Sharing broadband service wirelessly.

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
I want to share my broadband Road Runner connection with my sister. However, her Windows 2000 ThinkPad is located two floors above me, I am in the basement. In an effort not to deal with multiple feet of cable, I would like to wirelessly connect her to my Netgear router which is already serving my iMac and Windows XP machine via ethernet cables, none of the computers are networked and I don't want them to be. My plan is to only have her on the wireless connection, no need to be networked to me. So what do I have to do to achieve this? I know I want an airport base station (just because I like how it looks ). However, her computer does not have any wireless ethernet card, or anything. So I would have to buy one of those right or some type of base station point? And, what would the setup be like; Would I plug the airport base into my router, like my other two computers? This is where everything gets shady for me. Could someone explain what would happen next, the setup, and another major concern is how secure is this wireless network going to be? I don't want someone getting a free ride off of my broadband service. Thanks!
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 33
    torifiletorifile Posts: 4,024member
    If you get an ABS, you need to get her a wireless connection. I'm using a Linksys WUSB11 without a problem. If you want the network to be secure, make sure you enable the WEP stuff. I'm not sure how to do that, but the Airport Admin Utility should make it easy. On the windows system, make sure you set up the SSID to match what you've called your basestation. It's a fairly easy setup to do.



    Just connect the wireless modem to the WAN port on the ABS. You don't need the router in between b/c the ABS is a router too.



    edit: added link to wifi unit
  • Reply 2 of 33
    Quote:

    Originally posted by torifile

    If you get an ABS, you need to get her a wireless connection. I'm using a Linksys WUSB11 without a problem. If you want the network to be secure, make sure you enable the WEP stuff. I'm not sure how to do that, but the Airport Admin Utility should make it easy. On the windows system, make sure you set up the SSID to match what you've called your basestation. It's a fairly easy setup to do.



    Just connect the wireless modem to the WAN port on the ABS. You don't need the router in between b/c the ABS is a router too.



    edit: added link to wifi unit




    Thanks for the reply. However, I am still pretty confused about the process.



    Are there any wireless bases that don't use USB, but rather ethernet?



    Though, I do know the Airport Base Station is a router, I don't want my other two computers to be connected to the internet wirelessly. Is there any other alternatives to allow me, to keep my iMac and my Windows XP machine connected via ethernet cable to the router while still allowing my sister to access wirelessly? Thanks, I am dumb when it comes to this type of stuff!
  • Reply 3 of 33
    torifiletorifile Posts: 4,024member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Mac Man 020581

    Thanks for the reply. However, I am still pretty confused about the process.



    Are there any wireless bases that don't use USB, but rather ethernet?



    Though, I do know the Airport Base Station is a router, I don't want my other two computers to be connected to the internet wirelessly. Is there any other alternatives to allow me, to keep my iMac and my Windows XP machine connected via ethernet cable to the router while still allowing my sister to access wirelessly? Thanks, I am dumb when it comes to this type of stuff!




    I guess you could connect the router to the ABS. I don't see why that would be a problem, it just adds a layer of complexity. As far as the ethernet/wifi adapter, I don't know...
  • Reply 4 of 33
    voxappsvoxapps Posts: 236member
    If you aren't married to the idea of using AirPort, why not just replace your existing Netgear router with another Netgear product that's wired/wireless? I use a Netgear MR814, which includes both wireless and 4 hard-wired ports. After rebates, I've seen the MR814 for sale for well under 50 USD. (If you don't prefer Netgear, there are numerous other vendors making essentially similar products, e.g. Linksys, DLink.)



    With a wired/wireless router, you can keep your computers connected via Ethernet and let your sister connect via wireless. If you don't turn on file sharing, the computers won't "see" each other.



    I have a Mac and a PC connected to my router over Ethernet and two other Macs connected wirelessly. One is using an Airport card and the other is using a Linksys WET-11 wireless bridge, which connects through the Ethernet port.



    For security, you can turn on WEP encryption and limit access to devices with particular MAC addresses. That is enough to deter drive-by surfers from accessing your network although a determined cracker with the right equipment could probably gain access eventually.



    One last thing: before you spend any money, is there any way you can borrow equipment to see if a wireless signal will reach your sister's PC? Two floors might be A-OK, or it might be a problem if there's a lot of metal and electrical connections between your router and her PC.
  • Reply 5 of 33
    Quote:

    Originally posted by torifile

    I guess you could connect the router to the ABS. I don't see why that would be a problem, it just adds a layer of complexity. As far as the ethernet/wifi adapter, I don't know...



