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Home Wireless Networking

This is a first time thing for me and I want to set up a wireless network in my home (2 pcs and 1 laptop) and I will be using a DSL connection for the internet and I wanted to know what is the best and cheapest way to accomplish this?

sunray_2003

Hi johnsonlr96,

Couple of questions to know how cheap you can do .
Do you want to have wireless for all 3 computers or only the laptop .
Does your laptop has got an inbuilt wireless card or you have to buy one

If you want only the laptop to be wireless then buy a 4 port wireless router from either Linksys, Dlink or Netgear. If you are in the United States good time to buy due to Thanksgiving sales.
Cable connect from the router to both the desktops and Use the wireless for the laptop.

Cost depends on what kind of wireless router you buy whether 802.11 b or 802.11g .. So it all depends on what you need.

SR..

johnsonlr96

ASKER

I would have to buy all the parts and I want to be wireless on all 3 and i was looking at 802.11g

thanks
LaDonna

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Bernie Salvaggio

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johnsonlr96

ASKER

How do I enable the 128 bit WEP encryption?

Bernie Salvaggio

The following are two web sites that'll walk you through setting it up, the second is a bit older I think. They include pictures and step by step instructions. I'm assuming of course that you did get the Linksys wireless router. If you got something else, let me know and we can go from there. Also, these links are just for setting up the router to use 128bit WEP, you'll still need to set up the computers to connect to it with the SSID and WEP key you set. The instruction manuals that came with the wireless cards you bought should tell you how to do that. If not, let me know what cards you bought and I should be able to help you out.

Two additional things, as well as enabling 128bit WEP, be sure to change the default password for the router, and the default SSID. Make the SSID something non-descript, random.

http://support.earthlink.net/mu/1/psc/img/walkthroughs/hardware/Linksys/befw11s4/9520.psc.html

http://www.whitehats.ca/main/members/Cerberus/secure_linksys_wap/securing_your_linksys_wireless_access_point.pdf

-Bernie

johnsonlr96

ASKER

I got the Netgear 54Mbps wireless router and PC card kit WGB511

Bernie Salvaggio

This site has a decent page for setting up that AP and wireless card. Let me know if it's not descriptive enough.

http://www.smashco.com/wep_setup.htm