My Wireless Home Network

**Lzen** · 12:04 PM

If you saw my thread a week or so ago, you know I was having problems with my D-Link DI 604 router. Mainly, I was having problems with my Playstation 2 when I tried to host games online. Couldn't host most of the time nor could I connect to other users a lot of times. Needless to say, D-Link's customer support couldn't help. I knew I was in trouble when I knew more about what is a DMZ than the tech.

So anyhoo, I decided to upgrade to a new router. Despite the wonderful offer from Phil for his router, I decided to buy a new wireless router. Thought I'd share in case anyone is looking to buy a wireless router and didn't want to spend a ton of $$$. I bought this Xterasys wireless router from New Egg .

Wireless router

And this Xterasys USB adaptor. (for those that are new to wireless - like I was - this is the device you plug into your computer that communicates [wirelessly - duh

] with the router. You don't have to buy a USB adaptor. You could buy a PCI card Wireless LAN adaptor. I just went with USB because all my PCI slots are taken.)

USB Adaptor

This took me all of about 15-20 minutes to setup. That includes hooking up wires, installing on my wall, and setup on the computer. So far, everything works great.

All this cost me $60 after shipping. Took about 6 days to get here.

**Saulbadguy** · 01-14-2005, 12:03 PM

Not bad. I was never a fan of USB network adapters. It seems to me you are limiting throughput with it. Although, I dunno. I may be wrong.

BTW, if you are ever on I-470 and have a wireless sniffer you can pick up my network from the highway. Pretty neat, huh?

**Lzen** · 01-14-2005, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saulbadguy

Not bad. I was never a fan of USB network adapters. It seems to me you are limiting throughput with it. Although, I dunno. I may be wrong.

BTW, if you are ever on I-470 and have a wireless sniffer you can pick up my network from the highway. Pretty neat, huh?

Well, my modem is upstairs next to my PC. I plan to use the wireless for the kids when we buy them a new computer soon. My PC will be wired.

Kerberos · 01-14-2005, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saulbadguy

Not bad. I was never a fan of USB network adapters. It seems to me you are limiting throughput with it. Although, I dunno. I may be wrong.

BTW, if you are ever on I-470 and have a wireless sniffer you can pick up my network from the highway. Pretty neat, huh?

This is why I use a mac table for access as well as enabling WEP on ALL wireless networks I have installed ... 3 to be exact !!

People (the malicious type) can do a variety of damage to your network if you are not protected!

Cliff

go bo · 01-14-2005, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rxrider

This is why I use a mac table for access as well as enabling WEP on ALL wireless networks I have installed ... 3 to be exact !!

People (the malicious type) can do a variety of damage to your network if you are not protected!

Cliff

what's a mac table and how do i get one?

Kerberos · 01-14-2005, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by go bo

what's a mac table and how do i get one?

Go to McDonalds and stay there to eat at the MAC table !!

It should be in your wireless router when you go into the options on how to set it up from your computer ... if it isn't a MAC table it should be somewhere in the setup to put each and every MAC address from your network in and ONLY those MAC addresses you put in there are allowed access to your router !.

Thus anyone out there using a wireless laptop driving by can't log onto your router because his/her MAC address isn't on the list and gets an "ACCESS DENIED FOOOL" !!

Cliff

**Lzen** · 01-14-2005, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rxrider

Go to McDonalds and stay there to eat at the MAC table !!

It should be in your wireless router when you go into the options on how to set it up from your computer ... if it isn't a MAC table it should be somewhere in the setup to put each and every MAC address from your network in and ONLY those MAC addresses you put in there are allowed access to your router !.

Thus anyone out there using a wireless laptop driving by can't log onto your router because his/her MAC address isn't on the list and gets an "ACCESS DENIED FOOOL" !!

Cliff

Cool. How is WEP? Is that pretty secure?

go bo · 01-14-2005, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rxrider

Go to McDonalds and stay there to eat at the MAC table !!

It should be in your wireless router when you go into the options on how to set it up from your computer ... if it isn't a MAC table it should be somewhere in the setup to put each and every MAC address from your network in and ONLY those MAC addresses you put in there are allowed access to your router !.

Thus anyone out there using a wireless laptop driving by can't log onto your router because his/her MAC address isn't on the list and gets an "ACCESS DENIED FOOOL" !!

Cliff

thanks, i can probably figure that out now, with your kind explanation...

ZepSinger · 01-14-2005, 01:05 PM

I'm going this route(pun intended) this very week, in fact. The upstairs(family) PC will be regular LAN cable out of the router(AirPlus G Wireless Router with 4 Port Switch), while my work machine in the basement will use the AirPlus Xtreme G High-Speed 2.4GHz Wireless PCI Adapter.

Buying both the router and card in about 3 hours.

Pumped!

Z

go bo · 01-14-2005, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZepSinger

I'm going this route(pun intended) this very week, in fact. The upstairs(family) PC will be regular LAN cable out of the router(AirPlus G Wireless Router with 4 Port Switch), while my work machine in the basement will use the AirPlus Xtreme G High-Speed 2.4GHz Wireless PCI Adapter.

Buying both the router and card in about 3 hours.

Pumped!

Z

same set up i have...

you'll like the high speed, it makes a difference if you're transferring files from one pc to another...

easy to install and configure too...

ZepSinger · 01-14-2005, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by go bo

same set up i have...

you'll like the high speed, it makes a difference if you're transferring files from one pc to another...

easy to install and configure too...

Won't be doing alot of PC-to-PC transferring, it's mainly just to get my Internet connection to a spot in the basement that a cable would be very hard to rig to..

