WiFi and hard-wired network question

My current setup is this: Internet connection by DLink 504 Router (which
can't be changed as it's supplied by my wife's company - they also pay
for the broadband! <VBG>). Router is plugged into a 4 port Netgear hub.
Off the hub run my wife's laptop (which doesn't have Wifi capability
AFAIK) my desktop which also doesn't have WiFi capability, and a spare
access point for my laptop (which DOES have Wifi capability). At the
moment, if I need to use my laptop in the next room, I unroll about 15m
of cable to plug it in to the network.

My question is this: Is there a device that I can either replace the hub
with that will a) give the hard-wired facilities (2 off - my desktop and
her laptop)) and b) enable my laptop to utilise WiFi, or possibly, a
device that I can insert between the router and the hub to let me have
WiFi access to my laptop?

Thanks
--
Registered Linux User no 240308
Ubuntu 5.10, Pan, Evolution and Firefox
gbplinuxATgmailDOTcom
to email me remove the obvious!

In message <(E-Mail Removed)>, gordon
<(E-Mail Removed)> writes
>My current setup is this: Internet connection by DLink 504 Router
>(which can't be changed as it's supplied by my wife's company - they
>also pay for the broadband! <VBG>). Router is plugged into a 4 port
>Netgear hub. Off the hub run my wife's laptop (which doesn't have Wifi
>capability AFAIK) my desktop which also doesn't have WiFi capability,
>and a spare access point for my laptop (which DOES have Wifi
>capability). At the moment, if I need to use my laptop in the next
>room, I unroll about 15m of cable to plug it in to the network.
>
>My question is this: Is there a device that I can either replace the
>hub with that will a) give the hard-wired facilities (2 off - my
>desktop and her laptop)) and b) enable my laptop to utilise WiFi, or
>possibly, a device that I can insert between the router and the hub to
>let me have WiFi access to my laptop?

The simplest way is to plug a wireless Access Point into the spare port
of the router. That should be all you need. As an IT Manager though I
have to say that I would be dischuffed if someone hung a wireless access
point on a network that included a machine that might have sensitive
company data on it.

My policy was always to make sure that my remote users had a secure
setup, so I was quite happy to give advice on setting up home networks.
The meant that people came and told me what they were doing instead of
hiding it from me. Other IT Managers have other ideas though. I strongly
recommend that you ask your wife to talk to her IT support people before
you do anything.



--
Bernard Peek
London, UK. DBA, Manager, Trainer & Author.

gordon wrote:
> My current setup is this: Internet connection by DLink 504 Router
> (which can't be changed as it's supplied by my wife's company - they
> also pay for the broadband! <VBG>). Router is plugged into a 4 port
> Netgear hub. Off the hub run my wife's laptop (which doesn't have
> Wifi capability AFAIK) my desktop which also doesn't have WiFi
> capability, and a spare access point for my laptop (which DOES have
> Wifi capability). At the moment, if I need to use my laptop in the
> next room, I unroll about 15m of cable to plug it in to the network.
>
> My question is this: Is there a device that I can either replace the
> hub with that will a) give the hard-wired facilities (2 off - my
> desktop and her laptop)) and b) enable my laptop to utilise WiFi, or
> possibly, a device that I can insert between the router and the hub
> to let me have WiFi access to my laptop?
>
Yes , a wireless bridge like this one
http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/produ...duct_uid=52460
canbe plugged into the hub and allows your wireless laptop to connect to the
network

Bernard Peek wrote:

>
> My policy was always to make sure that my remote users had a secure
> setup, so I was quite happy to give advice on setting up home networks.
> The meant that people came and told me what they were doing instead of
> hiding it from me. Other IT Managers have other ideas though. I strongly
> recommend that you ask your wife to talk to her IT support people before
> you do anything.
>
>
>

Thanks for that - I have to say that we are right out in the middle of
the countryside, and I *know* that there is no-one within half a mile
who has any kind of computer, let alone any WiFi capability, so I'm not
overly concerned about the security aspect. in any case, although my
wife's laptop is on the network for internet access, there are no shares
set up on it, so security is fairly good.


--
Registered Linux User no 240308
Ubuntu 5.10, Pan, Evolution and Firefox
gbplinuxATgmailDOTcom
to email me remove the obvious!

