RE: House wireless/wired router: choices? Plus wireless neophytequestions.
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>
>
>---- Original Message ----
>From: cmetzler@speakeasy.net
>To: debian-user@lists.debian.org
>Subject: RE: House wireless/wired router: choices? Plus wireless
>neophytequestions.
>Date: Fri, 3 Oct 2008 01:46:48 -0400
>
>>
>>Hi folks. Been a looooong time since I've posted to this list.
>>
>>I have exactly zero experience with wireless -- I've never owned a
>laptop,
>>and have just never needed it. My gf, as part of her job, needs to
>bring
>>home a laptop with that other OS on it, and wants wireless access to
>>our broadband.
>>
>>We currently have a DSL connection: phone to DSL modem, ethernet
>out the
>>back of the DSL modem to our one desktop machine. I'm assuming that
>what
>>I want is a wireless router with LAN ports: ethernet cable from the
>DSL
>>modem to the wireless router, and ethernet cable from the wireless
>router
>>to the desktop machine while her laptop talks to the router by
>wireless.
>>We have a static IP address; I'm presuming that this wired/wireless
>router
>>will need to be configured with that address, and then will do NAT
>with
>>the desktop and the laptop.
>>
>>1. Does what I just wrote make sense? Am I getting this correctly?
You are!
>>
>>2. If I'm on the right track, what about IP addresses for the
>desktop
>>and the laptop? Do I have to set them manually to addresses within
>>a non-routeable block? Or do such routers typically do DHCP or
>something
>>like that?
Most modern routers support DHCP. They may be configured by you to
a "block" of DHCP addresses. In addition if you wish you may
configure
any machine on your local net for a fixed IP (obviously out of the
DHCP
range)
>>
>>3. What about configuring the router (with the static IP address,
>any
>>DHCP operating parameters, etc.)? Since my desktop will be wired,
>I'd
>>like to be able to configure the router using my desktop -- which
>means
>>using Linux. If an application on an accompanying DVD is needed to
>>configure the router, I'm guessing that app is only going to work on
>>that other operating system. Or are there routers out there that
>are
>>configurable from a Linux machine in a straightforward manner?
Normally the router comes equipped with a built-in IP address that
is used for configuration. You can configure it using any standard
browser.
>>
>>4. (most important) For someone moderately competent who somehow
>>has made it this far without learning much about wireless, what
>would
>>you suggest I read? Googling turns up thousands of pages of FAQs
>and
>>HOWTOs and so on (some of which are ancient -- but that doesn't mean
>>they're not useful, of course). There's lots of stuff out there;
>>but being ignorant, I don't know enough to know what's relevant and
>>what's out of date. What would *you* suggest I read?
Since you seem competent, I'd merely "jump right" to the manual of one
or two routers. Most have sufficient information to get you started.
I
doubt you need to know about frequency bands or modulation methods.
In
essence the network behind the router looks like an Ethernet, albeit
with
the connections being made via wireless rather than wired. As for a
recommendation I have used both D-Link and Linksys, two of the "big
boys"
and currently have a Linksys 54G at 54M (there are others that
transmit faster
but this speed seems acceptable and the cost was right).
Larry
>>
>>Thanks much for any info,
>>
>>-c
>>
>>
>>--
>>Chris Metzler cmetzler@speakeasy.snip-me.net
>> (remove "snip-me." to email)
>>
>>"As a child I understood how to give; I have forgotten this grace
>since I
>>have become civilized." - Chief Luther Standing Bear
>>
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