Wireless Network Question
 

Okay.

I'm getting broadband installed in my house. The computer they're hooking up is an iMac. I'm hooking up a wireless router for my Compaq Presario laptop.

Am I gonna run into problems if the router is setup on the Mac? Am I just being stupid. And what the fuck does WiFi stand for?

You shouldn't have any problems. Wifi is based on IEEE 802.11 (b or g depending on what hardware you have). Most routers have setup via web browser so you shouldn't worry too much about hooking up a mac and windows box to it.

Here's a link to an faq on wifi. Post any questions that you come across during setup.

WiFi is a primarily a marketing term used by the WiFi Alliance to denote interoperability between different vendors.

If you buy a WiFi compliant Access Point from one manufacturer and a WiFi client (PCMCIA card) form another manufacturer, you know they will both work together; as they are both WiFi compliant.

It basically means they both comply with the 802.11 standards, so they should work together.

WiFi is often used by retailers, as terms like 802.11b, 802.11a and 802.11g scare away non-technical consumers.

The WiFi Alliance has also defined an enhanced security standard called WPA (WiFi Protected Access). Without going into too much technical detail (ask me in this thread if you DO want more technical detail), WPA greatly improves the security of wireless LANs.

Try to buy an Access Point that supports WPA if possible.


There are three current 802.11 standards that denote the PHY layers (ie, the actual WLANs themselves).

802.11b
2.4Ghz
11 Mb/s
The most common and cheapest standard. Provides a data rate of 11Mb/s which equates to actual throughput of around 6Mb/s. Perfect for most home networks. Uses the same frequency ranges as baby monitors, analogue cordless phones and microwave ovens(!).


802.11a
5Ghz
54Mb/s
Operates in a higher frequency range and provides more bandwidth. More expensive and not as common as 802.11b or 802.11g. I wouldn't buy this for a home network, but I'm going to deploy it in the enterprise WLAN I manage.


802.11g
54Mb/s
2.4Ghz
Newest standard and is "backwards compatible" with 802.11b (which is useful for existing deployed networks). Provides up to 54Mb/s data rate, which equates to around 22 Mb/s throughput. This is good if you expect to use your WLAN to share files amongst several computers. If you have only a single computer and an internet connection, selecting this higher speed standard will make no difference.


There is a whole "alphabet soup" of additional 802.11 standards out there, including:

802.11d
802.11e
802.11f
802.11h
802.11i (unratified)
802.11j
802.11m
802.11.n (unratified)


I could go on, but as a home user you don't need to understand or even know about any of them.


Post any more questions you may have and I'll be delighted to answer.


Mr Mephisto

That's more then enough info.

Thank you.

also, WiFi is derived from "Wireless Fidelity"

I think some plain english is needed here;)

you won't be setting the router up on the mac. You might set it up WITH the mac, but the router will do it's thing by itself. It will still be running even with all computers shut off. All the router does is allow multiple computers to talk to each other or to the internet. No matter what computer you set the router up with, the router can always accept any computer with the proper networking hardware (in your case up to 4 wired connections and a whole crapload of wireless connections).

Since you're obviously new at this, make sure when you set up wireless security that someone who knows what they're doing is only a phonecall away - wifi security can be a BITCH to get working right depending on your hardware.

My laptop is already set up for wireless. I have the card and everything. I've been using it at the local coffee shop for a year or so.

As for security so no one can use my network without password... no clue on that. Any suggestions?

Not sure about password protecting a wireless network, but one of the common things to restrict access to your network is to do something called MAC filtering (that's the hardware address of your network card, NOT the actual mac laptop). When MAC filtering is enabled and configured properly, only the network cards that you specified will be able to access the wireless connection.

See this thread: http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthr...threadid=54302

I posted a summary of the steps you should follow to secure your WLAN.

If you want, I can post more detailed instructions on this thread.

Let me know.


Mr Mephisto

yeah, MAC filtering is the best way to go - that way you don't have to dick arond with WEP, which loves to cause trouble.

Actually, WPA in Pre Share Key mode (WPA-PSK) is by FAR the best way to go.

It's pretty easy to spoof MAC addresses.

MAC address filtering should, under no circumstances, be your only or primary method of security.


Mr Mephisto

Thanks. Everything is set up and running like a Bat outta Hell

Kick ass.