Wired V Wireless Broadband

Cindy

My mother-in-law has inherited our old computer and she would like it connected to Broadband. It is in a room which does not have a phone socket in it and the computer is pretty old (it is running Win ME or 98 cant remember which). Can anyone advise on the best course of action? BT suggested she get wireless broadband as router is less expensive than new socket but doesn't the computer need to be wireless enabled for this?

Toxteth_OGrady

Yes it does - you would have to add a wireless card or dongle to the pc.

Or take a look at the HomePlug thread.

:cool:

TOG

johnrp007

Yes it does. Would it be possible to simply run a telephone extension lead?

Mark_LJ

Ii would need a wireless access point (wireless/router/adsl modem combined) and either a PCI card or USB device on the computer themselves. I'm not sure about the USB ones but just set up my nephew with a similar arrangement - The family had a 3com wireless access point upstairs and I added a belkin PCI card to his PC downstairs. It works flawlessly through a couple of thick walls (at the end of the day the wireless link only needs to be as fast as your broadband connection). Most places e.g. Amazon, PC World do bundles with the router and USB/PCI card thrown in so everything is one make. Something like this might do the trick

CheeseOnToast

Hi Cindy,

You won't neccesarily need a socket installed - I just bought a nice long cable for my USB Broadband modem and ran it downstairs to the socket? If you understand what I mean?

If you did go wireless and you acquired a router, all you would need to enable your PC to go wireless is a cheap wireless LAN card obtainable from ebuyer for less than a tenner (dont forget a couple of quid for postage though) -

http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/index.html?rb=15379524336&action=c2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X292ZXJ2aWV3&product_uid=52909

Sorry meant to say that's if the PC will take that type of card..

In all honesty I would just nip to your local PC shop (LOCAL not pcworld type) they will give you metres worth of cable for a couple of pounds

ffym

I would have thought that an extension telephone socket would be cheaper than buying and setting up a wireless link. It really depends on the house and it's layout, can you easily get a telephone socket into the room that has the PC? BT will charge you a fortune to do this, can you do it yourself?
Wifi really scores when you have more than one computer or you want a mobile connection eg off a laptop or you cannot easily connect to a fixed line.
To use wireless your PC will need a Wireless network card or an external device.
However most cheap Broadband "modems" (like the ones supplied by the broadband companies) use a USB connection, if, as you say, the machine is old does it have USB connections?
If the machine has USB and you can get a telephone cable into the same room then you shouldn't need wireless. If you do need wireless then you have a lot to learn! Start reading the many threads here!!
Good Luck.

tigermatt

I would go for the Extension unless it would be a safety risk on stairs etc.

If you don't go for the extension, then get a wireless router and connect it downstairs and then use a USB Adapter (easiest option) to pick up the signal on the PC. I recommend Netgear kit and you can get it all from eBuyer.co.uk.

You would need a router, I recommend Netgear DG834G, then you need a USB Adapter for the Wireless Connection, I recommend Netgear WG111 http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/index.html?rb=15381101273&action=c2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X292ZXJ2aWV3&product_uid=60014 Note: eBuyer have cheaper USB adapters of their own but I wouldn't recommend these for a Win98 PC because the drivers aren't very good and the config tool is useless. The Netgear one has a user-friendly config tool for configuration of network etc.

Obviously extension is cheaper, but router is a more permanent fix, looks neater and is a better option.

Cindy

Thanks for all the advice. I think we will go for the extension option.

kowalski_2

Windows 98 /ME will not support wireless.

tigermatt

kowalski wrote:

Windows 98 /ME will not support wireless.

It will support wireless but you need to get an adapter that has Windows 98/ME drivers and configuration utility. Yes, it doesn'thave built-in support like XP SP2, but you can get it to support wireless because I have done it before with Netgear kit.

albertross_2

Tiger is correct, WPA encryption support (as opposed to WEP) is the only potential problem area, but Mcafee has a free product that may fix that issue, provided that you get a Network card on it's supported list.

http://www.wirelesssecuritycorp.com/wsc/public/WPAAssistant.do

WEP or no encryption will work on 98/ME, assuming that those O/S's are listed on the Wireless card's box..