Newbie - wireless internet question

Do I have to have a DSL modem to set up wireless access point?
The modem I have is an old VisionNet that does not have a Ethernet port.

mac wrote:
> Do I have to have a DSL modem to set up wireless access point?
> The modem I have is an old VisionNet that does not have a Ethernet port.

No. How, or even if, you connect to the Internet has nothing to do with
how you set up your local network, wireless or otherwise.

On the other hand, if you want to share the Internet over a local
wireless network, you should get a modem that has an Ethernet port.
Very few, if any, home wireless routers have USB inputs.

You could use a USB modem connected to a PC running Windows Internet
Connection Sharing and then connect a wireless router/access point to
that computer, but this arrangement has several disadvantages compared
to using a wireless router directly connected to your modem.

--
Lem -- MS-MVP

To the moon and back with 2K words of RAM and 36K words of ROM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer
http://history.nasa.gov/afj/compessay.htm

"mac" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> Do I have to have a DSL modem to set up wireless access point?

No

> The modem I have is an old VisionNet that does not have a Ethernet port.

Never heard of it.

Lem wrote:
> mac wrote:
>> Do I have to have a DSL modem to set up wireless access point?
>> The modem I have is an old VisionNet that does not have a Ethernet port.
>
> No. How, or even if, you connect to the Internet has nothing to do with
> how you set up your local network, wireless or otherwise.
>
> On the other hand, if you want to share the Internet over a local
> wireless network, you should get a modem that has an Ethernet port.
> Very few, if any, home wireless routers have USB inputs.
>
> You could use a USB modem connected to a PC running Windows Internet
> Connection Sharing and then connect a wireless router/access point to
> that computer, but this arrangement has several disadvantages compared
> to using a wireless router directly connected to your modem.
>
Thanks for your help Lem.

As you can tell I'm new to this.
Trying to go the easiest route, without spending money I don't need to
spend.
Is there a combo modem/router?
What modem and router do you suggest?
I have a computer that is almost a year old and has the Ethernet ports.
No wireless adapter. So I will need that also.

The VisionNet modem I have has to be at least 10 years old maybe 15.

Mac

mac wrote:
> Lem wrote:
>> mac wrote:
>>> Do I have to have a DSL modem to set up wireless access point?
>>> The modem I have is an old VisionNet that does not have a Ethernet port.
>>
>> No. How, or even if, you connect to the Internet has nothing to do
>> with how you set up your local network, wireless or otherwise.
>>
>> On the other hand, if you want to share the Internet over a local
>> wireless network, you should get a modem that has an Ethernet port.
>> Very few, if any, home wireless routers have USB inputs.
>>
>> You could use a USB modem connected to a PC running Windows Internet
>> Connection Sharing and then connect a wireless router/access point to
>> that computer, but this arrangement has several disadvantages compared
>> to using a wireless router directly connected to your modem.
>>
> Thanks for your help Lem.
>
> As you can tell I'm new to this.
> Trying to go the easiest route, without spending money I don't need to
> spend.
> Is there a combo modem/router?
> What modem and router do you suggest?
> I have a computer that is almost a year old and has the Ethernet ports.
> No wireless adapter. So I will need that also.
>
> The VisionNet modem I have has to be at least 10 years old maybe 15.
>
> Mac
>

What kind of modem you get depends on what kind of Internet connection
you have -- dialup, DSL, cable, something else.

There are combination modem/routers, but most recommendations are that
you should pay a little more to get more flexibility, more router
options, more upgradability, and cheaper replacement if one part goes
bad. I don't know what, if any, significance this has, but Linksys
apparently is no longer shipping its DSL modem/routers, although it does
have one for cable.

Either ask your ISP what modems are compatible with your service or try
www.dslreports.com which has forums for many different ISPs.