Dr Zoidberg wrote:
> gordon wrote:
>
>>My current setup is this: Internet connection by DLink 504 Router
>>(which can't be changed as it's supplied by my wife's company - they
>>also pay for the broadband! <VBG>). Router is plugged into a 4 port
>>Netgear hub. Off the hub run my wife's laptop (which doesn't have
>>Wifi capability AFAIK) my desktop which also doesn't have WiFi
>>capability, and a spare access point for my laptop (which DOES have
>>Wifi capability). At the moment, if I need to use my laptop in the
>>next room, I unroll about 15m of cable to plug it in to the network.
>>
>>My question is this: Is there a device that I can either replace the
>>hub with that will a) give the hard-wired facilities (2 off - my
>>desktop and her laptop)) and b) enable my laptop to utilise WiFi, or
>>possibly, a device that I can insert between the router and the hub
>>to let me have WiFi access to my laptop?
>>
>
> Yes , a wireless bridge like this one
> http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/produ...duct_uid=52460
> canbe plugged into the hub and allows your wireless laptop to connect to the
> network
>
>

Thanks for the info - looks just what I'm after.

--
Registered Linux User no 240308
Ubuntu 5.10, Pan, Evolution and Firefox
gbplinuxATgmailDOTcom
to email me remove the obvious!

"Bernard Peek" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> In message <(E-Mail Removed)>, gordon
> <(E-Mail Removed)> writes
>>My current setup is this: Internet connection by DLink 504 Router (which
>>can't be changed as it's supplied by my wife's company - they also pay for
>>the broadband! <VBG>). Router is plugged into a 4 port Netgear hub. Off
>>the hub run my wife's laptop (which doesn't have Wifi capability AFAIK) my
>>desktop which also doesn't have WiFi capability, and a spare access point
>>for my laptop (which DOES have Wifi capability). At the moment, if I need
>>to use my laptop in the next room, I unroll about 15m of cable to plug it
>>in to the network.
>>
>>My question is this: Is there a device that I can either replace the hub
>>with that will a) give the hard-wired facilities (2 off - my desktop and
>>her laptop)) and b) enable my laptop to utilise WiFi, or possibly, a
>>device that I can insert between the router and the hub to let me have
>>WiFi access to my laptop?
>
> The simplest way is to plug a wireless Access Point into the spare port of
> the router. That should be all you need. As an IT Manager though I have to
> say that I would be dischuffed if someone hung a wireless access point on
> a network that included a machine that might have sensitive company data
> on it.
>
> My policy was always to make sure that my remote users had a secure setup,
> so I was quite happy to give advice on setting up home networks. The meant
> that people came and told me what they were doing instead of hiding it
> from me. Other IT Managers have other ideas though. I strongly recommend
> that you ask your wife to talk to her IT support people before you do
> anything.
>
>
>
> --
> Bernard Peek
> London, UK. DBA, Manager, Trainer & Author.
>

It's a shame you don't know much about wireless networks or how secure they
can be if set up correctly. There is a difference between someone that can
quote a book and someone that understands what they read! I also work in IT
and hate people that have nothing more than a GCSE or A level calling
themselves "managers" when they don't even know the basics!
I've seen them all.

On 14/11/2005 john wrote:

> > The simplest way is to plug a wireless Access Point into the spare
> > port of the router. That should be all you need. As an IT Manager
> > though I have to say that I would be dischuffed if someone hung a
> > wireless access point on a network that included a machine that
> > might have sensitive company data on it.
> >
> > My policy was always to make sure that my remote users had a secure
> > setup, so I was quite happy to give advice on setting up home
> > networks. The meant that people came and told me what they were
> > doing instead of hiding it from me. Other IT Managers have other
> > ideas though. I strongly recommend that you ask your wife to talk
> > to her IT support people before you do anything.

> It's a shame you don't know much about wireless networks or how
> secure they can be if set up correctly. There is a difference
> between someone that can quote a book and someone that understands
> what they read! I also work in IT and hate people that have nothing
> more than a GCSE or A level calling themselves "managers" when they
> don't even know the basics! I've seen them all.


I'm puzzled as to how you jumped to that conclusion from the comments
made by Bernard?

I would have loved to have had an IT department that was willing to
talk me through setting up a home network with security in mind.

You should also bear in mind that it is a manager's job to manage.
Managers need management skills, the techies who work for them need
technical skills. There are very few IT techies who would make good
managers.


