🚀 go-pugleaf

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).

> 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.)

What you already have is all you need to do that.

> If so, could you point me to a good detailed set
> of instructions for setting the thing up, please?

You just need to configure the laptop to access the router wirelessly.

> They would need to be very simple and specific step by step
> for me to have any chance of doing the job successfully!

The router manual covers it fine.

You do need to secure the wireless link, use WPA
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wi-Fi_Protected_Access
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/learnmore/bowman_05february10.mspx

> (I'm pretty well wholly ignorant when it comes to networking
> principles and practices, much less the wireless types!)

There's nothing very special about it except securing it using WPA.