The options for routers are much wider. What you get depends on what
you want to do now and in the future. Most home wireless routers
include 4 Ethernet ports, so you can have wired as well as wireless
computers connected to the router to share the Internet connection as
well as files and folders among the networked computers.

The dominant standard today for home wireless networking is called IEEE
802.11G or Wireless-G. G has a theoretical max data rate of 54
Mbits/sec (although typical throughput is about half that) and is
perfectly adequate for most home installations.

Most of the "name" brand wireless vendors (Linksys, D-Link, Netgear,
Buffalo, etc) have "enhanced" wireless-G versions that they advertise as
being faster or having more range (or both). To the extent that these
devices do provide any improvement in speed or range over standard
802.11G devices, they can *only* do so between devices of the same type
and brand. That is, if you get a Linksys Wireless-G router with
"SpeedBooster" you'll only get the "boost" if you have the corresponding
Linksys Wireless-G adapter with "SpeedBooster."

Most of the speed- and range-enhanced 802.11G devices are being pushed
less by the vendors today because of a new generation of wireless
devices that are called Wireless-N (or something similar). The problem
here is that these devices are based on a *draft* of IEEE 802.11N. That
is, 802.11N is not yet an official "standard." The IEEE has been
working on 802.11N since 2004. The publication of the standard has been
expected "soon" for more than a year. The last I heard, potential legal
issues were stalling things. Nevertheless, there are a lot of "draft-N"
or "pre-N" devices on the market, and they're getting cheaper all the time.

Unless you have an unusual environment (e.g., your wireless router will
be 3 floors and 300 feet away from your wireless computer and you live
in a building with steel-reinforced concrete construction), or if you
anticipate transferring large video files between your computers on a
regular basis, ordinary wireless-G should be just fine.

I suggest you stick with one of the brands I mentioned above. If you
want to go wireless-N, then the D-Link DIR-655 is supposed to be pretty
good. It also has 10x faster wired ports (but you probably won't be
able to take advantage of that without upgrading the adapter on your
computer).

As you expected, you will have to get a wireless adapter for your
computer. For most flexibility, get a USB wireless adapter. Among
other things, this will allow you to position the antenna for best
reception. If you have a desktop, you can get an internal PCI card
adapter, but if you do, make sure that the antenna is detachable so you
can get an extension cable and get the antenna out from behind the
computer case. If you have a laptop, you can get a PC-Card adapter.

Just remember to an adapter that's compatible with your router:
wireless-g with wireless-g; wireless-n with wireless-n; etc.

Finally, if you go to http://www.linksys.com/ and click on the link for
their "Learning Center," they have some helpful FAQs and videos.
--
Lem -- MS-MVP

To the moon and back with 2K words of RAM and 36K words of ROM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer
http://history.nasa.gov/afj/compessay.htm

Thanks Lem for all the good info.