    So you are saying that I can plug the ABS into my router? How would I configure the ABS?



    Quote:

    Originally posted by Voxapps

    f you aren't married to the idea of using AirPort, why not just replace your existing Netgear router with another Netgear product that's wired/wireless? I use a Netgear MR814, which includes both wireless and 4 hard-wired ports. After rebates, I've seen the MR814 for sale for well under 50 USD. (If you don't prefer Netgear, there are numerous other vendors making essentially similar products, e.g. Linksys, DLink.)



    I spent the money on my Netgear router that I have now, and I really don't want to get rid of it. That's why I was hoping to be able to plug something like the ABS or something similar if the ABS is too much into my current router.



    My sisters laptop already has an ethernet card, all I am looking for is some type base that will accept the wireless signal and connect via ethernet cable. Does anyone know if anything like that is made, I really don't like USB on Windows and her ports are limited.
  • Reply 6 of 33
    wmfwmf Posts: 1,164member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Mac Man 020581

    So you are saying that I can plug the ABS into my router? How would I configure the ABS?



    Just make sure NAT is turned off.



    Quote:

    My sisters laptop already has an ethernet card, all I am looking for is some type base that will accept the wireless signal and connect via ethernet cable. Does anyone know if anything like that is made, I really don't like USB on Windows and her ports are limited.



    You want something like:

    http://www.netgear.com/products/prod...odID=175&view=

    http://www.dlink.com/products/?pid=45

    http://www.linksys.com/products/prod...id=36&prid=432
  • Reply 7 of 33


    Sorry to ask, but what is NAT, is it some firewall? The setup of the ABS through my current router must be easy, because I still don't understand the process. Do I plug the broadband signal from the cable modem into my ABS under the "Wan Port" and then my router connects via the "Lan port" on the ABS. So the ABS is broadcasting wirelessly and sending a signal to the router which will share the signal with two other computers. But, I still don't understand how you configure the ABS on the Mac.



    Thanks those links are just what I am looking for!
  • Reply 8 of 33
    torifiletorifile Posts: 4,024member
    NAT is network address translation. It basically shares your IP address with the other computers. Since you've got the router doing it, you don't need the ABS to do it. The ABS will get one IP (from the router) and that'll be the IP your wireless computer gets.
  • Reply 9 of 33
    cyloncylon Posts: 126member
    I have the Belkin 54g Wirelesss Cable/DSL Gateway Router. I have this box connecting my DSL via ethernet to my 17 iMac. It also has 3 more slots for other ethernet connections. My wife has her Dell (patoey) connected wireless through a Belkin 54g wireless PCI card. I've had no big problems. A few when trying to set it up for encryption, but other than that works great!
  • Reply 10 of 33
    wmfwmf Posts: 1,164member
    Mac Man,



    Attach the WAN port of the ABS to a LAN port on your router. Nothing should be attached to the LAN port on the ABS.
  • Reply 11 of 33
    Quote:

    Originally posted by wmf

    Mac Man,



    Attach the WAN port of the ABS to a LAN port on your router. Nothing should be attached to the LAN port on the ABS.




    Ok, how will the ABS be configured or setup?



    Thanks everyone!
  • Reply 12 of 33
    torifiletorifile Posts: 4,024member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Mac Man 020581

    Ok, how will the ABS be configured or setup?



    Thanks everyone!




    Once you plug it in, you'll be able to set it up using the airport admin utility.
  • Reply 13 of 33
    Quote:

    Originally posted by torifile

    Once you plug it in, you'll be able to set it up using the airport admin utility.



    I will still be able to configure the ABS even though it is plugged into my router? Does it matter that my iMac doesn't have an Airport Card? Thanks!
  • Reply 14 of 33
    cubedudecubedude Posts: 1,556member
    You don't have to be wirelessly connected to the ABS to use the Admin utility. I'm not.
  • Reply 15 of 33
    torifiletorifile Posts: 4,024member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Mac Man 020581

    I will still be able to configure the ABS even though it is plugged into my router? Does it matter that my iMac doesn't have an Airport Card? Thanks!



