Wireless Question...

locallyunscene

<div class="IPBDescription">what type of networking do I need?</div> Okay I have a bit of a dilemma. I just got an apt off campus this summer which is good. We haven't moved in yet but we're getting everything ready too. I'm planning on building a computer out of some parts lying around for entertainment purposes, specifically a computer that will act as a dvd player, 5.1 reciever. There are three of us each with a comp and this one would make four and ofcourse we are going to have broadband and setup a small network. The problem is that this computer will be far away from the other 3 and regardless if I just scrapped the idea one of the three will be in a seperate room so my problem ofcords running all over the place still exists to a lesser extent.

Therefore I've been looking at wireless networking, but I've heard conflicting things about the different companies so I'm not sure which do buy.

Also I'm debating the speed of the network I need, I could get 54Mbs cards and a router relatively cheap but that's cutting my network speed down quite a bit from 10/100 I'm used too.

SO basically I'm asking if, in other peoples opinions, is the 20$ extra per component worth it for the faster networking, and what company,(linksys, neargear, Dlink) they would recommend. Thanks.

Marik_Steele

The best wireless speeds you're going to get at the moment are only 802.11G, 54Mbps, end of story. Several brand-name companies claim that they use some form of "802.11 Super-G" or similarly named technology to boost speeds up to a theoretical 108, but firstly there's nothing that says this technology conforms to an industry standard that will work with equipment of other brands, and secondly it's more marketing <expletive> than real max speed values anyway.

Get a measuring tape and measure the full length you'd have to send a cat5 cable along the wall. Don't forget commonsense things that affect this measurement greatly, such as the ~12 feet it takes to go up the side of a doorframe, across the top, and back down to the floor along the other side rather than just ~1 meter along the floor causing a tripping risk. Once you get your full real measurement, look up how expensive that cable(s) would be, and compare it to the price difference between wireless vs. non-wireless routers/switches/hubs/etc. If you're so far away that wireless is cheaper than wired (and if said financial difference outweighs speed/signal strength reliability issues) then you have your answer.

raz0r

I'm going to be setting up a router so i can get internet on my other PC.
My internet connection is 2048/256 down/up.
Would it run just as well through a 54mbps wireless router?

[EDIT:]i forget which company to avoid like the plague, was it linksys?

Marik_Steele

<!--QuoteBegin-raz0r+Jun 29 2004, 03:42 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (raz0r @ Jun 29 2004, 03:42 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> I'm going to be setting up a router so i can get internet on my other PC.
My internet connection is 2048/256 down/up.
Would it run just as well through a 54mbps wireless router?

[EDIT:]i forget which company to avoid like the plague, was it linksys? <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
The only routers/switches I've had experience with for personal use were both made by Linksys. They may not be the best out there, but I can say they're not at all the worst; they're good enough I've never had to look elsewhere. Microsoft has by now stopped making networking equipment, but I seem to remember reading on <a href='http://www.hardocp.com' target='_blank'>[H]ardOCP</a> or <a href='http://www.slashdot.org' target='_blank'>/.</a> that they were quite good at it back when they <i>were</i> doing it.

If your internet connection is any sort of normal DSL or cable, you won't notice a difference between 10/100 wired or 54Mbps wireless to your router. The bottleneck is the broadband connection. You <i>will</i> notice a difference with wireless when you have signal strength problems from being too far out, and you will most <i>definitely</i> notice a difference when trying to send large quantities of data from one computer to another on the same network. This isn't usually applicable to LAN gaming, but if you're using one computer to back up the entire contents of another's hard drive before a reformat, you <i>will</i> want both to be wired.

Dorian_Gray

I haven't had any problems with the Linksys 802.11g stuff. With Linux, its a bit of a pain, but thats getting better. And yes, both 802.11b and 802.11g are plenty fast enough for all home broadband connections. The only real difference is in file transfer speed/streaming media, where G is far better. I've also found the range on G to be better, despite the fact that its the same frequency as B. As for your net connection specifically, even 11mbps 802.11b could handle it 5 times over.