Lem wrote:
> mac wrote:
>> Lem wrote:
>>> mac wrote:
>>>> Do I have to have a DSL modem to set up wireless access point?
>>>> The modem I have is an old VisionNet that does not have a Ethernet port.
>>>
>>> No. How, or even if, you connect to the Internet has nothing to do
>>> with how you set up your local network, wireless or otherwise.
>>>
>>> On the other hand, if you want to share the Internet over a local
>>> wireless network, you should get a modem that has an Ethernet port.
>>> Very few, if any, home wireless routers have USB inputs.
>>>
>>> You could use a USB modem connected to a PC running Windows Internet
>>> Connection Sharing and then connect a wireless router/access point to
>>> that computer, but this arrangement has several disadvantages compared
>>> to using a wireless router directly connected to your modem.
>>>
>> Thanks for your help Lem.
>>
>> As you can tell I'm new to this.
>> Trying to go the easiest route, without spending money I don't need to
>> spend.
>> Is there a combo modem/router?
>> What modem and router do you suggest?
>> I have a computer that is almost a year old and has the Ethernet ports.
>> No wireless adapter. So I will need that also.
>>
>> The VisionNet modem I have has to be at least 10 years old maybe 15.
>>
>> Mac
>>
>
> What kind of modem you get depends on what kind of Internet connection
> you have -- dialup, DSL, cable, something else.
>
> There are combination modem/routers, but most recommendations are that
> you should pay a little more to get more flexibility, more router
> options, more upgradability, and cheaper replacement if one part goes
> bad. I don't know what, if any, significance this has, but Linksys
> apparently is no longer shipping its DSL modem/routers, although it does
> have one for cable.
>
> Either ask your ISP what modems are compatible with your service or try
> www.dslreports.com which has forums for many different ISPs.
>
> The options for routers are much wider. What you get depends on what
> you want to do now and in the future. Most home wireless routers
> include 4 Ethernet ports, so you can have wired as well as wireless
> computers connected to the router to share the Internet connection as
> well as files and folders among the networked computers.
>
> The dominant standard today for home wireless networking is called IEEE
> 802.11G or Wireless-G. G has a theoretical max data rate of 54
> Mbits/sec (although typical throughput is about half that) and is
> perfectly adequate for most home installations.
>
> Most of the "name" brand wireless vendors (Linksys, D-Link, Netgear,
> Buffalo, etc) have "enhanced" wireless-G versions that they advertise as
> being faster or having more range (or both). To the extent that these
> devices do provide any improvement in speed or range over standard
> 802.11G devices, they can *only* do so between devices of the same type
> and brand. That is, if you get a Linksys Wireless-G router with
> "SpeedBooster" you'll only get the "boost" if you have the corresponding
> Linksys Wireless-G adapter with "SpeedBooster."
>
> Most of the speed- and range-enhanced 802.11G devices are being pushed
> less by the vendors today because of a new generation of wireless
> devices that are called Wireless-N (or something similar). The problem
> here is that these devices are based on a *draft* of IEEE 802.11N. That
> is, 802.11N is not yet an official "standard." The IEEE has been
> working on 802.11N since 2004. The publication of the standard has been
> expected "soon" for more than a year. The last I heard, potential legal
> issues were stalling things. Nevertheless, there are a lot of "draft-N"
> or "pre-N" devices on the market, and they're getting cheaper all the time.
>
> Unless you have an unusual environment (e.g., your wireless router will
> be 3 floors and 300 feet away from your wireless computer and you live
> in a building with steel-reinforced concrete construction), or if you
> anticipate transferring large video files between your computers on a
> regular basis, ordinary wireless-G should be just fine.
>
> I suggest you stick with one of the brands I mentioned above. If you
> want to go wireless-N, then the D-Link DIR-655 is supposed to be pretty
> good. It also has 10x faster wired ports (but you probably won't be
> able to take advantage of that without upgrading the adapter on your
> computer).
>
> As you expected, you will have to get a wireless adapter for your
> computer. For most flexibility, get a USB wireless adapter. Among
> other things, this will allow you to position the antenna for best
> reception. If you have a desktop, you can get an internal PCI card
> adapter, but if you do, make sure that the antenna is detachable so you
> can get an extension cable and get the antenna out from behind the
> computer case. If you have a laptop, you can get a PC-Card adapter.
>
> Just remember to an adapter that's compatible with your router:
> wireless-g with wireless-g; wireless-n with wireless-n; etc.
>
> Finally, if you go to http://www.linksys.com/ and click on the link for
> their "Learning Center," they have some helpful FAQs and videos.

mac wrote:
> Thanks Lem for all the good info.
>

You're welcome.

