Wireless network suggestions

[Futzelman]

I want to get my laptop hooked up on a wireless network.
At this time I have my desktop on a conventional network and I do not want to change that.

1) Is it OK to hook up the wireless router to the convemtional router for the laptop use

2) Any suggestions about the brand name that I should use or anything else I should know?

Thank a bunch,
Futzelman

[AllGamer]

Yes you can

and yes i do that too

and yes go for Linksys

www.linksys.com

[Nini-Veh]

Can you have both wired and wireless comps w linksys? It's a shame they don't sell linksys here in Europe. We have to settle for netgear or d-link (both good).

/Nini-Veh

[AllGamer]

yes you can have both together, or each on their own, and then you can CASCADE them


but i'm using the Linksys that does Wireless and Wire at the same time

that's easier than having 2 boxes

but of course if you can't get it in UK

then you'll have to get a Wireless to hook up to the Wired and have them Cascade(uplink)

[Midknyte]

i think you're confusing a wireless access point as a router. you can get a combination wireless access point and router, but they are not always 1 unit.

If you already have a router, get a Linksys WAP11 and attach it to your router.

[Futzelman]

Thanks for all the info but I am still confused with the terminology.

I Have the cable modem
From the cable modem I have a Router or whatever allows me to hook up two computers to the net

Now I want to use my laptop on a wireless network

To do that I thought I must buy a wireless ruter which hooks up to the other router I already got

Is there something like a fixed AND wireless router out there?

Thank you!
Futzelman

[Nini-Veh]

OK - 'Gamer, I have to ask - what do you mean by cascading?

/N

[AllGamer]

Cascading = Switch #1 + Switch #2, or Hub #1 + Swith #2

basically you are just adding an extension.

i don't know of an easier way to explain this

but it's just like when you hook up one power bar on another, and another and another

[Nini-Veh]

Got it!

[Midknyte]

A wireless access point and a router are 2 separate things. you can get a combination wap/router/switch if you like, but if you already have the router, you just need to add a linksys wap11.

I'm just guessing that you want 802.11b. 802.11a is faster, but it is also more expensive.

[colby52]

In regards to the Cascading, i have a linksys 8 port router and then a 4 port wireless router has been added for laptop wireless access.

when ever i connect the WR(wireless router) to the HR(hard router) i am not able to access internet and seeing the network.

am i missing something? is there something in the setup that i need to mark or set? i have tried the uplink port, WAN port and regular port from the WR to connect to the HR with all the same result.

Please help

[chachdogg]

It seems like you have 2 dhcp routers fighting with each other. Just disable the dhcp portion of the wireless router. You don't need it. Plug the wireless router into a regular network port with a regular cat 5 patch cable.

[Midknyte]

yep. dual dhcp servers are death if they are set to give out the same IPs.

you should disable routing on one of the routers completely. if not, then make sure the default gateway is set to the IP of the router that is connected directly to the cable/dsl modem.

[colby52]

i hooked up both routers and checked the setup. where is it that i disable the dhcp on one router and not the other. on the dhcp tab there is an enable/disable section and on the first tab there is an option to enable/disable the WR. how would i go about diabling the WR?

[Midknyte]

hmmm. they might both be using the same IP. what are the IPs of your routers? If anything, can you disconnect the non-wireless router and replace it with a regular switch? that would be the easiest.

you need to disable dhcp on one of the routers. leave WR enabled alone. you would also need to set the default gateway of the second router to the IP of the router connected to the broadband modem.

Like I said, it would be easier just to get a switch and swap out the non-wireless router.