[Leica] Wireless Network?

[applemac97 at yahoo.com (Muhammad Chishty)]

Hi Tina!

I set up a wireless network in my house a couple of
years ago.  It was quite easy, even for a non-techie
person like me!

First you need to buy a wireless router.  This will
come between your cable modem and your desktop
computer.  Here's an example of a popular wireless
router:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00007KDVI/104-6730924-7998331?v=glance

You will connect the router to your cable modem with
an ethernet cable.  A similar cable is used to connect
the router to your desktop PC.  The router has 4
ports, so you can simultaneously connect 4 PCs or MACs
to the router with ethernet cables and have everyone
accessing the internet at the same time!  Unless all
the computers are in the same room, you will have to
buy a lot of cables!

For the other computers in your house, if they are in
different rooms, you will have to buy separate
wireless adapters or cards for each PC.  For notebook
computers, you will have to buy something like this:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00007KDVK/ref=pd_sbs_e_2/104-6730924-7998331?v=glance&s=electronics

You do get a discount if you buy both items at the
same time from Amazon.com.

For desktop PCs, you can get something like this:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00009X6PH/ref=pd_sbs_e_4/104-6730924-7998331?v=glance&s=electronics

This will work if you have a USB port on the PC.  A
better and faster option would be install a wireless
adapter in an empty PCI slot in your desktop computer
(in the other room).  You will have to get inside the
computer and gently but firmly slide the adapter into
the PCI slot.  Here's one such adapter:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0001D3K3A/ref=pd_sxp_elt_l1/104-6730924-7998331

These are usually faster than the USB adapters.  All
routers and adapters will come with software that you
will have to install.  I have at home 2 Windows XP
laptops, one Windows 98 desktop, and an old Apple
PowerPC 6500/300 running OS9.1.  All are connected
wirelessly to my Linksys router that is connected to a
SBC DSL modem.  The wireless network uses 128-bit
encryption and passwords and MAC ids to keep prowlers
out.  

For the Mac, I used a Netgear Powerline  adapter
because it was more convenient.  This can be used with
PCs also.  This device uses your house's electric
wiring to set up a network.  You will have to buy one
such device for each computer and then for connection
to the router.  Here's what I bought:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0002IHP58/qid=1106780324/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1_etk-electronics/104-6730924-7998331?v=glance&s=electronics&n=172282

I read and followed the instructions that came with
the various devices.  So far everything has worked
perfectly for about 2 years!  The setup may look
complicated, but it really is not that hard to
install.  Good luck with your system at home.

Regards,

Muhammad



=====
Muhammad R. K. Chishty, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Finance
Graham School of Management
Saint Xavier University
3700 West 103rd Street
Chicago, IL 60655, U.S.A.
Phone:(773)298-3618|Fax:(773)298-3610