Setting up wireless networks is not as difficult as you might gather
from reading some of the posts in this newsgroup. First, make sure that
your computer is virus and malware free and then read the directions
that come with whatever equipment you buy. It pays to read all the way
through before starting. Aside from the malware check, if you only have
one computer at the moment, and thus are only concerned with connecting
to the Internet without the need to share files and printers, it should
take you about 10-15 minutes after you unpack the boxes to be up and
running.
--
Lem -- MS-MVP

To the moon and back with 2K words of RAM and 36K words of ROM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer
http://history.nasa.gov/afj/compessay.htm

Lem wrote:
> mac wrote:
>> Thanks Lem for all the good info.
>>
>
> You're welcome.
>
> Setting up wireless networks is not as difficult as you might gather
> from reading some of the posts in this newsgroup. First, make sure that
> your computer is virus and malware free and then read the directions
> that come with whatever equipment you buy. It pays to read all the way
> through before starting. Aside from the malware check, if you only have
> one computer at the moment, and thus are only concerned with connecting
> to the Internet without the need to share files and printers, it should
> take you about 10-15 minutes after you unpack the boxes to be up and
> running.

I'll remember you said that.
I think with all of your help I'll do ok.

Mac

Hi
In case you are on a Dialup this might help.
Look at option 2.
http://www.ezlan.net/DialUp.html
Jack (MVP-Networking).

"mac" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> Do I have to have a DSL modem to set up wireless access point?
> The modem I have is an old VisionNet that does not have a Ethernet port.

I am writing this letter to ALL Wireless Router manufacturers.
I have a Linksys Wireless Router Model:BEFW11S4. It is 7 years (yes, count
them, all of seven little years) old. I have visited the Linksys website
numerous times trying to set up the WEP/WPA security on that wireless router
(as all responsible wireless router owners should!). I found that there are
no links to any wireless router setting websites that are congruent with the
screen shots from Linksys' own self help technical support site. I have had
to call Linksys several times to resolve this issue only to be placed on hold
for lengthy times (sometimes my call was dropped and I had to start over ....
how sad for such a large company to have such poorly trained phone
receptionists!), then be transferred (see previous comment about the phone
receptionists) to a supposed supervisor, only to finally be transferred to
someone who tells me that the warranty has expired and wants me to pay $40.00
for the technical support to do the right thing that I want and need to do.
First, the device works fine (as evidenced by this e-mail that you have
just received)!
Second, why should I have to pay for doing the right thing?
Third, if I am going to be EXTORTED into buying a new wireless router so
that I can do the right thing and set up an encryption key for a secure
network, what on Gods' Green Earth makes anyone think that I would CHOOSE to
buy another Linksys product when ALL that I have ever received from them is a
functional wireless router (yes, even after seven whole years) and the
crappiest Customer Service/Technical Support I have ever had the displeasure
to encounter!
I shall copy this letter and try to find as many Chat Rooms as possible in
order to spread the word of ALL that I have gone through with the Chain of
Command at the Linksys phone center, well above and beyond what any
reasonable person should expect to go through, and still have NO RELIEF
concerning my singular issue with their product and its capabilities that I
SHOULD be able to enjoy as the owner of said product! What has happend to
"The Customer Is Always Right" Customer Service mantra (I can't say "In
America" because the call was handled in India)? Is the Customer, the ones
that makes the company what it is through the purchase of products, so
worthless to the company that they can just be treated with abject contempt
and scorn? Is the Customer to thus be trampled underfoot? Are we paying to
be so abused? I, for one (yes, one, the beginning of all), shall NOT be
treated in such manner, and CERTAINLY shall NOT PAY to be treated as such!
In this world of expanding technologies, it shall be those with the
GREATEST Customer Appeal that shall continue to be found worthwile in the
publics' eyes (and pocketbooks) and shall grow to meet the demands of a
growing world - ESPECIALLY in the Electronics Department!
It is now my strongest desire that the Linksys Corporation suffers
irreparable damage and goes out of business for their Crappy Customer
Service! I can only hope that I reach enough people around the world to bring
this desire true!

"mac" wrote:

> Do I have to have a DSL modem to set up wireless access point?
> The modem I have is an old VisionNet that does not have a Ethernet port.
>