Anyone know about wireless networking

[jaydons]

I hooked up a router tonight to my pc, got a wireless pcmcia card for my laptop but the card didnt come with anything (i got it off ebay) except drivers, i installed it but what do I need to do now to connect to the web ? im sure I have to set up my laptop somehow.


any help would help
thanks.

 

[RJ]

Some of the network card manufacturers offer setup help documentation on their websites. The main part of connecting to the Internet is configuring the router to allow wireless connections to it, then if the wireless network card is installed properly it should automatically detect an available wireless network.

It's been awhile and I don't remember all the specifics. Hopefully there's another NamePros member who has more experience in setting these things up.

 

[jaydons]

thanks rj, but the network card i got does not say a manufacturer on it so I dont know where to go, I configured the router but my laptop is not picking it up.

 

[jaydons]

I got it working - had to download boingo

 

[McDope]

jaydons, I've got a wireless network at home. It's a mixed environment of 802.11b and g using a Belkin access point (connecting three desktops, one laptop and a PDA). If you need any information feel free to PM me. Be warned though, if you get hooked you may enter a shopping spree. There's tons of different antennas and gadgets available out there. As soon as you start tweaking things in order to increase the signal strength... you won't be able to stop

 

[jaydons]

mcdope, thanks, but right now I have a few desktops and one laptop, I hooked up the router to a desktop and got my laptop a wireless card and its working, next ill hook up the other desktops with wireless cards. Seems like everything is working good now.

thanks.

 

[Ron Jackson]

Couldn't get my new wireless router to work this week and had to give up and take it back. Bought a Netgear 802.11g router and it can only be configured over the internet through the Netgear site. Since installing the router wiped out my internet access that was impossible (and they know in advance losing your internet access is the most common problem). Called tech support and as always these days got someone in India who doesn't understand English! Told them how ridiculous it was to only allow manual configuration across the internet when the product wipes out internet access. She agreed!

Didn't solve my problem of course so I took it back and will try a Linksys router when I get a chance. The salesperson told me their routers can be configured locally. My favorite thing about Netgear tech support was they told me they wouldn't help me because I hadn't registered the product. Of course it has to be registered over the internet which isn't possible for many people who use their product! After I used a few English words they apparently know even in India - they reversed course on that point.

 

[Scott]

My Netgear router and pcmcia have been fine. Infact, better than fine since the pcmcia works great with just the prism54 module built into the kernel and iwconfig on Linux.

 

[McDope]

Duke, that's a really bizarre story, I wonder what they were thinking about when they decided upon that kind of support. By the way, you can't go wrong with the Linksys WRT54GS router, it's a really impressive piece of hardware, its firmware can even be upgraded with an unofficial Linux distro. Instant Hotspot out of the box!

jaydons, if you ever need increasing that signal let me know, I can point you to some interesting places in the net where you can build your own antennas and stuff.

 

[Ron Jackson]

Duke, that's a really bizarre story, I wonder what they were thinking about when they decided upon that kind of support. By the way, you can't go wrong with the Linksys WRT54GS router, it's a really impressive piece of hardware, its firmware can even be upgraded with an unofficial Linux distro. Instant Hotspot out of the box!

jaydons, if you ever need increasing that signal let me know, I can point you to some interesting places in the net where you can build your own antennas and stuff.

Thanks for the tip McDope - I'll try that model.