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Another question about which router to buy

I know there are a million posts like this here, because I've read what seems like thousands of them. I still can't figure out what equipment I need.

We have two computers currently connected to a broadband cable connection through a router in my office. We would like to be able to connect a third computer (that has a wireless card) and various PDAs with WiFi. I would like to keep the original two computers on wired connections and wireless for the rest.

We would also like to be able to share certain files among the various computers.

I also can't figure out the answer to a question I have. I know (or think I know) that wireless networks are easier to hack into than wired. If this is true, is there a way to protect the two computers on wired connections from anyone who might use our wireless network?

Although we have a small yard, our house is three stories plus basement, and we would like a wireless signal that can be used all over the house, plus in the yard. The current wired router is on the second floor, and we would like it to stay there.

Thanks so much for any information you can give me.

.. Joann

Reply to
Joann23456
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Hi Joann. I'm going to attempt to answer your questions as clearly as I can so bear with me. Since you already have a router (wired, i presume), then all you will need is a wireless access point (WAP). With the WAP, you will connect it to the router and all wireless devices will connect to your network via the WAP. With the WAP, you should be able to enable encryption so that the information travelling back and forth from between the wireless devices will be encrypted. Make sure that all devices support encryption whether it be WEP, WPA, WPA-PSK (Pre-Shared Key) or WPA2. As for protecting your network from snoopers, your router, depending on the type you have, should double as a firewall. "Typically speaking", users cannot access what is not shared. Depending on your OS, you should be able to set restrictions to shared information. Anyway, feel free to visit

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for more information. I hope I was helpful to you. Take care.

Reply to
Doug Jamal
[POSTED TO alt.internet.wireless - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]

Connect a wireless access point (not wireless router) to your wired router. Or instead use a wireless router with DHCP disabled and a LAN port (not the Internet WAN port) connected to the wired router (which effectively makes it into a wireless access point). With a three story house, I recommend MIMO for both the wireless access point and wireless adapters (cards) for best range and coverage. Even so, you may still have dead spots, and might need another wireless access point for complete coverage, connected to your wired router by cable or powerline networking. If needed, the two wireless access points should have the same custom SSID and security, but be on different non-overlapping channels (1, 6, 11). For security, you should use WPA-PSK. Microsoft has help documents on how to set up network file sharing.

Reply to
John Navas

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