Wireless network / router recommendations please ?

Hi All

We're leaving the UK soon for the Republic of Ireland.
Once we get over there we'll be getting a broadband connection, but
I don't really want to start running cables from the phone socket to
the new office (brand new house, new walls, new plastering etc !)

So - wireless networking seems like the way to go....

Never done this before - would welcome suggestions for an 'easy to set
up' wireless router and corresponding cards for PCs. There's a chance
that broadband might take a while to install - so if the router also
had an RS232 connection to drive a dail-up modem that'd be good...

Any recommendations, tips, things to avoid - please ..?

Thanks in advance
Adrian
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"Adrian Brentnall" <adrian-the papers and the
(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)
> Hi All
>
> We're leaving the UK soon for the Republic of Ireland.
> Once we get over there we'll be getting a broadband
> connection, but
> I don't really want to start running cables from the
> phone socket to the new office (brand new house, new
> walls, new plastering etc !)

Has the house already been built..? If still under construction you could
install CAT5 cabling from every room to a patch panel somewhere (say in
the loft) and use a structured cabling solution.

I don't like wireless.

Ivor

"Adrian Brentnall" <adrian-the papers and the (E-Mail Removed)> wrote
in message news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi All
>
> We're leaving the UK soon for the Republic of Ireland.
> Once we get over there we'll be getting a broadband connection, but
> I don't really want to start running cables from the phone socket to
> the new office (brand new house, new walls, new plastering etc !)
>
> So - wireless networking seems like the way to go....
>
> Never done this before - would welcome suggestions for an 'easy to set
> up' wireless router and corresponding cards for PCs. There's a chance
> that broadband might take a while to install - so if the router also
> had an RS232 connection to drive a dail-up modem that'd be good...
>
> Any recommendations, tips, things to avoid - please ..?
>
> Thanks in advance
> Adrian
> ======return email munged=================
> take out the papers and the trash to reply



Someone might correct me but I don't think that wireless will operate
acceptably using a slow dial-up connection.

When you get broadband, there are numerous products but I have found that
BELKIN satisfy most needs and are good value. . They make routers
[wireless] and PC cards and a lot else. http://www.belkin.com/uk/

> Any recommendations, tips, things to avoid - please ..?

Wireless can be a PITA. Make sure you have encryption enabled, WPA in
preference to WEP.

Dave

Hi Ivor

Thanks for the reply

On Sat, 17 Jun 2006 20:17:51 +0100, "Ivor Jones"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>
>
>"Adrian Brentnall" <adrian-the papers and the
>(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>news:(E-Mail Removed)
>> Hi All
>>
>> We're leaving the UK soon for the Republic of Ireland.
>> Once we get over there we'll be getting a broadband
>> connection, but
>> I don't really want to start running cables from the
>> phone socket to the new office (brand new house, new
>> walls, new plastering etc !)
>
>Has the house already been built..? If still under construction you could
>install CAT5 cabling from every room to a patch panel somewhere (say in
>the loft) and use a structured cabling solution.

Nice plan - but I'm afraid the place has already been finished...
Having a survey done at the moment - but I'm guessing (based on Sod's
Law) that the phone point will NOT be on the wall that back on to the
new office.......

...also - there's a possibility of needing internet access in a
'still-to-be-constructed' studio / workshop - so I though that
wireless might be a Good Plan there....?

>
>I don't like wireless.

Can you tell me why, please ?? - I'm new to wireless networks.
I've read the dire warnings about wireless security - but as our
nearest neighbour is going to be about 400 yards away I'm not sure
that's going to be such a big issue <g>

Thanks
Adrian
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Hi Christopher

Thanks for your reply

On Sat, 17 Jun 2006 20:27:17 +0100, "Christopher"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>
>"Adrian Brentnall" <adrian-the papers and the (E-Mail Removed)> wrote
>in message news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>> Hi All
>>
>> We're leaving the UK soon for the Republic of Ireland.
>> Once we get over there we'll be getting a broadband connection, but
>> I don't really want to start running cables from the phone socket to
>> the new office (brand new house, new walls, new plastering etc !)
>>
>> So - wireless networking seems like the way to go....
>>
>> Never done this before - would welcome suggestions for an 'easy to set
>> up' wireless router and corresponding cards for PCs. There's a chance
>> that broadband might take a while to install - so if the router also
>> had an RS232 connection to drive a dail-up modem that'd be good...
>>
>> Any recommendations, tips, things to avoid - please ..?
>>
>> Thanks in advance
>> Adrian
>> ======return email munged=================
>> take out the papers and the trash to reply
>
>
>
>Someone might correct me but I don't think that wireless will operate
>acceptably using a slow dial-up connection.