    As CubeDude said, you don't need to be wirelessly connected to the ABS, but you do need to be connected to it somehow. The LAN port on the back will be enough (I think, someone correct me if I'm wrong).
  • Reply 16 of 33
    ^^ Ok, sounds good. Now I just have to go and buy the hardware.



    Quote:

    Originally posted by Voxapps

    One last thing: before you spend any money, is there any way you can borrow equipment to see if a wireless signal will reach your sister's PC? Two floors might be A-OK, or it might be a problem if there's a lot of metal and electrical connections between your router and her PC.



    Well, my house and floors above are constructed of wood and I don't have anymore than usual electrical connections than a "normal" house would. That shouldn't be a problem, I don't think?





    Thanks all!
  • Reply 17 of 33
    The wood floors should be fine, and if you're shooting in a straight line and it's not more than 75 feet you should be good. Best bet would be to get the ABS extreme, and then get the netgear WG511 card for the laptop. They're both 802.11g compliant. She'll get much better data thru-put and a better range than 11a or 11b. You can get the card from like buy.com for $59 or something. It's cheap.



    When you plug in the access point into your netgear router, it should automatically grab an IP address from DHCP. You are sharing the connection already, so one of your computers must be acting as a DHCP server or your netgear router is... probably the router. The airport will get the next IP address in line, and you'll be able to gain access to it immediately from any of the other computers that are plugged into the same router. Still with me? Set it up as you like, I found writing the IP address it gets or you statically assign it down somewhere or right it on the unit itself is helpful if you ever need to troubleshoot or change some setting and you don't have the admin software CD around. You can then get to the web-based admin through any browser or telnet into it using the IP address.



    Once you get that setup, install the card in your sister's laptop, and she should be able to get on immediately, without any other setup. Unless you set WEP encryption or something. I do that sometimes to make sure I'm the only one using my connection. Just use a phone number or something you and your sister would only know.



    That's it. Anything you need more detail on?



    ME
  • Reply 18 of 33
    cubedudecubedude Posts: 1,556member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by pc-to-mac

    The wood floors should be fine, and if you're shooting in a straight line and it's not more than 75 feet you should be good. Best bet would be to get the ABS extreme, and then get the netgear WG511 card for the laptop. They're both 802.11g compliant. She'll get much better data thru-put and a better range than 11a or 11b. You can get the card from like buy.com for $59 or something. It's cheap.





    I don't think any Mac user here uses Buy.com anymore.
  • Reply 19 of 33
    LOL... me neither... it was just an example! Uhhmmmm... how about best buy? I know they got it!
  • Reply 20 of 33
    Quote:

    Originally posted by pc-to-mac

    The wood floors should be fine, and if you're shooting in a straight line and it's not more than 75 feet you should be good. Best bet would be to get the ABS extreme, and then get the netgear WG511 card for the laptop. They're both 802.11g compliant. She'll get much better data thru-put and a better range than 11a or 11b. You can get the card from like buy.com for $59 or something. It's cheap.



    When you plug in the access point into your netgear router, it should automatically grab an IP address from DHCP. You are sharing the connection already, so one of your computers must be acting as a DHCP server or your netgear router is... probably the router. The airport will get the next IP address in line, and you'll be able to gain access to it immediately from any of the other computers that are plugged into the same router. Still with me? Set it up as you like, I found writing the IP address it gets or you statically assign it down somewhere or right it on the unit itself is helpful if you ever need to troubleshoot or change some setting and you don't have the admin software CD around. You can then get to the web-based admin through any browser or telnet into it using the IP address.



    Once you get that setup, install the card in your sister's laptop, and she should be able to get on immediately, without any other setup. Unless you set WEP encryption or something. I do that sometimes to make sure I'm the only one using my connection. Just use a phone number or something you and your sister would only know.



    That's it. Anything you need more detail on?



    ME




    Yeah, everything seems pretty clear. The second paragraph is a little gray, but I am sure I will pick it all when I have the hardware with me and setup. If I do enable WEP, how do I allow her computer to get on? And even though, the ABS is plugged into my Netgear router, I will still be able to use the Admin utility from within OS X to configure it, my iMac will find it somehow, right?



    Yeah, the Netgear WG511 card does seem like a good solution considering she does have two, of whatever those slots are called available.



    $249.00 + $59.99 = $308.99

    Not bad, am I missing anything? Do I need the ABS with antenna port and modem or can I go with the cheaper one. I am thinking I need the one with antenna just incase I need to increase the signal.
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