🚀 go-pugleaf

Ben Myers wrote:
> Phred wrote:
>> In article 
>> <60278c9f-3997-4220-a62b-30b53b0f5001@v35g2000prg.googlegroups.com>, 
>> "William R. Walsh" <wm_walsh@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>> You unwittingly hit my question right on the head. I'm (finally)
>>>> going wireless and deciding whether to buy a PCI adapter
>>>> or a USB adapter.
>>> The PCI adapter is likely to work better--every USB Wi-Fi adapter I've
>>> tried had the same problem: it wanted more power than the USB port
>>> could reliably provide.
>>>
>>> USB Wi-Fi adapters do have an edge in that you can position them away
>>> from the computer (and a metal case being nearby does make a
>>> difference) to obtain more reliable operation. A PCI card would need
>>> an external antenna if it does not perform reliably with the built in
>>> one that is near the computer case.
>>>
>>> Actually, I came to the conclusion that I wouldn't even bother with
>>> either one a while ago. I've been using wireless access points in what
>>> is known as client bridge mode. They connect to the computer's built
>>> in Ethernet hardware and can then be configured to join a pre-existing
>>> wireless network. These have the advantage of working anywhere there
>>> is Ethernet connectivity, providing multiple ports (most routers and
>>> access points have four wired ports), needing no special driver
>>> support, and providing a constant link to the network (most Wi-Fi
>>> cards only work when someone is logged in to the system).
>>
>> G'day William,
>>
>> I've got a 4-port ADSL router (Thomson SpeedTouch 510) connected to a 
>> Dell 4100 running Windows ME.  The router is connected to the PC 
>> through an SMC black box that converts the connection to USB.  This 
>> setup has worked well (as well as WinME allows :) for years.
>>
>> I also have occasional use of a Dell 1300 laptop running Win XP Home.  
>> It has built-in wireless connectivity.
>>
>> Okay...  Would one of these "wireless access points" that you mention 
>> enable me to configure a network so that both PCs can access the same 
>> Internet connection?  (Not necessarily simultaneously.)
>>
>> If so, could you point me to a good detailed set of instructions for 
>> setting the thing up, please?  They would need to be very simple and 
>> specific step by step for me to have any chance of doing the job 
>> successfully!  (I'm pretty well wholly ignorant when it comes to 
>> networking principles and practices, much less the wireless types!)
>>
>> TIA for any help you (and any others) can provide.
>>
>> Cheers, Phred.
>>
> 
> 
> Phred,
> 
> Connecting a computer to the internet (and router) via its USB port, 
> even with some sort of converter box, effectively isolates it from other 
> computers in the network.
> 
> Get yourself a now-inexpensive PCI Ethernet card for the Dimension 4100, 
> configure the drivers, and connect it to one of the Ethernet ports on 
> the router.  Once you have done that, the Dimension 4100 and the laptop 
> can communicate with one another, as long as some short of sharing is 
> enabled in the operating system of one or both.
> 
> No need to replace the ADSL router... Ben Myers

I forgot to mention: I prefer Intel 10/100 PCI Ethernet cards, because 
they have drivers for Win 98 and onward, and because they have 
comprehensive diagnostics.  Another PCI Ethernet card may serve just as 
well... Ben Myers