Wireless LAN's??

**Low Level Owl** · April 29th, 2002, 09:59 AM

Has anyone played around with them? I'm thinking about getting one for my house but I don't know if it would work for my situation.

Six computers scattered all over the house over three floors. Would a wireless LAN work in my situation?

**Mayhem** · April 29th, 2002, 12:16 PM

Yes and no.

I have played with a couple different wireless systems and had problems with them.

First of all they are slow. 8-11Mb/sec. as opposed to 100Mb with copper.

Second. The wireless systems I have dealt with were all "hubs", I have not seen any wireless switches. What this means is that when you connect multiple computers they will share that 8-11Mb of bandwidth and slow down even more.

Third. Most of these systems use the same frequencies as things like cordless phones remote control toys and garage door openers. (Took me a while to figure out why my network went haywire when the neighbor pulled in his drive.)

Fourth. I also encounter bad interference from Microwaves, power tools and vacum cleaners.

Wireless is a nice idea but it has a way to go before I will trust it.

**ilovetheusers** · April 29th, 2002, 12:17 PM

These guys boast a range of 1600 feet from the base so I don't see why not.

<a href="http://www.linksys.com/Products/product.asp?grid=22&prid=157" target="_blank">http://www.linksys.com/Products/product.asp?grid=22&prid=157</a>

Personally I used cables in my house for better speed.

**Mayhem** · April 29th, 2002, 01:25 PM

The Linksys was one of the ones I tried. I was better than Netgear, but I still had problems. I got pings in the 4-500 range even 5 ft from the hub.

I cabled my house a couple months ago 5 locations with 3 jacks per. cost me less than the wireless system.

**jimmm33** · April 29th, 2002, 01:28 PM

I have been using a D-link wireless access point for about a year.

You don't have to go totally wireless. Just get a access point and plug it in to a hub or switch. Then get a wireless PCMCIA card for a laptop and you can anywhere you want in the house.

With machines scattered around the house you may need two access points if you go totally wireless.

I get speeds of around 5-6Mb. It works fine for sharing my DSL, but when I'm moving large files around the LAN it's slow.

Newer and faster 802.11a is out now. It's much faster (45-55Mb/s), but not backwards compatible.
I have read good things about SMC's implementation.

**rusabus** · May 1st, 2002, 01:01 AM

I live in a rural area where wired broadband is not available, so the only option is wireless. I'm using a Cisco aeronet 350 series card, and get about 1.5 mbps throughput being 25 miles from the transmit tower. My ping times are really good too, less that 20ms average -- not too bad for a wireless WAN. I wouldn't want to use these adaptors for a wireless home network, though. There like $300 U.S. each. I think wireless LANS are mostly just a gimick, except for laptops. It is not that tough to run copper, and since its so much faster and more reliable, I think its the best soulution. You just have to be optimistic about running the wires. Don't look at going into the crawl space as a chore, but an "opportunity" to also check out the plumbing under the house. Don't look at the attic as a fourth-floor torture chamber, but rather as a place to spend some time in quiet reflection . . . while running cables.

**jza734** · May 2nd, 2002, 03:40 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by jimmm33:
I have been using a D-link wireless access point for about a year.

You don't have to go totally wireless. Just get a access point and plug it in to a hub or switch. Then get a wireless PCMCIA card for a laptop and you can anywhere you want in the house.

With machines scattered around the house you may need two access points if you go totally wireless.

I get speeds of around 5-6Mb. It works fine for sharing my DSL, but when I'm moving large files around the LAN it's slow.

Newer and faster 802.11a is out now. It's much faster (45-55Mb/s), but not backwards compatible.
I have read good things about SMC's implementation.<hr /></blockquote>I have used the dlink products as well, and they are pretty good. One thing, i never was able to use two access points together. I called tech support, and they said i should connect two access points with a wired hub to link them?

The really bad thing about wireless products is they really depend on 'line of sight' trasmissions. I had an application where customer had 20ft between all four adapters to the access point, but because of several angles involved, and steel studs, i got almost no signal. What a nightmare.

**WebHead** · May 2nd, 2002, 04:27 PM

Why dontcha get one of them 802.11 gizmo's? It's wireless networking. The price has dropped dramatically lately and you can hook up that whole mess of comps you got going on pretty easily.

**craigmodius** · May 2nd, 2002, 06:01 PM

Some good reading on Wireless Networking for home and business use can be found <a href="http://www.80211-planet.com/" target="_blank">here</a> at 802.11 Planet.

They have good tutorials and News and such.

I would recommend the tutorial on <a href="http://www.80211-planet.com/tutorials/article/0,4000,10724_953511,00.html" target="_blank">minimizing wireless interference issues</a>.

good luck~

**WebHead** · May 2nd, 2002, 06:07 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by craigmodius:
Some good reading on Wireless Networking for home and business use can be found <a href="http://www.80211-planet.com/" target="_blank">here</a> at 802.11 Planet.

They have good tutorials and News and such.

I would recommend the tutorial on <a href="http://www.80211-planet.com/tutorials/article/0,4000,10724_953511,00.html" target="_blank">minimizing wireless interference issues</a>.

good luck~<hr /></blockquote>Yep,.. I'd say within the next 5 years (maybe sooner) 802.11 will be the new ethernet standard.

**Hippie_Tech** · May 2nd, 2002, 06:08 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by rusabus:
I live in a rural area where wired broadband is not available, so the only option is wireless. I'm using a Cisco aeronet 350 series card, and get about 1.5 mbps throughput being 25 miles from the transmit tower. My ping times are really good too, less that 20ms average -- not too bad for a wireless WAN. I wouldn't want to use these adaptors for a wireless home network, though. There like $300 U.S. each.<hr /></blockquote>Ouch. Someone took you to the cleaners. That Cisco card can be found for around $125.00 to $150.00. And, yes, it includes the little antenna thingy. I don't know how long ago you got it, but $300.00 seems a little high. How the heck are you able to get a ping of 20ms from 25 miles away? I can't even get a ping that fast from 25 feet.

**Major Kong** · May 2nd, 2002, 10:26 PM

I live in a 3 story with 4 PC's scattered throughout the house. My wife didn't want cables hanging through the house. I tried the D-Link wireless solution. Cable Modem>>>Router>>>Access Pt.>>>D-Link USB card. All was well within line of sight or on the next floor immediately above the AP, but on the top floor or a distance (within the house) away from the AP and nothing. Finally hired a contractor to drill some holes and ran CAT5 wire from the Router in the basement between the walls & floors to the main floor and top floor. System works like a charm. And no hanging or running wire along the floor or ceilings.

**Low Level Owl** · May 5th, 2002, 02:52 PM

Thanks for all the information!!

I think I'm going Major Kongs route...run cable through the walls.

I called for an estimate and they said 500 dollars for 10 drops down to a patch panel in the basement.

Not too shabby!!!!!

**geoscomp** · May 6th, 2002, 03:07 PM

I just set up a wirless network in a clients house..10,000 sf (and he calls it a cabin)..3000 sf per floor, using a dsl modem connected to a D-Link wireless router with built in 4 port switch..one wireless access point per floor..distributed at various locations so they weren't above one another..and three pcmcia wireless cards..works like a charm.

**savagegerbil** · May 7th, 2002, 08:34 AM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Low Level Owl:
Thanks for all the information!!

I think I'm going Major Kongs route...run cable through the walls.

I called for an estimate and they said 500 dollars for 10 drops down to a patch panel in the basement.

Not too shabby!!!!!<hr /></blockquote>$500!!! I wouldnt hire someone to do it for $100! Why not do it yourself? It's very easy!

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