[iOliverC]

Hi,

I'm pretty competent when it comes to setting up DSL modems and such for one computer, but now I have 2, let me go into more detail:

One computer is a Mac (PowerBook 1 GHz, which has an Airport card), and a PC (Which doesn't have a wireless card, and runs XP). One is upstairs, and is connected to the internet via a DSL modem (Solwise SAR 110) connected into a separate phone socket upstairs. The one downstairs (PC) is connected via a USB modem directly into the phone socket.

Ideally, I would like to share the internet connection of the one upstairs with the one downstairs, right now I have to disconnect upstairs to use downstairs. The concept of sharing is something I can't get my head around, if the computer is on downstairs, would 50/50 of the connection be shared between both computers? And if the one downstairs is off, would the one upstairs have 100% of the connection?

Now, the thing I can't also get my head around is the type of hardware I'd need for this type of network. I'd like to not spend too much money (thus not buy Apple ), but would like something that will work in the Airport card in my PowerBook (which is not Extreme).

Also, I can't get my head around the sort of layout needed, here is what I think I'd need in my head:

One main router connected into the upstairs phone socket, one wireless base station connected to the router. And then configure the router for the internet connection and connect both computers to the network. I'm not sure how far I am off here, but I apologise for wasting your time if I'm way off .

Also, what hardware can people recommend that works with both OS X and Windows, that are also somewhat cheap.

Thanks,
Oliver

[John Strung]

The setup is DSL modem to Wireless Router. One computer hardwired to the router by ethernet, the other remote computer connecting using the Airport card. Virtually any 802.11b or 802.11g router will work with the Airport card.

[Krusty]

Originally posted by John Strung:
The setup is DSL modem to Wireless Router. One computer hardwired to the router by ethernet, the other remote computer connecting using the Airport card. Virtually any 802.11b or 802.11g router will work with the Airport card.

^^ What he said.

The only trick is that you'll need to turn off the DHCP server on the wireless router and let the wired router act as DHCP server for the whole network. Also, you may as well buy a full blown wireless router rather than just an access point. In the weird world of supply and demand, full blown wireless routers are often less expensive than an access point even though they provide greater functionality and, usually, a few landline ports to boot.

I have a 4-port netgear wired router serving to 3 devices, the 4th port goes to to a wireless netgear router which serves to 1 wireless laptop and has another device off one of its ethernet ports. No problemo .. the wired router manages all devices on both routers and they are all on the same subnet.

Originally posted by iOliverC:

The concept of sharing is something I can't get my head around, if the computer is on downstairs, would 50/50 of the connection be shared between both computers? And if the one downstairs is off, would the one upstairs have 100% of the connection?

The main concept that you need to get your head around is that 100% of the connection is to the router that is connected to the DSL modem. The router then distributes bandwidth based on the requests from devices downstream. If there is only one downstream device, it will always get 100% of the connection. HOWEVER, if there are two devices, that doesn't necessarily mean the connection is split 50/50. It is split Dynamically (hence the D in DHCP - Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol). This is a great arrangement .. if two devices are connected at once, each device can get UP TO 100% of the bandwidth if necessary and available. There are often 3 to 4 Active devices running on my network at once (my roommates PS 2, my Mac, my old Mac being used as as server + internet radio for my roomie playing the PS 2, and my neighbor using his wireless laptop). The packet routing performed by the router actually makes it seem like we all have 100% (or nearly 100%) of the connection. Its not as if the router says "hey, there are 4 connected devices .. each one gets 25% bandwidth. It fulfills each request as quickly as it can ... which often means that one device (the particular device making a request at that particular moment) will get all (or most all) of the bandwidth at that particular moment. The router is simply sending and receiving data from the DSL connection as if all data sent and received were from a single device and automatically keeps track of how to route requests/responses from the devices connected to it.

To be more technically accurate, we should replaced the word "bandwidth" with "packets". Just because you have, say, a 1.5mbps connection, that doesn't mean that there is constantly 1.5mbps of data flowing to you. There is only data flowing when a request gets made and filled. With only 2 devices on your network, it'll probably feel like that both have the full connection speed unless you are doing big downloads on both machines simultaneously.

[iOliverC]

Originally posted by Krusty:
^^ What he said.

The only trick is that you'll need to turn off the DHCP server on the wireless router and let the wired router act as DHCP server for the whole network. Also, you may as well buy a full blown wireless router rather than just an access point. In the weird world of supply and demand, full blown wireless routers are often less expensive than an access point even though they provide greater functionality and, usually, a few landline ports to boot.

I have a 4-port netgear wired router serving to 3 devices, the 4th port goes to to a wireless netgear router which serves to 1 wireless laptop and has another device off one of its ethernet ports. No problemo .. the wired router manages all devices on both routers and they are all on the same subnet.


The main concept that you need to get your head around is that 100% of the connection is to the router that is connected to the DSL modem. The router then distributes bandwidth based on the requests from devices downstream. If there is only one downstream device, it will always get 100% of the connection. HOWEVER, if there are two devices, that doesn't necessarily mean the connection is split 50/50. It is split Dynamically (hence the D in DHCP - Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol). This is a great arrangement .. if two devices are connected at once, each device can get UP TO 100% of the bandwidth if necessary and available. There are often 3 to 4 Active devices running on my network at once (my roommates PS 2, my Mac, my old Mac being used as as server + internet radio for my roomie playing the PS 2, and my neighbor using his wireless laptop). The packet routing performed by the router actually makes it seem like we all have 100% (or nearly 100%) of the connection. Its not as if the router says "hey, there are 4 connected devices .. each one gets 25% bandwidth. It fulfills each request as quickly as it can ... which often means that one device (the particular device making a request at that particular moment) will get all (or most all) of the bandwidth at that particular moment. The router is simply sending and receiving data from the DSL connection as if all data sent and received were from a single device and automatically keeps track of how to route requests/responses from the devices connected to it.

To be more technically accurate, we should replaced the word "bandwidth" with "packets". Just because you have, say, a 1.5mbps connection, that doesn't mean that there is constantly 1.5mbps of data flowing to you. There is only data flowing when a request gets made and filled. With only 2 devices on your network, it'll probably feel like that both have the full connection speed unless you are doing big downloads on both machines simultaneously.

Thanks you guys, I totally get it. Now comes the fun time of buying and installing

Thanks again,
Oliver

[Parky]

Another option :-

Turn on Airport Basestation software on the PowerBook - System Preferences - Sharing (Internet Tab) - Set it to Share your connection from ETHERNET to Computers using AIRPORT.

Then install a wireless card in you machine downstairs, you should then be able to join the wireless network and use the internet.

Ian

[aaanorton]

Originally posted by Parky:
Another option :-

Turn on Airport Basestation software on the PowerBook - System Preferences - Sharing (Internet Tab) - Set it to Share your connection from ETHERNET to Computers using AIRPORT.

Then install a wireless card in you machine downstairs, you should then be able to join the wireless network and use the internet.

Ian

You are MUCH better off with a router.

[Parky]

Originally posted by aaanorton:
You are MUCH better off with a router.

It was just another option, that's all.

It worked for me for many months with no issues.

Ian