01-14-2005, 12:03 PM

If you had boobies, I'd have given it to you free.

Angel is picking it up sometime this weekend.

Eleazar · 01-14-2005, 12:05 PM

Cool. I have a wireless router (Blitzz) that I have had good luck with. It works great with my work laptop, which is wireless (centrino, built in wireless i mean)

The only problem is that the wireless PCI card I bought for my PC makes the machine not boot. It's the wierdest thing. I installed all the software like it said, before installing the card, and I tried doing it the other way around too. Same problem. I tried downloading the latest drivers. I even tried blasting the machine and reloading windows and it still happens. That to me screams some kind of hardware incompatibility, or that it has a problem with the OS. But WTF would they put out a wireless card that chokes on Windows XP?

I dont know what the hell it could be, I just gave up. Of course I lost the receipt already, and it was from Best Buy anyway where you need a letter from the president to return something.

**Saulbadguy** · 01-14-2005, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cochise

Cool. I have a wireless router (Blitzz) that I have had good luck with. It works great with my work laptop, which is wireless (centrino, built in wireless i mean)

The only problem is that the wireless PCI card I bought for my PC makes the machine not boot. It's the wierdest thing. I installed all the software like it said, before installing the card, and I tried doing it the other way around too. Same problem. I tried downloading the latest drivers. I even tried blasting the machine and reloading windows and it still happens. That to me screams some kind of hardware incompatibility, or that it has a problem with the OS. But WTF would they put out a wireless card that chokes on Windows XP?

I dont know what the hell it could be, I just gave up. Of course I lost the receipt already, and it was from Best Buy anyway where you need a letter from the president to return something.

Not boot? At what point does it stop the boot process?

Eleazar · 01-14-2005, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saulbadguy

Not boot? At what point does it stop the boot process?

It's wierd. Sometimes it dies at the Windows XP screen that hides the POST and all the following crap, and sometimes it gets to the desktop but the taskbar never appears.

Those two scenarios comprised probably 80% of the boots the afternoon I was working on it. Once in a while, you could get it up to the desktop and have control, but whenever I tried to screw with the drivers or do anything it would lock up again. No ctrl-alt-del, a real hard lockup.

But, if you remove the card the machine functions normally.

I figured the card was just a piece of Raiders and I would buy a different brand.

01-14-2005, 11:58 AM	Topic Starter
Lzen Supporter Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Jan Quadrant Vincent 16 Casino cash: $2040692	My Wireless Home Network If you saw my thread a week or so ago, you know I was having problems with my D-Link DI 604 router. Mainly, I was having problems with my Playstation 2 when I tried to host games online. Couldn't host most of the time nor could I connect to other users a lot of times. Needless to say, D-Link's customer support couldn't help. I knew I was in trouble when I knew more about what is a DMZ than the tech. So anyhoo, I decided to upgrade to a new router. Despite the wonderful offer from Phil for his router, I decided to buy a new wireless router. Thought I'd share in case anyone is looking to buy a wireless router and didn't want to spend a ton of $$$. I bought this Xterasys wireless router from New Egg . Wireless router And this Xterasys USB adaptor. (for those that are new to wireless - like I was - this is the device you plug into your computer that communicates [wirelessly - duh ] with the router. You don't have to buy a USB adaptor. You could buy a PCI card Wireless LAN adaptor. I just went with USB because all my PCI slots are taken.) USB Adaptor This took me all of about 15-20 minutes to setup. That includes hooking up wires, installing on my wall, and setup on the computer. So far, everything works great. All this cost me $60 after shipping. Took about 6 days to get here. Last edited by Lzen; 01-14-2005 at 12:04 PM..
Posts: 41,431

01-14-2005, 12:03 PM	#2
Saulbadguy When a nightmare becomes real Join Date: Nov 2003 Casino cash: $2366966	Not bad. I was never a fan of USB network adapters. It seems to me you are limiting throughput with it. Although, I dunno. I may be wrong. BTW, if you are ever on I-470 and have a wireless sniffer you can pick up my network from the highway. Pretty neat, huh? __________________ http://www.goemaw.com
Posts: 46,969

01-14-2005, 01:05 PM	#9
ZepSinger Veteran Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Kansas City Casino cash: $10004900	I'm going this route(pun intended) this very week, in fact. The upstairs(family) PC will be regular LAN cable out of the router(AirPlus G Wireless Router with 4 Port Switch), while my work machine in the basement will use the AirPlus Xtreme G High-Speed 2.4GHz Wireless PCI Adapter. Buying both the router and card in about 3 hours. Pumped! Z __________________ test
Posts: 2,740

01-14-2005, 12:03 PM	#12
Phobia Guest Casino cash: $	If you had boobies, I'd have given it to you free. Angel is picking it up sometime this weekend.
Posts: n/a

01-14-2005, 12:05 PM	#13
Eleazar Beyond the Rapids Join Date: May 2003 Location: Langley, VA Casino cash: $-370000	Cool. I have a wireless router (Blitzz) that I have had good luck with. It works great with my work laptop, which is wireless (centrino, built in wireless i mean) The only problem is that the wireless PCI card I bought for my PC makes the machine not boot. It's the wierdest thing. I installed all the software like it said, before installing the card, and I tried doing it the other way around too. Same problem. I tried downloading the latest drivers. I even tried blasting the machine and reloading windows and it still happens. That to me screams some kind of hardware incompatibility, or that it has a problem with the OS. But WTF would they put out a wireless card that chokes on Windows XP? I dont know what the hell it could be, I just gave up. Of course I lost the receipt already, and it was from Best Buy anyway where you need a letter from the president to return something.
Posts: 80,659