Over distance, wired is still preferable, but in an apartment that shouldn't be a problem. I ended up threading 2 cat5 cables down to my office from my mom's office where the modem is simply because my office is a friggin bunker. I get no cell reception in here, no radio (barely get AM stations) and the walls are 6 inches of concrete. I ran them through my ceiling (its that nice removable stuff). I got okay wireless down here, but I have a server, so I didn't want to stick with it. For my comp however, I never had a problem with the G variety. Also, if you get a wireless card, it opens up possibilities for when your ISP is down. I use ADSL, and my neighbors use cable, so when my ISP is down I just connect to their network (which is unencrypted/default settings, despite me advising them to change that) and use their broadband. Very handy.

locallyunscene

Thanks for the help, I honestly wouldn't mind using cords but the system would be on the other side of the living room and since running cords under teh carpet are a nono, the ceiling this the only real choice and one of my roomates has nixed that. Still I should do some measuring and see how the prices compare, I've heard to stay away from neatgear and belkin, I'll probably go with linksys. They sell it at walmart where I get a discount but hopefully I can find it online for cheaper.

DOOManiac

I got a 54Mbsp Netgear, and I'm really wishing I had spent the $30 extra and gotten 108 instead. I highly recommend you do so.

Also, I recommend the Netgear wireless products over Linksys. My personal hatred of Linksys' crappy products aside, if you read reviews like on CNet the Netgear wireless products rated #1 almost all the time.

Talesin

Avoid Linksys. I work as a network technician, and they're NOTHING but problems. If there's trouble with an on-site LAN, the first thing we do is walk around and look to see if anyone plugged in a Linksys somewhere.

Go with a wired network. It's not hard to hide cables, and the cable itself isn't that expensive. Compare that to the loss of internal speed, as well as the possibility of someone cracking into your WLAN and taking over machines, infesting you with virii... it's really NOT worth it, given that there are automated WLAN search-and-lock programs out there, with password and encryption busters built in. All someone has to do is walk through your area of coverage with their laptop on and running the program.

As for the person with 2048/256... no, you'll come nowhere near 54Mbps. 2048kbps = 262144b/s. 54Mbps = 7077888b/s. You'd have to have about 27 of your modems running to come even close. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->

locallyunscene

good information, I'll just convince my friend to run the cable, so much cheaper becuase we all have 10/100 installed anyway and those routers are much cheaper, I'll probably go with netgear on that one if linksys is such a pain. we'll just have to buy some white cables,(the apt is white). I bet he'd prefer that over the 75$ for wireless card and chipping in on the router.

Talesin

Or just run it along the wall and (if you have wall to wall carpet) tug up the edge from the tackstrip and tuck it under. Cat5/5e/6 is easily the way to go. Especially if you ever end up with gigabit ethernet cards... which Fry's has in stock for $20 at the moment. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->

DOOManiac

Just to clarify my earlier post, I do wub my wireless network. It pwns. So awesome not having cables dragged through the house. If you can't knock holes in your walls and wire the room itself, wireless is the way to go.

Marik_Steele

If the length is anything more than 50 feet (some would say 25) it may be much cheaper to ignore the usual store-bought cables with plugs factory-placed on both ends, and instead get a spool of cat5, which are often sold in lengths of 100feet or more. For more information, you can go to <a href='http://www.lanparty.com/behindthescenes/cableguide/index.shtm' target='_blank'>LanParty.com's cable guide</a>, as well as their ever-popular <a href='http://www.lanparty.com/articles/CrossCable/CrossOverCable.jpg' target='_blank'>crossover cable guide</a> to know which colored wires go where when using a crimping tool.

Talesin

I'd assumed they were going with the spool and ends. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo--> It also makes things much easier when you just need a two-foot patch cable, or want to run a quick crossover from a laptop to grab a few files.

Type B is what we use at work... the color code is 'white/orange, orange, white/green, blue, white/blue, green, white/brown, brown'. Trim them and slip them into the RJ45 connector with the retaining tab DOWN. Though honestly, so long as both sides have the same code, the cables will work. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo--> The green-around-blue bit is just (apparently) to help maintain signal integrity over long runs.