[jchen]

My dad has been interested in setting up some type of wireless networking for his Powerbook G4 so I was wondering if I could have some questions answered. We currently have three computers (Powerbook G4, PowerMac G3/400, and a home built PC). We only have 56k but we're going to have DSL installed next week. The Powerbook would be the only computer requiring the wireless access, I was wondering whether this plan would work:

One 10/100BaseT Standard Router (5 Port)
One Wireless Access Point connected to the standard router
One Airport Card

The Airport Extreme Access Point is really expensive, what alternatives would any of you suggest? Would it work fine with the Airport Card? Another question that I've always had is that I would want to host games every once in a while on the PC to play some WC3 or UT2003 every once in a while, will the router interfere with that (sharing the ip address)? I know my friends often have problems when doing so.

[pliny]

Originally posted by jchen:


One 10/100BaseT Standard Router (5 Port)
One Wireless Access Point connected to the standard router
One Airport Card

You should get a wireless router, that way you can have hard and wireless connections to it, and if/when you add wireless to the other machines, you'll have the hardware. Netgear makes good ones, with good Mac documentation and support, some people like the Linksys, the cheapest ones seem to be the Dlink. As far as Airport, if you're just looking for routing, that may not be the cheapest way, since the Airport is also a wireless print server, which increases the cost.

This'll probably be moved to the networking forum.

[velodev]

I love my SMC 2804WBRP-G

Comes with 4 port 10/100 access on the back, WAN access for your upcoming DSL and 802.11G / 802.11A. The security features are top notch. Built in printer port (flaky, but to get better with firmware revisions)

Linky

Customer support is in India (I don't find this to be a problem since they are helpful and I haven't had more than 2 issues - printer port setup and explanation of all security features).

I bought it from Newegg for less than $100 with a $30 or $40 mail in rebate. Stylish and easy to set up AND they recognize Mac as part of their customer base. My linksys never had support for Macs.

[rambo47]

My personal home LAN is through a collection of parts cobbles together over time. I didn't plan to go wireless, just hook up multiple computers to a cable modem via a simple router and some CAT-5 wire. I got a (now discontinued) NetGear RT314 router and it has worked flawlessly ever since. I went from DSL to cable modem and it was simply a matter of unplugging the DSL line and plugging in the cable modem, no fuss no muss. Later, with the addition of an AirPort equipped PowerBook, I added wireless by plugging an AirPort Base Station into the router. Bingo! Instant wireless along side the wired solution.

Had I the foresight to have planned for the burgeoning collection of Macs in my house I would have gone with a simple and elegant solution like one of the all-in-one routers giving multiple ports for wiring computers into the network as well as multiband wireless (802.11b and -G). Folks on this forum and some friends highly recommend Linksys products as well as the SMC products like the one recommended above. I like the look of the SMC router with its built in print server. I have an AirPort Extreme Base Station mostly for the USB printer port, but had I seen this product when I replaced my old dead Base Station I may have made the switch to the SMC solution.

[LeeG]

Hello...networking forum....

Anyway, I have a wired router in my networking closet, and a wireless access point (WAP) plugged in to a net jack in my living room.

I also have cobbled the system together over time, but if I were in your spot - I would DEFINITELY get a combined wired/wireless router - they're about the same price as separates, if not even cheaper sometimes (?).

I would (at this time) advise against apple hardware - not that it isnt great, but it offers no real increased functionality (IMHO) at a premium price.

Get a good 802.11g/b wireless router that has decent mac support - I have been a big supporter of netgear recently, but I have also had good experiences with linksys. Theres plenty of help on these forums if you have trouble getting it up and running...

Lee

[tooki]

Networking questions belong in the networking forum.

tooki