Wirless router questions! (Newbie)

OK, I have a few questions for you guys!

My Fiancee has bought a new laptop and would like to use the internet sometimes in our house. Currently our desktop is connected to Virgin Broadband (512K). She wants to connect wireless. Her laptop says it's wireless enabled. Our desktop PC just has a standard Speedtouch modem plugged in (and powered) via a USB port.

  1. I understand I'll need a wireless router. What sort of price? And to they vary much from make to make? And what else would I need?

  1. I see you can get higher speed routers, but it'll mainly provide an internet connection so will all standard routers provide speeds above our current internet connection speed of 512?

  2. Our desktop is always in one place, and near a phone line. Is it possible to have a permanent USB connection to the desktop, while providing a wireless link to the laptop?

  1. How are routers generally powered? We would like it to have a separate power supply all the time to the router, so if she's upstairs, and decides to go on the internet, she can at anytime (without having to power up the desk top)

  2. How wireless router modems dial up? Currently with our Virgin broadband set up, we 'dial up' each time we go on the internet. It's not an 'always on' connection. Would either PC instruct the router to 'dial up' each time, or is it an 'always on' connection?

  1. I understand both computers can go on the net at the same time. How does this effect the speed? Would it just simply be half the connection speed for each connection? It's not often we're on at the same time, but it might happen occasionally.

  2. This isn't so important, but would it be possible to have access to our printer, from her laptop, via the router?

Cheers for any help given! :)

Matthew Long

Reply to
Matthew Long
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Depends on whether you want to buy retail where they can vary anything from say £25 to three figure prices. Or you can go Ebay and go even cheaper.

No problem there.

You can do by adding a wireless NIC to the desktop but I wouldn't because of your next question...

Get a wireless router. The desktop will connect via cable to the router and the laptop via wireless to the router. It's just simpler that way and you can turn off the desktop when you want to.

You enter your credentials for the account into the router and it will be always on.

In the absence of any other bandwidth shaping, you'd just fight for it. It's not divided as such because then you'd have wasted capacity if the other person wasn't using their allocation. You'll likely not even notice.

Shouldn't be a problem. The neatest way is if the printer has an ethernet capability, failing that, get a print server to provide it with such. If you wish, you could just share it from the desktop but then you're back to needing to have that machine on when you want to print.

David.

Reply to
David Taylor

Thanks very much for your helpful answers! I'll start looking around!

Cheers,

Matthew Long

Reply to
Matthew Long

You need an ADSL wireless router ( I take it you are on ADSL not cable?)... This has an ADSL modem and wireless router in one box. (You cannot use your existibg ADSL modem if it has a USB out and no RJ45)...

See

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You will be able to share the printer (USB? - connected to PC) while PC is on - to enable laptop to use printer when PC is off you will need a print server (network in USB out). There are also wireless print servers...

Guy

Matthew L> OK, I have a few questions for you guys!

Reply to
Bigguy

Sure he can

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But for me, I'd change it and get router/modem that does ethernet or a router with built in modem.

David.

Reply to
David Taylor

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