[HM] wireless network including Dell

[Jim Norman]

You can get any wireless access point, Netgear, D-link, Airport, so 
long as it complies with either 802.11b or 802.11g.  It will cost more 
for the 802.11g compliant unit as it is both faster (54mbps) and can 
communicate with both b and g NICs. In Apple terms this is Airport 
Extreme.

You would connect the satellite link to the wireless access point.  In 
most cases the access point will also contain a DHCP server which will 
dole out IP addresses for your local network and perform network 
address translation (NAT) so that on the Internet your computer will 
appear at the IP address provided by your ISP, while at home you will 
appear to the Dell as a private IP range address (such as 192.168.0.2).

You can also get a unit with both wired and wireless connections, so 
the Dell could remain wired by ethernet cable for its access and your 
iBook could use an Airport card.

Depending on the system software both machines are running, and any 
third party software (such as Thursby's Dave) you can share files and 
even a printer between the dark side and the light.

I am running a home network with an ADSL modem/hum feeding Internet 
access into a Netgear MR314 wireless router (the access point).  From 
the four ports of the router I feed to two PCs and a G4 Cube.  With the 
wireless connection I feed to two iBooks and a Dell laptop (there are 
more computers than people in my house;-) ).

The main thing to remember is that Apple are only selling Airport 
Extreme cards and APs now, if you are only surfing the net then 802.11b 
(11 mbps) such as the old Airport card and base station are fine.

Once you untether the iBook you will not regret it.  The only caveat is 
that you should consider security of your wireless network, WEP is a 
minimum level of encryption, but you can also set up the system to only 
accept certain MAC addresses (Media Access Control). Each network card 
has its own unique identifier which can be queried under Airport setup 
software or similar PC utilities).

Hope this helps.

Jim

------------
On Monday, July 26, 2004, at 11:37 AM, Pat Murray wrote:

> At  the moment I have a Dell machine connected to the internet with a 
> satellite. My ibook is hooked into the Dell thru ethernet so we can 
> both be surfing the interent at the same time with separate email 
> addresses.
> What I want to do is set up a wireless connection. How do I go about 
> doing it? Is airport the only option?
> Should I set up the wireless between the internet and the Dell or 
> between the Dell and my laptop?
> Looking forward to getting educated about this!
>
> Thanks
>
> Pat :)
>
>
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