main computer does need to be turned on all the time
>
> vonda wrote:
>> Hi
>>
>> I have a Netgear router doing a great job of allowing the internet to be
>> shared through the house but I want to go the next step and set up a
>> wireless network.
>>
>> The question is, do I need to put a wireless network card in my main pc
>> to setup the network? The guy at the store said all I need is the router
>> but I'm not so sure.
>>
>> Currently a cable goes from the cable modem to the router and another
>> from the router to the PC's "normal" network card.
>>
>> Any comments or articles appreciated.
>>
>> Thanks in advance.
>

vonda wrote:
> Hi
>
> I have a Netgear router doing a great job of allowing the internet to be
> shared through the house but I want to go the next step and set up a
> wireless network.
>
> The question is, do I need to put a wireless network card in my main pc
> to setup the network? The guy at the store said all I need is the router
> but I'm not so sure.
>
> Currently a cable goes from the cable modem to the router and another
> from the router to the PC's "normal" network card.
>
> Any comments or articles appreciated.
>
> Thanks in advance.
Hi,
Too lazy to read the manual?

Tony Hwang wrote:
> vonda wrote:
>> Hi
>>
>> I have a Netgear router doing a great job of allowing the internet to
>> be shared through the house but I want to go the next step and set up
>> a wireless network.
>>
>> The question is, do I need to put a wireless network card in my main
>> pc to setup the network? The guy at the store said all I need is the
>> router but I'm not so sure.
>>
>> Currently a cable goes from the cable modem to the router and another
>> from the router to the PC's "normal" network card.
>>
>> Any comments or articles appreciated.
>>
>> Thanks in advance.
> Hi,
> Too lazy to read the manual?

Wouldn't be asking if the manual had the answer.

vonda <adorabella@hotmail.com> hath wroth:

>I have a Netgear router doing a great job of allowing the internet to be
>shared through the house but I want to go the next step and set up a
>wireless network.

What model Netgear router?

>The question is, do I need to put a wireless network card in my main pc
>to setup the network? The guy at the store said all I need is the router
>but I'm not so sure.

No.

>Currently a cable goes from the cable modem to the router and another
>from the router to the PC's "normal" network card.

You have three choices.

Number one is to add an "access point". Plug it into one of the LAN
ports on your Netgear something router, configure the wireless for
security, and you're done. You can use any of the connected PC's to
configure the access point.

Number two is to use a wireless router to *REPLACE* your Netgear
router. A wireless router is a wireless access point with an ethernet
router in the same box.

Number three is to leave the Netgear in place and configure the
wireless router as an access point (by ignoring the router section).
The only trick is that you must disable the DHCP server in the
wireless router.

I recommend number three.



--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@comix.santa-cruz.ca.us
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558