new to wireless/networking

I can reply to the second part of this question, as lately I have had experience in the same setup

b) simply buying a PCI wireless adaptor for the PC eg D-Link DWL-G520

Why? You don't need that setup with a wire/wireless AP router. Let the router be the gateway to the Wide Area Network (WAN/Internet) and Local Area Network) LAN or machines wired or wireless connected to the router.

Are you sure about that computer name? However, with the router's Admin screens, you should be able to set a name that it's to use and present that name to the ISP. It also has a password that can be given for those ISP(s) that use a user name and PSW. That name could possibly be the name of a computer without a password, which can be presented to the ISP if a name is required..

I would suspect that other home users of your ISP are using routers.

The router also has a MAC cloning feature that allows any MAC a NIC's MAC to be put into the router so that it can be presented to the ISP for those ISP(s) that authenticate by MAC. .

The ISP will not be able to see past the router for computer names or NIC MAC(s).

Why? You just simply connect the router to the modem. The router automatically provides the ICS for all machines connected to it wire or wireless. It also provides the plumbing for the machines on the LAN if the O/S on the machines are configured to share resources.

Some basics

Hey, walls can be a problem or anything else that can provide interference on the wireless.

Duane :)

" snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com" hath wroth:

So far so good. However, I would suggest you consider a somewhat more expensive solution. Seperate the router and wireless access point in two seperate boxes. Note that any wireless router can be used as an access point if the DHCP server is disabled, and the WAN port is not used.

The benifits of using seperate boxes are:

1. You can locate the wireless access point for optimum RF location (e.g. high on a bookshelf) rather than the traditional location under a desk where all the wires and cables come together.
2. You can turn off the wireless access point when nobody is using the wireless for security.
3. When the next great leap in wireless technology arrives, you can easily upgrade the wireless without also replacing the router.

The computer "name" (i.e. account number) is set in the router and has nothing to do with the IP or NETBIOS names used by your computahs.

Please don't do that if wire is available. A CAT5 ethernet connection is always faster and more reliable than a wireless connection. If wires are available, I suggest you use them. In addition, wireless PCI cards are not the best choice for desktops. The antenna tends to be located behind the metal shield of the desktop, in the middle of a tangle of wires, and low to the ground under a desk. This is a rather non-optimum wireless location. If you insist on a PCI wireless card, I suggest you also purchase an external antenna.

How many walls? What type of constructions? Any aluminum foil backed insulation in the walls? What's your minimum acceptable speed?

My rule of thumb is:

- 1 wall, usually no problems.

- 2 walls, somewhat of a challenge.

- 3 walls, forget it.

- Aluminum foil, chicken wires, or concrete in the wall, forget it.

I suggest you look at Netgear and Linksys products as I've had a bit too much entertainment with DLink products lately.