I have been to 3 experts & got 3 answers. So I hope you have a LAN like we
would like, that is running.
We have 3 pc's running an ad-hock wireless LAN but its slow & would like to
switch to infrastructure to improve the speed. We do NOT have a cable/DSL
modem. Ours is dial up. So what do we need, to change to an infrastructure
wireless LAN & what are the connections.
We would like to share files & printers between the 3 pc's. TIA
BTW we are running win98se, me & xp pro.
Most consumer model wireless routers are designed for broadband, hence, you
can pick these up pretty cheap (some as low as $20-30 after rebate, http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...onics&n=507846).
Unfortunately, there's precious little available in the form of dial-up, at
least at this price level, because that's just not where the market is. But
there are still several options.
The Apple Airport is essentially what you want, a wireless, dial-up router.
Of course, being Mac-oriented, you'll have to decide for yourself just how
"Windows compatible" it really is, but supposedly it is WiFi 802.11b
compatible. It's also considerably more expensive than a consumer-level
wireless broadband router, like the D-Link DI-514.
The other option is to get a standard RS-232 supporting wired-only broadband
router. These have been around for YEARS. I'm sure with digging, you can
find others, but here are two examples:
SMC seems to provide the most RS-232 capable options these days.
So you set the SMC router up, as usual, as if it was a wired, dial-up
router. But now you get yourself either a wireless AP (Access Point) or
even a cheap, 802.11x wireless router (e.g., D-Link DI-514), and some
compatible wireless adapters for your clients. If using the AP, it's more
expensive, but a little more straightforward, you simply patch it via RJ45
to the SMC router. Now all your clients are connected via the AP, which
then routes requests over to the SMC router!
The other option, using the DI-514, is similar, except is MUCH cheaper. You
patch the DI-514 to the SMC router w/ a crossover cable (or standard cable
if either has an uplink port). You then disable the routing features *and*
DHCP in the DI-514, leaving only the wireless AP features. Just like with
the standalone AP, your clients are connected wirelessly, but all requests
to other PCs or the Internet, even DHCP requests, are routed over to the
SMC. IOW, you've converted the DI-514 from a wireless, broadband router,
into a simple AP! All other responsiblities, such as DHCP, Internet
routing, etc., are the responsibility of the SMC router.
Personally, I'd go the DI-514 approach (you can use basically any wireless
router you like, I just know this has been selling VERY cheap lately around
the Internet). It's a very inexpensive way to pick up a wireless AP.
That's all you really need. The more sophisticated and expensive approach
is to patch an AP to the SMC, that's in fact what they're intended for. But
the DI-514 approach will work, it's dirt cheap, and if and when you do get
broadband, you now have a functioning wireless, broadband router! Just
remove the SMC and re-enable the DI-514 DHCP and routing features, whalla!
If you haven't already detected it, here's the secret to solving this
problem.
Break the problem down into TWO separate problems, a) find a dial-up (RS232
capable) router that meets your needs *then*, b) find a wireless solution
that you can marry to that router. Each of these problems is *much* easier
(and cheaper) to solve individually, then trying to find a single,
comprehensive solution. Even if you find such a comprehensive solution, the
cost is likely to be prohibitive, these tend to be "business class" models
these days. And besides, there are real advantages to NOT tieing your
router requirements to your (local) wireless requirements. If you keep them
separate, then you can maintain the wired router solution, while changing
the wireless solution as the technology changes. So if a year from now, you
decide to upgrade from 802.11b to 802.11g, you just unhook the current
wireless solution, and stick in another one. Easy and cheap. With the
all-in-one solution, you end up throwing *everything* out just to get better
wireless. Same holds true of the wired side. If you decide to go w/
Gigabit (1000mbps) wired clients a year from now, why disturb your wireless
clients, leave them alone and just update the wireless features.
Anyway, that's why people get confused w/ wireless, dial-up solutions, they
spend countless hours searching for the all-in-one solution, instead of
using the divide and conquer strategy, much more effective, tme and
cost-wise.
HTH
Jim
"ted medin" <n6trf@arrl.net> wrote in message
news:e5zesSzJEHA.644@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> I have been to 3 experts & got 3 answers. So I hope you have a LAN like we
> would like, that is running.
> We have 3 pc's running an ad-hock wireless LAN but its slow & would like
to
> switch to infrastructure to improve the speed. We do NOT have a cable/DSL
> modem. Ours is dial up. So what do we need, to change to an infrastructure
> wireless LAN & what are the connections.
> We would like to share files & printers between the 3 pc's. TIA
> BTW we are running win98se, me & xp pro.
>
>
"ted medin" <n6trf@arrl.net> wrote in message
news:e5zesSzJEHA.644@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> I have been to 3 experts & got 3 answers. So I hope you have a LAN like we
> would like, that is running.
> We have 3 pc's running an ad-hock wireless LAN but its slow & would like
to
> switch to infrastructure to improve the speed. We do NOT have a cable/DSL
> modem. Ours is dial up. So what do we need, to change to an infrastructure
> wireless LAN & what are the connections.
> We would like to share files & printers between the 3 pc's. TIA
> BTW we are running win98se, me & xp pro.
>
>
If it were me...I would just use the Internet Connection Sharing in the XP
machine and get an access point to pull the infrastructure together. I
think you can just set the AP anywhere in the house (preferably centralized)
and configure all of the adapters to it. Wireless access points are
generally cheaper than routers anyway.
Guess i should refine my request. I should not have mentioned the dial-up. I
would like to connect all 3 pc's in a wireless infasctruture lan. TIA
"ted medin" <n6trf@arrl.net> wrote in message
news:e5zesSzJEHA.644@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> I have been to 3 experts & got 3 answers. So I hope you have a LAN like we
> would like, that is running.
> We have 3 pc's running an ad-hock wireless LAN but its slow & would like
to
> switch to infrastructure to improve the speed. We do NOT have a cable/DSL
> modem. Ours is dial up. So what do we need, to change to an infrastructure
> wireless LAN & what are the connections.
> We would like to share files & printers between the 3 pc's. TIA
> BTW we are running win98se, me & xp pro.
>
>
Local wireless LAN with dial-up 
Linear Mode