Oh - right....
The dial-up is only really a 'plan B' type of thing - in case it's
necessary to get a POTS phone line installed first and then upgraded
to a broadband connection..... not sure if this is how it works over
there...?

>
>When you get broadband, there are numerous products but I have found that
>BELKIN satisfy most needs and are good value. . They make routers
>[wireless] and PC cards and a lot else. http://www.belkin.com/uk/
>
>
OK - thanks....
Checking prices at CPC - seems to be about £80 for a router and £40
for a pci card - is that about the going rate ??

Thanks
Adrian
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"Adrian Brentnall" <adrian-the papers and the
(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)
>
> On Sat, 17 Jun 2006 20:17:51 +0100, "Ivor Jones"
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

[snip]

> > Has the house already been built..? If still under
> > construction you could install CAT5 cabling from every
> > room to a patch panel somewhere (say in the loft) and
> > use a structured cabling solution.
>
> Nice plan - but I'm afraid the place has already been
> finished... Having a survey done at the moment - but I'm
> guessing (based on Sod's Law) that the phone point will
> NOT be on the wall that back on to the new office.......

Hmm, pity..! That would have been the ideal solution IMHO.

> ..also - there's a possibility of needing internet access
> in a 'still-to-be-constructed' studio / workshop - so I
> though that wireless might be a Good Plan there....?
>
> >
> > I don't like wireless.
>
> Can you tell me why, please ?? - I'm new to wireless
> networks.
> I've read the dire warnings about wireless security - but
> as our nearest neighbour is going to be about 400 yards
> away I'm not sure that's going to be such a big issue <g>

Possibly, but apart from security, the fastest speed on a wireless LAN is
going to be 54Mbps as against 100 for a cabled connection or even 1Gb/s
for a gigabit connection. Not so important for casual use but if you're a
heavy downloader/gamer or whatever or you have several kids all sharing
the connection it can make a difference.

Ivor

"Adrian Brentnall" <adrian-the papers and the (E-Mail Removed)> wrote
in message news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi All
>
> We're leaving the UK soon for the Republic of Ireland.
> Once we get over there we'll be getting a broadband connection, but
> I don't really want to start running cables from the phone socket to
> the new office (brand new house, new walls, new plastering etc !)
>
> So - wireless networking seems like the way to go....
>
> Never done this before - would welcome suggestions for an 'easy to set
> up' wireless router and corresponding cards for PCs. There's a chance
> that broadband might take a while to install - so if the router also
> had an RS232 connection to drive a dail-up modem that'd be good...
>
> Any recommendations, tips, things to avoid - please ..?
>
> Thanks in advance


If it were me I'd wait until I was over there before finally deciding which
way to proceed. As you've probably seen most UK ISP's provide optional
hardware at sign-up. this has the advantage that they will normally provide
support if you have any difficulties with setting up the equipment they
sell.

Of course you'll need to know whether you'll be in an area served by DSL or
whether you might need for example, a satellite service. There's a list of
some Irish ISP's here, it might be useful for seeing whether they provide
services to your intended location.
<http://www.irishisptest.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?s=268b9d850eafcb54b7c7753fa80f7dc 4&f=3>

Good luck with the move.

Joe Lee

> Adrian
> ======return email munged=================
> take out the papers and the trash to reply

"Joe Lee" <invalid@noaddress> wrote in message
news:449478ec$0$1224$(E-Mail Removed)

[snip]

> If it were me I'd wait until I was over there before
> finally deciding which way to proceed. As you've probably
> seen most UK ISP's provide optional hardware at sign-up.
> this has the advantage that they will normally provide
> support if you have any difficulties with setting up the equipment they
> sell.
> Of course you'll need to know whether you'll be in an
> area served by DSL or whether you might need for example,
> a satellite service. There's a list of some Irish ISP's
> here, it might be useful for seeing whether they provide
> services to your intended location.
> <http://www.irishisptest.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?s=268b9d850eafcb54b7c7753fa80f7dc 4&f=3>
>
> Good luck with the move.
>
> Joe Lee

If the OP wants I'll email a friend of mine who moved to Eire last year,
he has broadband but I think it was quite a struggle getting it as he
lives out in the middle of nowhere..! He might have some suggestions to
offer. What area of the country are we talking about..?

Ivor

On 17 Jun 2006, "Ivor Jones" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Possibly, but apart from security, the fastest speed on a wireless LAN is
>going to be 54Mbps as against 100 for a cabled connection

and worse for 3+ devices using wireless, as packets would no doubt clash!

>or even 1Gb/s for a gigabit connection. Not so important for casual use but ...
.... cabled will be fine for future developments... having a media server for
the whole household to be able to watch a film in the lounge while one of the
family chooses to have their own choice of music for a private "disco" in some
other room... cable gives higher speed and pretty much 100% reliability!