--
Jeff Gaines - Damerham Hampshire UK
Using XanaNews 1.17.6.5

In message <kQ5ef.5701$(E-Mail Removed)>, john
<(E-Mail Removed)> writes


>> My policy was always to make sure that my remote users had a secure setup,
>> so I was quite happy to give advice on setting up home networks. The meant
>> that people came and told me what they were doing instead of hiding it
>> from me. Other IT Managers have other ideas though. I strongly recommend
>> that you ask your wife to talk to her IT support people before you do
>> anything.
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Bernard Peek
>> London, UK. DBA, Manager, Trainer & Author.
>>
>
>It's a shame you don't know much about wireless networks or how secure they
>can be if set up correctly. There is a difference between someone that can
>quote a book and someone that understands what they read! I also work in IT
>and hate people that have nothing more than a GCSE or A level calling
>themselves "managers" when they don't even know the basics!
>I've seen them all.

It gets even worse when they have a degree and an MBA.

Luckily nobody pays me to put together their wireless networks, so I
don't need to know too much about it. They pay me to know what's
possible, who can do it, how long it will take and how much it will
cost. When someone asked me for advice on setting up a wireless network
I made sure that the right person answered them, and that certainly
wasn't me.



--
Bernard Peek
London, UK. DBA, Manager, Trainer & Author.

In message <(E-Mail Removed)>, Jeff Gaines
<(E-Mail Removed)> writes
>On 14/11/2005 john wrote:
>
>> > The simplest way is to plug a wireless Access Point into the spare
>> > port of the router. That should be all you need. As an IT Manager
>> > though I have to say that I would be dischuffed if someone hung a
>> > wireless access point on a network that included a machine that
>> > might have sensitive company data on it.
>> >
>> > My policy was always to make sure that my remote users had a secure
>> > setup, so I was quite happy to give advice on setting up home
>> > networks. The meant that people came and told me what they were
>> > doing instead of hiding it from me. Other IT Managers have other
>> > ideas though. I strongly recommend that you ask your wife to talk
>> > to her IT support people before you do anything.
>
>> It's a shame you don't know much about wireless networks or how
>> secure they can be if set up correctly. There is a difference
>> between someone that can quote a book and someone that understands
>> what they read! I also work in IT and hate people that have nothing
>> more than a GCSE or A level calling themselves "managers" when they
>> don't even know the basics! I've seen them all.
>
>
>I'm puzzled as to how you jumped to that conclusion from the comments
>made by Bernard?

I have to say that the conclusion John jumped to was completely correct.
I suspect that lots of other people did the same.

>
>I would have loved to have had an IT department that was willing to
>talk me through setting up a home network with security in mind.

The key word there is department. As an IT Manager I have a team that I
can call on when I need detailed help. When someone wanted to add
wireless to their network I had someone available who could do it
blindfold, and I could have them talk the end-user through selecting the
hardware and installing it. If that engineer went under a bus I could
probably find out how to do it, but I would be a very slow and very
expensive network engineer.

>
>You should also bear in mind that it is a manager's job to manage.
>Managers need management skills, the techies who work for them need
>technical skills. There are very few IT techies who would make good
>managers.

I rely on being a better network engineer than the MD and a better
strategist than my engineers. I'm also a trainer so I also try to get
them to swap some of their knowledge. It makes the engineer better
prepared for when they become a manager and the MD stops making (as
many) trivial calls to the helpdesk, so the helpdesk can concentrate on
more interesting problems.

There's an interesting topic on Silicon.com today.

http://management.silicon.com/career...9154129,00.htm

I couldn't resist adding a comment to stir things up.



--
Bernard Peek
London, UK. DBA, Manager, Trainer & Author.

On 14/11/2005 Bernard Peek wrote:

> There's an interesting topic on Silicon.com today.
>
> http://management.silicon.com/career...9154129,00.htm
>
> I couldn't resist adding a comment to stir things up.

:-)

Interesting article, clear statement of the bl**ding obvious as Basil
Fawlty might have said :-))

We certainly used to try and get senior IT people with those skills,
the less senior ones we'd go for technical ability and a reasonable
level of inter personal skills, at least that way they could speak to
the people they were supporting!

--
Jeff Gaines - Damerham Hampshire UK
Using XanaNews 1.17.6.5