Me and two roommates are getting a townhouse next year for school, and its still in the frame work. I have a question about how the internet can be setup. We each want internet in our own rooms, and the local broadband company happens to be cable. How exactly will we be able to network all of our comps to be able to each get the net in our own rooms? Will we have to use a router and then each of us gets a wireless network card? I'm kinda confused as to how we are going to set this up. I don't really want to have the cable company have to come out and set it up for us, it'll cost an arm and a leg.

Any knowledge appreciated.

 

yeah, just get a router. wireless would be easy, but running cable would be fine too. you can get the linksys wireless router and then have each comp have a wireless nic. no big deal. it'd basically be how my house is. a router in one room, wire going to the rooms that have comps (except you can do it without the wires).

 

and it depends on your bugdet as to whether you should get 802.11a, b or g. b is the cheapest (but the slowest) but since cables doesn't get into the multiple megabits, it wouldn't matter for surfing the net, just for playing games with each other or sharing files with each other.

 

do they make wireless NIC cards for laptops? Mine has one integrated into it, but is not wireless. We definently don't want wires running through the house, so wireless cards would be the better alternative.

 

yeah, the make wireless pcmcia cards for laptops. in all flavors (.11a, b, and g).

 

so...if I got something like this to connect to the cable modem:
http://www.bestbuy.com/detail.asp?e=...=540&scat=1574


and then cards like this for each comp:
http://www.bestbuy.com/detail.asp?e=...=540&scat=1576

would that do the trick? I was checking on comcast's website and they said that if you chose thier "home networking" option, you get 2 more IP's, but if we don't do this, would it still work, and give us all the same IP? Ugh I'm confused.

 

yep, that would work. you could aslo just get a .11b pcmcia card if you just get the b router (might be cheaper). with the router, you only need 1 ip since the router would take care of that.

 

Wireless CAN be expensive.
And router is more expensive than switch, I would go for switch if you are looking for the cheapest option.

Or you could just get a 2wire home portal. It's freaking easy.
with built-in firewall and stuff. Plus, you can use your POT line.

Do you know what kind of wiring in your house?
Cat3 or Cat5?

Correct me if I got something wrong.

 

to share the internet, he'll need a router, especially if he only gets one ip address. and most houses have cat 3 cable since that's what's used for telephone. but since he's getting cable internet, it wouldn't really matter.

 

if you're gonna go wireless, get zyxel ZyAIR Products.

http://us.zyxel.com