Cable internet router thingy advice.

I'm on Telewest Broadband so should shortly be upgraded to 2Mb. I'm looking for a router so I've got a chance of getting onto me pc for more than the occasional five minutes.

Bearing in mind that I've only just worked out that the microwave isn't supposed to get channel five can anyone point me in the right direction?

 

Reight - so you've got 2 PC's that want to share the connection.
Easy enough as long as at least one of the machines runs Windows XP as this has a setup wizard that creates a network in 2 mins flat.

Hardware wise, each machine will need a network card.
If you look on the back plate of the main unit of each PC - it may be next to the USB ports or it may be in the rack of slots lower down. On the PC currently connected to blueyonder it will have the modem plugged in at the minute so unplug it, have a look at the sockets and check there's one on the other machine. If unsure, go into Start Menu > Contol Panel > System > Device manager, and click on Network Devices - see what's listed and post it here.

Now here's time to make a choice - Wired or Wireless.
If the second machine is a laptop, go wireless so you can surf anywhere in the house.
If not, a wired solution has cheaper hardware, is easier to secure but at the expense of having a cable to the second machine.

Wireless routers have wired ability as well so you can wire up the PC that's currently connected to the modem and only buy wireless hardware for the other one.

The only hardware you'll need is a router, possibly a network card for the second machine and possibly some wires.

Probably the first thing to do is decide do you need wireless? Or even perhaps like it for future upgradeability?
If not, check if the second PC has a network card (is it a desktop or a laptop btw?) and then we can come up with solutions for you.

 

Spot on for me that mate, much obliged.

You should do this sort of thing for a living. 

 

Right.

It's got -

1394 Net Adapter

Realtek RTL8139/810x Family Fast Ethernet NIC

It has one of those telephony looking holes in the back that has "line" under it and another one further up.

It has a 56k modem so I guess one of those ports will be useable.

So I guess i just need the router and some cable then.

 

Go for the linksys Cable\broadband 54g wireless router. Weve found theyre the best at the mo for the price - cheap but Cisco inside. Go for the wireless one then if you get a lappie etc you wont need to upgrade.

John says hi and he'l be intouch soon - hesnot forgot. Hes still looking for those things for ya.

Wish i was still in eye beefa!

1st day back at work - not good.

 

Welcome home mate.

I know what you're going through.

At the risk of sounding daft - do I need an adaptor to pick up the signal from the router? What am I looking for in the hardware? Are these any good? -

1394 Net Adapter

Realtek RTL8139/810x Family Fast Ethernet NIC

Oh, and the router, which one is it on this page?

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/st...gory_oid=-24986&fm=10&sm=1&tm=0&show_all=true
















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oh windy btw!

Your computers will be connecting to this through the network sockets - if your PC's dont have these sockets then you will need a NIC - Network interface card. The picture above the socket will be three boxes connected together.

 

RE: oh windy btw!

Got it mate.

D's buying the router now and we're going to give it a go. Might need to buy an adapter to go wireless if the other one doesn't pick it up.

 

RE: oh windy btw!

giz a buzz if u get stuck - after 5 if you can.