Helping my Daughter with wireless-Ha Ha Ha

[Boomyal]

My fair daughter, who lives clear across this great nation, has DSL service. I assume that both she and her hubby have to access it by umbelical cord.

She wants to get a little Brother wireless Laser printer like I just got (they currently have no printer). Seems we could kill two birds with one stone here by getting her set up on wireless for their apartment.

Does DSL service require a specific kind of wireless router? I think G is still the universal type of signal. My daughter's laptop is later model and may do N or G but her hubby's is an older Compaq which probably only does G.

Anyway, any suggestions for a decent, affordable WR , that would work with a DSL modem, would be appreciated.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Helping my Daughter with wireless-Ha Ha Ha

No special router needed. All are backwards compatible. Just about any cheapie router will work just fine.

 

[scipper77]

Re: Helping my Daughter with wireless-Ha Ha Ha

pretty much any wireless router will work with the DSL. If your daughter has wireless n then you can get a router that supports it but... for most users you will never need anything faster than wireless g. I say this because most internet connections are slower than the wireless g router. If she is setting up a more complete network where she will be transferring large amounts of data between computers on the network then she will benefit from the speed of the wireless n.

I personally would get a wireless n just to avoid the possibility of having to buy another router later. A wireless n should also support the wireless g standard. As far as set up is concerned it should be pretty much plug and play. Just plug in the network cable from the Modem to the router and you are in business. Setting up the router for security and what not is why there are instructions.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Helping my Daughter with wireless-Ha Ha Ha

All good to hear. Are there preferred brands of WR's? There seems to be a wide range of prices. The Belkin I just set up for printing was something that my son had left at the house so I have not had to go out and buy one.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Helping my Daughter with wireless-Ha Ha Ha

If you read the reviews of wireless routers, you will find that they are all great and that they are all garbage

Netgear and Linksys are usually good but I still seem to kill one about every couple years. You really only need the most basic one so get on Newegg or Tigerdirect and buy whatever's cheap that isn't horribly reviewed.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Helping my Daughter with wireless-Ha Ha Ha

As my daughter describes it, they just have a cable that is run into their apartment and it's length is apparenty restricted. It appears they do not even have a modem in their unit. She and her Hubby have to take turns attaching to that cable. She really doesn't know what the nature of the service is.

Here is a link to the provider. It might shed some light on what they have and if there would be any problem hooking a WR to their wire. I think they have the low end ($25.00) service.

http://www.hometownutilicom.org/Services/internet.html

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Helping my Daughter with wireless-Ha Ha Ha

My last netgear wireless B lasted 10 years and is still working, I replaced it with a Belkin N 150 and bridged the B so we have an access point for guests without accessing our secured N system, I picked up the Belkin at Wal Mart for $29.00 it seems to be a great little router, if you do some searching on Ebay, you can find some great deals on wireless routers.

As far as their connection, any router will work on it, just need to run the cable from the DSL modem to the in on the Wireless router and run the setup program on one of the computers, then choose your security set up, took about 5 minutes to set my new one a few weeks ago..

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Helping my Daughter with wireless-Ha Ha Ha

Thanks MT, I just called my Daughter's provider. They said, no problem using a WR. They did recommend a Netgear N router but I suppose any would work.

Their system is a dedicated (in ground) fiber optics system that this company, Utilicom, has strung throughout the town. They indeed do not need a modem for it.

 

[hostage]

Re: Helping my Daughter with wireless-Ha Ha Ha

Layman's: A router is a way to share the internet connection with many people. You can also have a wireless unit integrated into the router, which allows people to connect to the router wireless. The different 802.11B, G, N, etc. are different standards of speed, just like a data phone plan 4G > 3G and N > G/B. The wireless router and computer "should" be backward compatible. Though if the router is a 802.11N router and her laptop only has 802.11G, she will be restricted by the slower of the speed of G.

Did your daughter say it was a cable like "cable TV" (coaxial), like a phone jack or wider than a normal phone jack?

To me it sounds like they have a network cable (wider than a normal phone jack) aka RJ-45 connector that goes directly into your computer network card that allows you to access the internet. If this is the case, then all you do is plug in a wireless router and follow the easy to follow instructions. When they run into issues, call tech support.

 

[hostage]

Re: Helping my Daughter with wireless-Ha Ha Ha

Thanks MT, I just called my Daughter's provider. They said, no problem using a WR. They did recommend a Netgear N router but I suppose any would work.

Their system is a dedicated (in ground) fiber optics system that this company, Utilicom, has strung throughout the town. They indeed do not need a modem for it.

Guess I need to type faster next time, just get a router, anyone should work. I prefer Linksys over Netgear. Good luck!

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Helping my Daughter with wireless-Ha Ha Ha

Guess I need to type faster next time, just get a router, anyone should work. I prefer Linksys over Netgear. Good luck!

Thanks Hostage. Wally World has a Belkin N router for $25. I think I will tell my daughter to pick up one of those for starters.

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Helping my Daughter with wireless-Ha Ha Ha

Our DSL system comes into the house on the smaller RJ-11 standard telephone line, then we use RJ-45 to hook up the routers and such..no cable system available where I live...so it is RJ-11 into the DSL modem, then a RJ-45 from the DSL modem to the router..

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Helping my Daughter with wireless-Ha Ha Ha

Thanks Hostage. Wally World has a Belkin N router for $25. I think I will tell my daughter to pick up one of those for starters.

If it is the Belkin Connect N150, then it is the same one I just installed a couple of weeks ago and it works just fine, my N card in my laptop is a 300, but only runs at 150 on this router, and my wife's computer still has a 54 which is G speed and everything has been working just fine, like I said it took all of about 5 minutes to set up.

 

[j_martin]

Re: Helping my Daughter with wireless-Ha Ha Ha

If it plugs into the computer, then it's a network (rj45) cable. Just plug it into a router and go from there. The router will get it's address from the system, and assign a different range to the computers. It's all plug and play. Be sure you set up the wireless secure, or you'll be supplying internet to the hoods in the street. About all you'll need to do with the laptops and printer is configure the password for the secure wireless.

 

[korygrandy]

Re: Helping my Daughter with wireless-Ha Ha Ha

Boomyal, anymore of this router shenanegans and you might start getting recruited for IT networking jobs. I love a person that is willing to learn though and it appears you've tackled the issue full force.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Helping my Daughter with wireless-Ha Ha Ha

Boomyal, anymore of this router shenanegans and you might start getting recruited for IT networking jobs. I love a person that is willing to learn though and it appears you've tackled the issue full force.

I have been tenacious KG but I am slow to pick some of these computer things up. Every one has his strengths but the only thing that has kept me in the game is my stick-to-it-ive-ness and a lot of persistant advice from the good folks on this forum.

Ever since I jumped into the computer arena back in '92, I've recognized that I have to hear 10 things and one will stick. Over the years those ones have added up (my family thinks I am a genius) BUT it seems that those lots of 10 keep on multiplying.

But on the Router business, I now feel confident enough to help my Daughter (2800 miles away) to set up a wireless system for their apartment and to get them set up with a wireless printer.

I know this stuff is not rocket science but when I read most manuals, it might as well be.

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Helping my Daughter with wireless-Ha Ha Ha

We don need no stinking manual!

:facepalm: