Computer question

[Tdog]

A friend of mine who is lucky enough to have cable [Charter] & gets internet access that way asked me a question. He does not have home network, just access on his desktop. He asked if his cable connection could go directly to a router for his home, rather than his desktop. He wants to toss the desktop & just use his laptop around the house. I told him i thought that would work, but did not know for sure.

Can anyone shed some light?

thanks,

Jack

 

[Tony_S]

Hi Jack,
Yep, you are right. A pretty standard configuration is a router with wireless capability as well as ports for cat5 cable connections to a computer, printer, etc.
Just plug the output from the cable modem into the router instead of going straight into the computer. Laptops will be able pick up the wirelss signal at a distance which can vary greatly dpending on a multitude of factors.
Also, there are some cable modems out there that already have a router built in. Your friend might want to check to make sure he's not buying redundant equipment.
Typical router.

 

[Soundguy]

ditto that.

my dsl modem is also a router and wireless access point.

my buddy on comcast cable has the same deal.. tnc, WAP, and router.. etc.


soundguy

 

[RoyJackson]

Tony described it perfectly...and I'll add a bit of advice: Security.
There are different security protocols...use one of them (rather then try to describe it here, read the router's documentation) and use a good password (mine is about 40 characters) and write it down in case you need it at some point!

Most laptops have wireless built in...not so with most PCs. You'll need a wireless card for them. You'll need to enter that password on any computers accessing your network.

 

[massey990]

A friend of mine who is lucky enough to have cable [Charter] & gets internet access that way asked me a question. He does not have home network, just access on his desktop. He asked if his cable connection could go directly to a router for his home, rather than his desktop. He wants to toss the desktop & just use his laptop around the house. I told him i thought that would work, but did not know for sure.

Can anyone shed some light?

thanks,

Jack

As long as the router has wireless capability yes.

If his (cable) modem has integrated NAT/DHCP (router capability) which most do, all he needs is a "wireless access point" which just about any wireless router is capable of.

If the cable modem DHCP is enabled be sure to disable the DHCP on the wireless router/access point.

NAT= Network address translator

DHCP= Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol

The latter allows the router/modem to assign each node (computer/device) a unique IP address
The former allows the router/modem to treat each node (computer) independently

 

[orezok]

If you are setting up security on the router, use WEP or WEP2 and not WPA. WPA can be broken in a matter of minutes with the proper program (readily available on the internet).

 

[65fl]

If you are setting up security on the router, use WEP or WEP2 and not WPA. WPA can be broken in a matter of minutes with the proper program (readily available on the internet).

You have that backwards. In general WPA2 should be your first choice for best security, WPA should be second choice. WEP should not be used if you care about security.

 

[drssg]

I'll just add that some internet service providers have an in-house wireless option for their service. This means they provide equipment, support, and a monthly fee for your wireless connectivity. If it stops working, you call the cable company, and they figure it out.

The cheaper option is to get your own wireless router, but you are on your own to get it setup and secure. And they can be persnickety at times.

If you are having any internet issues, you need to revert back to plugging a single computer directly into the cable modem before calling for support. Otherwise, they will just assume it's a problem with your router.

So I think the best option depends on your ratio of money, patience, and free time.

 

[orezok]

You have that backwards. In general WPA2 should be your first choice for best security, WPA should be second choice. WEP should not be used if you care about security.

Of course, that's what I meant. Just a little brain fade.