(Another) Wireless internet question

Theres two ways of doing it:

1) the cheaper method. Buy two wireless cards (usually usb) and use them to connect the two machines. Enable internet connection sharing from the computer with internet access and the other machine should be able to connect to the net via the 1st machine. The catch is that the internet connected pc must be switched on in order that the other pc can connect to the internet

2) The more expensive option. Get a wireless router and connect your internet connection directly to it. You can coonect both PC's via wireless connections to the router or wire one to the router with an ethernet cable and still use wireless on the other pc. The advantage is that as the router controls the access, you can connect the 2nd computer without having the first one switched on.

You may find it difficult with a metal building as the range will be severley reduced, you may get it to work depending on range or you may need a booster for extra power. Make sure you use 802.11g as it has the best combination of range and speed.

You would then connect your usb modem to the router (Are you sure the modem doesnt have an ethernet port ?, its much quicker).

The router would have usually a 10/100 ethernet port as well a usb port. You could then connect your main pc to the router by either of these methods or by wireless.

Providing you change the access passwords from the defualt and enable any encryption, it will be as safe as you can make it.

I would suggest getting an ethernet/wireless router like a netgear dg834g (about £60). This has 4 ethernet ports, and multiple wireless ports. Forget about the usb modem, you are much safer using a router, as they have a built in hardware firewall, which will protect you from some of the nasties lurking on the internet.
Either connect both PC's with wireless, or one with ethernet, 1 with wireless (obviously you'll need a network card and a wireless card to do this)

There is another forum article about making wireless secure, but the gist of it is.

1. Change the router default admin password
2. Choose a SSID name that doesn't identify you, and disable broadcasting of the SSID, this will stop people accidentally connecting to your router, and will deter casual hackers.
3. You must use encryption, as this is the best thing to stop people piggy backing on your internet connection, and or snooping at files on your PC.. Enable WPA-PSK encryption (not WEP, it's crackable), and choose a strong 63 byte key (don't be tempted to use a short word or phrase) - see https://www.grc.com/password - it will automatically generate a strong random key for you,

e.g. q2c)J|G[/hRlz8T[Pv2K_zk}sRN+<Ie#<r^BL'_b9:L7G4]&dM.~8t)wX:cgf>6

copy and paste this into your router config screen, and your Windows wireless config screen.
4. Lock down the router so that it will only accept connections from your unique wireless MAC address, you can find this address by running ipconfig /all from a dos (start run cmd) or winipcfg
5. upgrade the router firmware from the manufacturers website. on a netgear you download a .img file, and use IE to browse to the file, and initiate the upgrade. There is a link to the site in the router config screen.
6. If you have a software firewall, E.g. Zonealarm, XP SP2 firewall, continue to use it, as it will provide outbound protection from rogue programs, whereas the netgear firewall will protect you from people outside getting in.

Hope that helps, it sounds complicated, but is all done from half a dozen router config screens using Internet explorer. There is no need to use the CD supplied with the router, just use IE.

Should take about 10 minutes.. if you are lucky.


On a netgear router, all this is achieved by attaching the router to your PC's network card with a rj45 cat5/6 cable, putting 192.168.0.1 in the internet explorer address bar, you will then get prompted for an admin password (user admin, pwd password)

if you have any problems getting the PC to talk to the router via the cable, try typing start run ipconfig /release, then ipconfig /renew.