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| Thread ID: 50611 | 2004-10-26 07:44:00 | Networking desktop and laptop | Misty (368) | Press F1 |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 284860 | 2004-10-26 07:44:00 | Going to get a laptop sometime in reasonable foreseeable future (probably 2/3 mths to work out what we need at my glacial pace). I have two questions would really appreciate some response to - (1) Is it reasonably easy for someone like me, a struggler, to network a desktop (AMD 900 Athlon, with Windows ME) to a laptop ? Laptop would be XP and a celeron chip would probably handle what we would need. (2) Would it be best to link the two wirelessly (is there such a word !) ? - given that our connection with the internet is standard ie through the phone wires. The desktop would be downstairs and the laptop upstairs. Misty |
Misty (368) | ||
| 284861 | 2004-10-26 07:55:00 | It shouldnt matter what the speed of each PC is when networking. I spose it depends how far the desktop and laptop are on how u want to network the 2 together. You can get wireless cards (A PCI for the desktop), and most probably a PCIMIA card (whatever its called), and hopefully getting them to communicate with each other. You may need an access point/router as well to boost the signal (thats what an access point is for, isnt it)? If the distance isnt that long between the 2. if you're happy with connecting an ethernet cable between the 2. That'll work quite happily. |
Spacemannz (808) | ||
| 284862 | 2004-10-26 08:22:00 | Thanks Spacemannz As I said one would be upstairs (the laptop) and the desktop upstairs. The distance would not be great but we would not like to be constrained to sitting in one particular seat, so it would mean the cable reaching a variety of points. How thick a cable would it be ? About the same as to my ethernet router ? You mention an access point/router. Would the ethernet router qualify for this please ? Misty |
Misty (368) | ||
| 284863 | 2004-10-26 08:31:00 | Hmm not too sure about the ethernet router. It may or may not be different to a wireless access point/router (the wireless router may have ethernet on it somewhere). I dont use either. I just use an ethernet hub between 2 PC's. You could check out www.dse.co.nz do a search for access point Or actually visit a computer shop that sells BOTH to see if theyre different from each other. Well an ethernet cale isnt that thick (if thats what youre talking about). For wireless there wouldnt be a cable (only one going from the main PC's wireless card, to the access point / router. And if the signal is good enough, it should reach the pc upstairs. If both are configured properly, the wireless networking should be pretty strong/good. |
Spacemannz (808) | ||
| 284864 | 2004-10-26 08:54:00 | Whats the budget less than $100, less than $300, or sky is the limit | Rob99 (151) | ||
| 284865 | 2004-10-26 08:55:00 | You can either use a hardware access point or save some money & setup the desktop with suitable Internet sharing software and use it as a software access point. | 45South (4769) | ||
| 284866 | 2004-10-27 04:02:00 | Hi Rob99 Sorry, meant to mention that I am thinking of spending no more than $2000 on the laptop. Misty |
Misty (368) | ||
| 284867 | 2004-10-27 04:16:00 | Misty, I think Rob was referring to your networking gear rather than the laptop. ;-) Going wireless would be more expensive than using cables which is probably why Rob asked whether you are on a budget or not. |
Susan B (19) | ||
| 284868 | 2004-10-28 03:37:00 | Thanks Susan I had no specific budget - the idea of wireless is very appealing. However I would probably start blinking rapidly if the cost exceeded $300. I do not have my Scots heritage for nothing !! :D Misty |
Misty (368) | ||
| 284869 | 2004-10-28 03:55:00 | Can you provide the model number of your DSL router? Depending your existing hardware this can be cheap or expensive . If the router connects directly to your existing desktop via ethernet then this shouldnt be too hard . Irrelivant of how you decide to design the network you'll need a PCIMIA wifi card, unless your new laptop has built in wifi (unlikely for a $2000 celeron lappie) . These can be picked up for $60 at DSE or your favourite PC shop . If the router plugs directly into the PC via ethernet then your probably going to need a cheap switch . Prices generally start from around $30+ for a cheap 5port, which would be more than suffecient . The router would then plug into the switch and then run another cable from the switch to the desktop . Then buy a AP so that the laptop can connect wirelessly, this then plugs into the switch . The router would share the internet connection and AP would provide wireless connectivity for the network . Depending on what switch and AP you buy it might be cheaper to consider something like the Linskys WRT54G, its a switch/AP/router combined into one . Dont let the term router confuse you, if youve got DSL at the moment with a "router", then what you call a router is actually a "router+ADSL modem" . THe WRT54G isn't able to connect to the internet directly, but it can share a internet connection that is provided by ethernet . For example your current router could plug into the WRT54G to provide the internet connection and the WRT54G would share the conenction over the network . what you have at the moment: DSL Modem > Router > PC what your ideally want: DSL Modem > Router > Switch > PC/AP > Laptop |
Pete O'Neil (250) | ||
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