Wireless Network Help Please!

[Lexvol]

The office space in the new house is not equipped with a cable outlet (I know..poor planning), and I need some wireless networking to surf the web. No gaming, or other uses. Most of my web time is shopping or spent on the Nation. The estimated distance from the outlet is probably 500 feet.

I don't need blazing speed, just a quality broadband connection. Suggestions please! Links are appreciated.

 

[milohimself]

You mean 50 feet?

 

[TuskALoosa]

Seriously, when did Lex move into Graceland?

 

[VOLatile]

Wireless router? Otherwise you could possibly just run 50 (or 500) feet of ethernet, that's cheaper depending on the distance anyways.

 

[Lexvol]

You mean 50 feet?

Thanks Milo. Don't know how the zero got there. Probably talking 50-75 feet.

 

[Lexvol]

Seriously, when did Lex move into Graceland?

:lolabove:

 

[Lexvol]

Wireless router? Otherwise you could possibly just run 50 (or 500) feet of ethernet, that's cheaper depending on the distance anyways.

Can't run the ethernet because of the house plan.

 

[milohimself]

50 foot ethernet cable should run you like 40 bucks.

If it's 50 feet, a wireless G setup should be effective. The portability is nice, if you have a laptop. Being able to post from the living room, wherever you want.

 

[VOLatile]

50 foot ethernet cable should run you like 40 bucks.

If it's 50 feet, a wireless G setup should be effective. The portability is nice, if you have a laptop. Being able to post from the living room, wherever you want.

Like me! k:

 

[Lexvol]

What is the verdict on the USB wireless G adapters? I hate connecting stuff to the MB.

 

[milohimself]

Thanks Milo. Don't know how the zero got there. Probably talking 50-75 feet.

75 feet? Wireless N network should work well...

I've always liked D-Link gear. Get a D-Link DIR-615 router, and a D-Link rangebooster USB adapter.

 

[milohimself]

What is the verdict on the USB wireless G adapters? I hate connecting stuff to the MB.

USB connections are fine.

It depends though, is it 50 or 75? That 25 feet would necessitate stepping up to a wireless N set up.

 

[Lexvol]

So the USB's are ok. What should the router and the adapter cost Milo? I assume the firewall is built in to the router.

 

[Lexvol]

USB connections are fine.

It depends though, is it 50 or 75? That 25 feet would necessitate stepping up to a wireless N set up.

I will measure tonight. The positive is that it is an open floor plan, so a bit of drywall is all the signal will need to penetrate.

 

[milohimself]

Yeah, wireless networks are of a pretty short wavelength, so material plays a fairly large factor.

 

[Lexvol]

Thanks for the help.

 

[VOLatile]

I've got about 30 feet between my wireless router and my room with 3 walls between. I get a pretty solid signal when my cable internet actually decides to work all the time.

 

[milohimself]

Yep. A G network is plenty effective for short distances, i.e. 15-30 feet. My computer is directly above the wireless router, about 12 feet away I suppose. I can only recall the connection going out once.

Wireless N has decent uses, though. Long distance being one. Much stronger connection. Much higher data transfer rate, so if you use any media servers in the house (I'm not talking about XBox 360 stuff, either, but actual big-boy media servers) works great for that. That's not to say it will make a broadband connection any faster, unless you're on like T3 or something.

 

[Freak]

I've never had very good luck with d-link. I've always used linksys routers and cards and have personally had a much better experience and better support (and firmware updates) than d-link.

 

[milohimself]

Linksys is a good brand as well.

 

[SmokeyVol]

I've had to send a lot of linksys equipment back due to failure. But thats my luck though.

 

[milohimself]

Yeah... Everybody has their own story about whichever wireless networking companies.

 

[rwemyss]

I just buy the cheap crap.

Hawking... Trendnet... etc.

Also please note that 802.11n doesn't exist yet. It hasn't been approved by IEEE.

Any equipment you buy now claiming to be "n" are "pre-n" or "draft-n" devices that may not be compatible with the final n standard, and in some cases may interfere with other wireless signals.

 

[milohimself]

Haven't seen any other interference from the N (pre-N?) gear, but good lookin' out, Wemus.

 

[rwemyss]

Haven't seen any other interference from the N (pre-N?) gear, but good lookin' out, Wemus.

It looks like Draft 2.0 just came out this year, and I would expect that MIMO cards that are based on that to be compatible with the future standard.

:good!:

Here's the wiki on draft-n stuff.

IEEE 802.11 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

...and the other one, which indicates possible interference.

802.11 non-standard equipment - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It has been reported, however, that these products can interfere with, and even disable, some current 802.11b and 802.11g wireless networks.[5] It is also uncertain whether products using draft versions of 802.11n will remain compatible with the finalized 802.11n standard.