Wireless router question

[icarus0]

I want to connect two computers to a router/broadband modem in order to share a broadband connection. As I don?t really want leads trailing all over the place or have to drill holes etc through walls to accommodate them, I have been looking into the possibility of using a wireless router and corresponding network card or even USB wireless adapters.

Therefore, my question is does anybody here use a similar setup and have any advice or suggestions on what to look for. Also, using a wireless router and USB adapter, is there any problems with the signal being dodgy or cutting out and is the connection you get as good as it would be using cables etc?

Thanks for your help, peeps.

[Square]

I had no problems with my Belkin 54mbps WiFi router. Internet connection is as fast as a hardwired pc

BUT

If you use P2P software (Kazzaa, Shareaza etc) then you'll need to do something called 'Port forwarding' to get the signal through properly - and this can be a right pain to get right (I still haven't managed it yet).

[gIzzE]

I use the Belkin one at home, about ?40 and does everything you need.
Is your modem a router (adsl) or just a modem (cable)??

[icarus0]

Cheers lads.

The P2P thing could be a problem as I already use Kazzaa quite a bit and will, hopefully, use it even more when I get hooked up to broadband. Does it mean that you can't connect to them at all or is it just a drop in download/upload speeds?

Is your modem a router (adsl) or just a modem (cable)??

At the moment, neither. I'm about to sign up to BT Yahoo! broadband and they are chucking in a free modem, which will probably be just a bog-standard modem.

So are you using a wireless USB or PCI adaptor and should there be any difference between the two?

[gIzzE]

Don't go with BT !!!!!!!!!!!

They have a monthly cap on your downloads, everyone goes with them so it can be slower than other isps, and the free modem will need to be binned anyway.

You need to look at www.adslguide.org for 100's of adsl providers, I have used Zen, Nildram, pipex and BT. Without doubt BT was the worst and that was before they started capping.

Go with Pipex, buy a wireless adsl router/modem for about ?40, then get a wireless usb card for about ?20 for your pc and a wireless bridge for you consoles (you could plug the bridge into a cheap ?10 hub if you need to connect PS2 and GC too)

set up will take 10 mins max with the above, you won't need your pc to be on as the router is basically another pc that will connect up to 254 things to your Broadband connection.

[gIzzE]

Forgot to say, if you buy a wireless router and cards that are the basic ones ie. 802.11b they will give you 11mbs transfer, seeing as your connection is only going to be between 1/2 meg and 4 meg max you will have no problem at all.
Anyway you may as well go for 54g though as it is just as cheap.

[Square]

If configured properly, there should be no drop in download/upload speed whatsoever. But there are so many variables to get right, and so far, I'm getting at best 50% speeds. Web downloads are just fine though.

[gIzzE]

Oh and the kazza thing, don't worry, I was on a private ftp last week and I pulled down singstar Party (have ordered it but couldn't wait as we had friends round on Friday night) and was getting an average of 240k/s. Don't know why as I only have a 1meg connection, but I wasn't complaining.
Most routers have a setting for poular apps so it opens the necessary ports and it is so easy to do anyway.

And why use Kazza etc. when you can download bit comet?
I get between 50-105k with bit torrents which is far better than Kazza.

[Square]

That's because 240k/s = 30K/s. You should be getting 128K/s with a 1 meg line

[icarus0]

Thanks again.

Don't know why I wanted to choose BT; must have been a moment of weakness when I was tempted by the free modem offer, which will probably turn out to be ****e anyway. Am now thinking about Pipex or a company called Broadsurf, both of which seem to be pretty good.

Have found a wireless USB adapter for about 20 quid which comes with a 1.5 extension cable to move it around for better reception. That along with a wireless router/modem from the same place and I should be in business.

[DjSatansfury]

I've just managed to pick up a Wireless ADSL Router for ?10 :P It's well good

[icarus0]

I've just managed to pick up a Wireless ADSL Router for ?10 :P It's well good

Where was that from? Cheapest I've seen is around 40 quid.