Markel

Well, I've been "commissioned" with setting up a wireless system for my sister-in-law who is living with my wife's parents. I don't have any experience with wireless hardware, but I'm eyeing a couple of reasonably priced D-Link router/card combos at Newegg:
First $34 shipped after rebate
Second $49 shipped after rebate
The goal is to allow my s-i-l to share the cable modem connection with in-law's computer. (With the layout of the house, trying to drop a network cable would be kind of hard.) My s-i-l's computer is a Toshiba laptop running Windows 98 (SE, I think). The signal will have to go through 3 walls (drywall).

One thing I think I've read is that WPA requires XP - if so the Win 98 system will limit security to WEP (I think). If the system can't be tied up as tight, I'm wondering if the lower powered of the above systems might be better (because the signal won't be reaching as far). I imagine that MAC filtering could be set up as well (although I've read that you can't trust on it for any real security).

Anyway, I'd appreciate any insights or thoughts that anyone might have.

__________________
stay low... keep moving...

brainsmile

Do you have a budget? I use the linksys wireless router with a booster and it works everywhere in my house which is rather large.

__________________
**********************************
DCM #1 (Founder)





"Nobody beats Vitus Gerulaitis 18 times in a row." - Vitus Gerulaitis on beating Jimmy Connors after 17 failed attempts.

Aristo

Markel,

I have DI-624 (the router from your second package) at home. It covers the entire 4000 sq-ft 2 floor house without any problem. It has the "extended range" feature. Not sure if it works but I just leave it on. The router is very reliable. Doesn't reboot itself and rarely lose connection (might due to my neighbor's 2.4ghz phone system. who knows?). I read somewhere on the net that you may modify DI-524 (the router from your first package) to be DI-624 but there is no guarantee on that. If money is no issue, go with your second package.

p.s. For WIFI laptop card's driver, google the latest Atheros driver. It's more updated than the D-Link one and Atheros is the chipset manufacturer for some D-Link products.

ramazank2

I only recommend linksys.

DarkFury

Personally, I stay as far away from D-Link products as possible.

However I do recommend Netgear and Linksys...

__________________


DarkFury's Pimptopia - Don't Hate the Playa, Hate the Game!
Home of the Original OG Pimp (accept NO imitations)

Houdini

I've had problems with LinkSys installs with DSL or cable, because the LinkSys router likes to be the gateway, not the modem. I've also had many friends return their LinkSys routers after having to reset the things so often, etc. I have a Belkin pre-N with the card (108 Mbps) and am pretty happy with it so far. Excellent range, good encryption, easy to install and use, and secure enough for me.

brainsmile

I have DSL and linksys... no problems

zero2dash

I recently made the mistake of buying a D-Link product...and I'd recommend that you learn from that mistake and never ever buy one yourself. Tell your friends and family too. I bought a DI-524 for $29 and after enabling the wireless signal, the router rebooted or locked up every half hour or so and would lose connection for minutes at a time - sometimes even needing to have to be hard reset.

I also do not recommend Netgear products because I've had many problems with Netgears also. Netgears are notorious for dropping their connection, and I can verify this problem. I had a wired Netgear router that worked fine for the first few months and then dropped my internet connection every 8-10 minutes and needed a hard reset to regain the connection.

***

I have had a wired Linksys for over 6 years, without 1 problem ever. I bought a wireless Linksys (WRT54G) to replace the D-Link I had bought, and so far, zero problems also.

As for WEP being secure or not secure - if all you plan on doing is WEP and that's it, then sure, WEP's not too secure. WEP will deter common network hoppers but if someone really wants to get on your network and all you have is WEP, then they're going to crack it.

I'm only using WEP because the Nintendo DS does not support WPA. (I do have 2 Windows XP machines, so I could use WPA if I wanted.) But in addition to a WEP key, I have also:
-renamed the SSID (most inexerienced users leave "default")
-disabled SSID broadcast (so my router isn't actively saying "hey, my network is right here")
-disabled DHCP (so an unauthorized machine won't be given an IP address by the router)
-assigned static IP addresses to every machine on my network (ditto above)
-enabled MAC filtering and entered the MAC address of every wireless device on my network (so unauthorized wireless devices can't connect; 2nd method of above security)
-changed the default router password (just in case but it's a smart thing to do regardless)

Basically if someone drove by my house with an XP machine and the Wireless Networks window open, my router would not broadcast that it is there and they won't just be able to click on it and 'connect'. A hacker could 'sniff' the air and find a wireless signal, so they'd know that a wireless network was nearby. But they still wouldn't have the SSID, an IP address that is useable, or an allowed MAC ID. If they spoofed one of my allowed wireless devices, they're still (AFAIK) missing the SSID and IP address. Basically, a long time before they would've gotten to this point (where I could be hacked after all), they probably went along and kept driving down the street, looking for another 'victim'.

WEP may not be as secure as WPA, but with all of those (easily set up) features in place...the likelihood is that most people (even a self-proclaimed 'wifi hacker') would screw around with trying to get on my network for a few minutes, and then they'd get tired of trying and they'd move on to the next house which most likely doesn't have any security at all.

If you want a good, very hard to crack WEP password, I suggest you grab one from this page: https://www.grc.com/passwords


I'd recommend a Linksys and a good WEP setup and you should be fine.

_=DeltaForce=_

THe Linksys WRT54G rings up as $30.99 at circuit city NO rebates nothing.. I think its a price mistake but its one of the best routers out there... The D-link DI624 and DI524 have some rebooting issues and they are instable.. The Netgear WGT624 has the same problem but the WGR614 is fine..

