Community Newsletter: Q&A: 3/31/06 How does the wireless network thingy work?
- 3/30/06 5:52 PM
Win98?
by YahooMarcus - 3/31/06 9:49 PM In reply to: Similar question but Win 98SE operating system by only1joWoohoo... someone other than me still using the old OS...
I have an old machine that can not be upgraded. (Special app that only runs on Win98, and legacy data thats very sensitive.) It is not sitting near any convenient location, and it does not have an ethernet card. So, I wasn't about to plunk down $$ for NIC and a long cable.
I had a USB wifi device that I carry on my keyring. It is supposed to be for Win2K and up or WinXP. I was told (by the product support) that the company officially does not support WinME, but it is well known that the device works with WinME. When I told them its Win98, he almost broke out laughing... and said he doesn't know if it will work.
Well, to make the story short, I tried, and it works. But I've had other devices that I've tried on Win98 that did not work.
If you need to buy new equipment just for this purpose, I would say that its not worth it. If you already have the equipment, why not go ahead and just give it a try?
Sounds the same
by only1jo - 4/7/06 8:35 AM In reply to: Win98? by YahooMarcusYour situation sounds the same. I have an older machine with a couple of applications that run well on the 98SE OS. It has been almost retired and placed in a location not easily accessed by the network cabling. Since we were planning to install a wireless for a couple of laptops (which run XP) I thought I'd try to see if this machine could access the internet that way. Just wanted to be careful to choose accessories that worked with both. Sound like you found one that works. What was the make of the USB wifi device you were using?
wifi on 98
by YahooMarcus - 4/7/06 5:38 PM In reply to: Sounds the same by only1joI have a relatively old mini wifi device called Hawking HWU54G Wireless-G. It is only slightly larger than my flash memory thumb-drive. My only knock on this device is that it doesn't do WPA security encryption (only WEP available). Thats ok. I only use it occassionally, and the place I use it most often is at a place where security is turned off. (Free wifi internet connection to all those who attend our church!!! :-} )
Wireless network question
by boobren460 - 3/31/06 4:28 PM In reply to: 3/31/06 How does the wireless network thingy work? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Can you have a wireless network with a dial up connection? We have 3 new computers all with windows XP. Two Dell desktops and one Toshiba laptop.
Re: Wireless network question
by stevens_jeff - 4/1/06 6:36 AM In reply to: Wireless network question by boobren460You probably got this answer already but here it is. You need high speed internet access to have a wireless connection. Dial up won't work. DSL or Cable. DSL is so cheap now why would anyone want dial up.
I dont get it.
Does the wireless network interfere with portabl telephones?
by mboulds - 4/1/06 10:03 AM In reply to: Re: Wireless network question by stevens_jeffI have read through all the questions and answers on setting up a wireless network but haven't come across any reference to a problem that I'm having. One of our portable phones cuts off from time to time for no apparent reason. Radio Shack, where we bought the main portable and an extension, checked the phones and said they were fine. WE have no difficulty with a land phone or with the main portable phone but we do with the so called extension phone, i.e. the one that we have labeled Handset #2 which is simply plugged into an electrical outlet.
It seems to me from the correspondence on the original question that there might be an interference problem from the wirless network with that particular handset, leaving, perhaps, two avenues to follow: Change the frequency of the two portables or turn off the wireless network when using that particular phone. By the way, the calls most affected are the long distance ones if that makes any difference.
Thanks for your help in advance. Bruce G.
Re: Dial up
by waytron - 4/2/06 4:05 AM In reply to: Re: Wireless network question by stevens_jeffMany people live in areas where DSL or Cable internet is not offered and dialup is there only option other than expensive satillite connections.
Beware Verizon and the dreaded FioS
by aelfwyne - 3/31/06 6:33 PM In reply to: 3/31/06 How does the wireless network thingy work? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
My oldest son was kind enough to purchase a router when he bought his new computer. What a loving child....of seventeen.....grrrrr...who now uses our network for XBox Live...I digress. Easy to set up (for him), easy to add the XBox....Easy to make the printer a part of the wireless network. Wireless print server seems to be a bit slower than good old wire.
Our small town near Harrisburg PA has become the fiber optic Mecca of central PA. Verizon has brought us Cable speed at very attractive prices.
We are gonna install this wonder of thechnology at no cost. WOW. Your 3month old router is kinda cablooey. Were gonna give ya a new one,it will be soooo fast, blinking will allow the entire internet to pass you by!
Will the other hardware we have be compatable.....A cryptic answer followed. What kinda router you got? Which transmittion format are you using? Is your (1960) home wired with Cate5 wire? So I'm lookin a little pale,thinkin Cat5e,little twisty wires.
