Wireless Networking With Homechoice.

[anniel]

I have written and now spoken to Homechoice about this subject. They were very reluctant to talk about networking. I was not asking for help to do it. I simply wanted to know if there was anything about the system that would stop me having a wireless network between two desktop PCs.

The Homechoice system is an ADSL, but is different from BT, in that it is not IP stream and does not support ethernet.

Homechoice have told me:

1. I cannot use a router of any kind to replace my modem. It must stay.

2.I cannot use any USB device either, as my internet access is via a small box sitting on my PC which converts info.to USB.

So, all we want to do is to network our 2 PCs which are indifferent rooms on the same level about 25-30 ft apart with walls intervening. We have not ordered the second PC yet, until we know exactly what to buy in the way of network cards.

The new one will be an identical Evesham running XP, probably home version, but may be XP professional.

We realise my PC will have to be connected to the internet in order for husband's PC to have access but that is OK.

Now the questions:

Is it true that 801.11g is the best and fastest type of card to get and do we get 2 exactly the same..one for each PC.

Is a network adaptor the same thing as a network card?

Shall we try to network them at first without buying a wireless access point, or do we have to have one to even try to network them?

Evesham have quoted Buffalo 54Mbps PCI cards including indoor antenna WL which cost £54.86 each....but I am not sure if these fit our needs.

I have carefully put all links on networking into my favourites, but I would appreciate some assistance from all the experts here, before we get started.

Sorry for the long post, but I want you all to understand that I am really just a novice with big ideas!


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[greysts]

It seems to me that if you're not allowed to use a router or USB the only solutions you've got left are either a physical connection between the NIC's using a crossover cable or a wireless setup. By far the cheapest option is a crossover cable but this will mean drilling holes through the walls. I would certainly go down that route and save myself a £100 but others with more knowledge of wireless networking will no doubt be in touch.

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[putasolutions]

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.homechoice.co.uk/support/broadband/setup/faqs.html#>Sharing Internet Connection</A>

Sharing your Homechoice connection between multiple computers is unsupported by Homechoice, however it is possible using "Windows Internet Connection Sharing" or third party proprietary software.

Please Note: Whilst Homechoice will not prevent you from networking your pcs together in order to share your connection to the internet, this is unsupported by Homechoice support and you will be required to return your PC to complete "stand alone" status before our engineers will assist you with your connection should you have any problems.
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Does Homechoice use a BT line?

It doesn't say that you can't use a router, what the Help Desk Person was saying its that they haven't a clue on how to set it up.


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[anniel]

Puta,

The modem does use a BT line, but I was told that the Homechoice Modem is a router as well as a modem and also used that small box which converts info to USB.

The main business of Homechoice is to stream films and videos straight to their customers..although I have never used that service.

I fear you are right about them not having a clue, though I must say once I said I would give the company the wrong kind of publicity, they did get someone to speak to me.

All I ended up finding out was that I could put internal wireless cards into my PC, but must not try USB devices or use a router as it would not work with Homechoice ADSL.

I do pay £35 a month for my 1MB service, which works well.

Greysts, I do not want a crossover cable system as we live in a flat with a very long hallway and my husband is not wanting to lift carpets or floorboards to do the work. We would prefer to pay what ever is necessary for the internal cards.

So, if we can take it from there?

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[putasolutions]

If it is a router, how many ports does it have?

What model router/modem is it?



<hr width=100% size=1><font color=red>Of All t</font color=red><font color=orange>he things</font color=orange><font color=yellow> I've lost, </font color=yellow><font color=green>I miss m</font color=green><font color=blue>y mind t</font color=blue><font color=purple>he most</font color=purple>

[anniel]

Puta and Greysts,

Having rung them again, the chap who saud the modem was a router was mistaken!

The modem is a generic one only used by HC.

After talking to them, I searched for any newsgroup and found one and quite a few people asked the same questions as me. I found this answer:


&gt; "I want to buy a wireless LAN with router. Any pointers on how to connect
&gt; it
&gt; &gt; to my Homechoice dongle?
&gt; &gt; Any ideas on a good unit? I am considering the Belkin 54mbit.
&gt; &gt; Please help.
&gt; &gt;
&gt; &gt;
&gt;
&gt; For the millionth time, you can't connect your connection to a hardware
&gt; router.
&gt; You need to use a PC as a router and share the connection from there.
&gt;
&gt;

Also, you don't need a wireless access point to have a wireless network. For
two or three machines just get a wireless card for each of them and set up
an ad hoc network. You can then use ICS or similar to share the homechoice
connection.

This is the setup I have and it works very nicely indeed"



So it looks as though it is quite simple to do and I am not going to worry any more.

One person said he was using a Belkin (think Greysts mentioned this)

Another on the Group recommended a Netgear WAG 511

All I need to know now is whether these PCIW will be OK to connect 2 DESKTOPS as that is what we want to network.

I do hope this is the last time I bother you, except that I think Evesham uses a BUffalo 54Mbps with an indoor antenna WL ( this might not be what I need) I may end up having to install the cards myself.



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[greysts]

Basically you are going to replace the bit of wire that I suggested (a crossover cable) with a wireless connection. As you have already discovered, you can't use routers so all you need is something like <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/index.html?action=c2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X3Jldmlld3M=&pro duct_uid=52898> this.</A> If you read through the reviews you will see some from people who have done exactly what you are trying to achieve, a peer 2 peer network with one PC acting as a server for the other's internet connection. At £30 a pair it's a very economic prospect. I'm sure Puta will be able to give you a simple user guide to get your network up and running.

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