My vote is for the Linksys WRT54G

Kevster

I have both Netgear and Linksys and I have never had any problems. My netgear 108M wireless wouter covers my entire house well and penetrates 2 floors for me to use my systems in the garage, if need be. They work great for my DSL lines (I have two - one personal and one for work). It all depends on your DSL system, I think. Both of my lines have 'dumb' modems that do not act as gateways, allowing the routers to do their jobs well.

__________________
I think over again
My small adventures, my fears.
The small ones that seemed so big,
For all the vital things I had to get and to reach.

And yet there is only one great thing, the only thing:

To live to see the great day that dawns,
And the light that fills the world.

-old Inuit song

Maarchk

When or where was this? I see it listed as 49.99 on their website and on Bestbuy's website....
I am going to wait till tomorrow and see if Fry's new ad has something.. but i also need to pick one up.

__________________
"The girl is crafty like ice is cold."

"I left my heart in san francisco... And my liver at Moe's Tavern."

A real friend is one who listens to you as much as they talk to you.

_=DeltaForce=_

Last week at circuit city, it was $30.99. I think it was a price mistake of something. I ordered one online from staples for $50, Then because my ordered got backordered, I went to circuit city and bought it and it rang up as $30.99.

Markel

Well, based on the number of negative opinions, I decided to stay away from the D-Link stuff. I decided to try out the following: I have a Netgear 802.11b (MR814) router I had around (picked up for a good price after rebate), and I picked up a Linksys 802.11b notebook adapter (WPC11) at the TigerDirect store for $13. Hopefully this combo will work ok.

zero2dash

Any reason you went for 'b' over 'g' (ie 802.11b vs 802.11g)?
IME 'g' products cost the same as 'b' now and you get 5x the speed in transfering files...you might want to cancel those orders and get some other gear.

You don't necessarily need the 'G' "Speedbooster" products (which double speed up to 108 if you're using a boosted router with a boosted card)...those are definitely higher in price than standard b/g equipment. I'm just talking about standard 'g' gear.

Markel

1) I already had the 'b' router. 2) The 'b' laptop card was only $13. c) She won't be transferring files - just sharing a cable modem (with a max download speed of 6mpbs), so higher speed capabilities would be a waste.

I tried installing everything on Saturday. Unfortunately, her laptop has Windows 98 (first edition), so I can't get any drivers for the card to work. I think I'm going to see if I can scrounge up a 98 SE Upgrade on the cheap.

DarkFury

Can her laptop take XP... if so I'd go that route instead of 98SE.

98 was the sux... 98SE was marginally better.

zero2dash

I loved 98SE back in the day...98SE was (arguably) the most solid non-NT release of Windows available.

95, 95b, and ME on the other hand....ohhh the horror. I still have nightmares of the 2+ years when I started working for Kinkos when all of the computers were running 95b and how many dozen times a day we had to reboot.

DarkFury

I'll agree that it was better than it's predecessors and even ME... but honestly, it was far from being as good as what XP is now in comparison.

I got so used to the BSOD in 98SE, that it became part of the standard operation of the system.

Markel

I thought about XP, but I'm not sure if her hardware can really support it. Upgrading to 98 SE would be a simpler (and cheaper) solution at this point (if I can find it for a reasonable price). In the meantime, I think I'll plug in a PCMCIA ethernet adapter I have, plug the laptop into the router, and make sure that there aren't any free 98 updates that might help.

zero2dash

Oh, I wholeheartedly agree...I was huge on Win2k Pro for the longest time (even after XP first came out). Took me a few years for XP to grow on me (basically - ended up having problems with XP and none with 2k Pro...and found out after awhile that I had a garbage Maxtor HD and that the hard drive physically was the root of the problem). Now I love XP Pro...especially after all of the SP2 upgrades - very very solid OS. I'll say it again...Mac/Linux techies can badmouth XP or 2k for all their worth but the fact remains - (IME at least) if you put forth 10 minutes worth of effort (installing and updating an antivirus and a spyware scanner or two) - XP is rock solid. (IMO - behind a good/knowledgable computer user...an NT Windows is as stable and trouble-free as OSX or Linux.)

As for blue screens in 98SE...well at the time I was running several different eMachines computers and I almost wonder if those were too crappy to blue screen. Seriously, I have only seen a few blue screens with 98/98SE but that's just me; we all know how pesky the non-NT Windows family is.


Most likely it can - if she's got 256 megs of ram as a minimum, XP will run good. If she's got less than 256, I'd personally use 2k Pro because it's easier on a lower RAM spec'd system. The only real problem you may have with hardware not working is with dialup modems in 2k and that's not an issue here (obviously since she has broadband).

The problem with anything prior to 2k is that USB support is pretty scarce, which can affect other things (if she buys any new hardware at least, especially a digital camera, printer or scanner). XP would be a better bet because of the faster boot up and the updates post-SP2 (with critical system files), plus System Restore could be a godsend if her computer ever starts 'acting up'.

Do you have any specs you can throw out? Give us an idea of the rest of the computer and we'll be able to tell you a more definitive answer as to whether you'll have HW problems.

I've personally ran XP Pro rock solid on a P3 866 with 384 megs of PC133 ram; Microsoft says XP will run on a 133 Pentium with 64 megs of ram but...don't believe the hype. It may be possible, but for the sake of headaches due to everything taking forever to load...why on earth do such a thing???