After passing out for a few mins I realized FioS.....DSL.....Wireless......all the same but different.
The moral of this ranting is.........uhhhhhhh......OH YA learning to deal with a home wireless network is great. But Verision the fiber optic gremlin my be pulling cable to a market near yours soon.
Call them and they can give you some really solid help. If you know the fios is coming it should be easy to taylor your network buying.
(NT) wireless network thingys
by iasthai22 - 3/31/06 9:07 PM In reply to: 3/31/06 How does the wireless network thingy work? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Congrats to Anne B for the best report ever on wi-fi [and I've had problems and been through the mill]. All intending wi-fiers should re-read the third para: "it is best to plan ahead to avoid many of the problems that can arise due to interference, distance between all the computers and the router, and lack of signal due to various types of house construction". I told a number of supposed helpers about the house construction, but no one recognized that bathroom tiling is a dead stop for wireless signals. If your route between router and any computer must go through a tiled bathroom, rebuild the house. It's easier than the hell you will experience.
Thanks Anne [even if too late for me], Barney.
Wireless
by bobtubnj - 4/1/06 6:44 AM In reply to: 3/31/06 How does the wireless network thingy work? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Thanks for the information, an excellent tutorial on setting up wireless! 
Bob B.
What is the Best Wireless Router?
by eViLgRin - 4/1/06 8:46 AM In reply to: 3/31/06 How does the wireless network thingy work? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Hi, I have been using wireless technology at work for a quite time and i have decided to use it at home too but i also wanted to be connected to my work network so i have searched alot about a wireless device that can give me a wide range, and i have found a SENAO Wireless Solutions device that can give me a very good range around 25 KM so my question now what is te best wireless router i can get with many features in it like print server capability and firewall etc..
Thanks
Hossam Saber
Senior Developer
Resolution to network printing.
by gjwhitea - 4/1/06 9:38 AM In reply to: 3/31/06 How does the wireless network thingy work? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Thank you for that detailed explaination - I added my daughters computer to the network and was going crazy trying to get her PC to share the printer, which works with 2 other computers.
After reading the response I saw what I missed - workgroups, now that I've set the value it works.
Printing, wireless, etc.
by Scheide - 4/1/06 10:43 AM In reply to: Resolution to network printing. by gjwhiteaWow, what a great web site. I have read and re-read many of the answers and I'm sure to have missed something. I have Win 98 desktop(stop laughing), a Win Me laptop, and wife just got new XP Gateway. I'm all set up and running DSL wireless. Now want to set up printer so it will receive signal. This site directions says, click Start/Printers and Faxes, go to printer sharing, etc, etc. My 98 is main computer and I can't do the printer sharing thing. Also, my new Netgear router has to be rebooted very often. Is this a sign of failure??? Thanks in advance for help. Dave
How to get extra range
by acharpen50 - 4/1/06 10:43 AM In reply to: 3/31/06 How does the wireless network thingy work? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Great answer by DANA H.
The place where my cable modem was located turned out to be a poor signal location for a wireless network. When I purchased an 802.11b wireless router I found that signal strength was low. I had to run a long cable to place the router where it gave good reception over the house. When this router started to malfuncion, I tried a MIMO device in my poor signal location with only marginnally better results than the 802.11b router. I then tried an 802.11 super G to get the 108mbs transmission rate of a MIMO router with an omni directional 7db gain external antenna to get good signal strength. It worked great! Signal strength is excellent and gives the same data rate as a MIMO router would. The MIMO device did not allow for an external antenna so its range was limited.
To allow good antenna placement for my desktop computers, I used small direction antennas for these cards. On my laptop, since the antenna is not hidden next to file cabinets and metal computer cases, no external antenna was needed to get an excellent signal.
I happen to use D-Link Air Plus super G but the equivelent Linksys super G would work just as well. I would recommend using the super G versions of the Wireless routers that allow external antenna connections. This way, if a computer has a weak signal, an external antenna can be used at the computer or at the router.
Enjoy your new wireless network.
Aside. I have tried just about every kind of home networking leading to the present wireless networking.
I had Home PNA, using the phone line as a network, as well as using the powerline as a network. Wireless has worked the best, been the most reliable, and easiest to set up.
My life is a lot easier now...
by jdstrand - 4/1/06 12:31 PM In reply to: 3/31/06 How does the wireless network thingy work? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I have one computer running XP and 3 running Win 2000, a couple of printers and an 802.11g router system.
I had to keep pestering my son-in-law, the techie, for help and then I found a shareware program called Network Magic.
I downloaded it, installedit and in about 2 minutes it got EVERYTHING hooked up and running. I immediately bought the whole version.
It's the handiest program I've ever purchased. I can now lower my blood-pressure meds.
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