I'm Righht In Thinking This Will Work?

[mac.wheeler]

I have a shared cabled internet connection in my apartment, using an RJ45 plug in the wall.

I have a laptop I plug into this, but sometimes I would like to work outside.

It occurs to me that I could buy a cheap wireless router, that has a couple of RJ45 ports as well, plug the router into my RJ45 wall socket using one of these ports, and then use the WiFi functionality to give me my own wireless network, basically using the router as a wireless hub.

This would work yes? As the laptop would still use the NAT from the shared connection in my apartment building.

[ozsamurai]

I have done this before, so yes. You will need to configure the router with all hardware connected as per instructions included in the box, then unplug PC, plug the wirless sender into one of the ports, bingo! Your wireless, as long as your PC has that function of course.

I was planning on doing the same here at my apt, but they only gave me a USB connection, I haven't figured out how to get around that yet to make it wireless.....doh!

Oz

Edited August 8, 2008 by ozsamurai

[mgjackson69]

I did the exact same setup you are talking about in hotels many times.

The wireless router will take the DHCP from the apartment network...your laptop will take DHCP from the router on your private network (192.168.nnn.nnn). This setup will always work...I have been in hotels where they limited the wired connection to one PC (ie MAC address). In this configuration, the hotel network admin server sees the MAC address of the router only, regardless of how many PCs you set up behind the router.

Why would you specify "buy a cheap wireless router"? Wireless routers are not expensive, but buy something decent so you will be happy with the results. D-Link, LinkSys, or Belkin.

I was given a cheap wireless router...it worked ok, but plugging or unplugging a cable into the router for a wired connection caused the whole thing to reset...<deleted>????? I was using this router in my home network as follows:

ADSL Modem <-> cheap wireless router <-> PCs (wired and/or wireless)

In this setup, the Modem takes its address from the ISP, it assigns an address to the WAN side of the cheap wireless router (192,168.1.nnn), and the router assigns addresses to any PCs (or other equipment) as 192.168.2.nnn.

After I tired of the flakiness of the cheap wireless router, I dug through my box of miscellaneous equipment and found a 10/100 8-port switch and a wireless access point. I now have configured it thus:

ADSL Modem <-> switch <-> wireless access point <-> PCs (wireless)

...................................\<-> PCs (wired)

The modem takes its address from the ISP, it assigns the address to the wireless access point and PCs (wired and wireless) in the 192.168.1.nnn net. (DHCP in the access point is disabled).

The Access Point is essentially a router without any hardwired ports, hence the switch. I would recommend that for your setup you use a router...it is nice to be able to switch to a hardwired connection for large file transfers.

Be sure to set up security on your wireless...do not just plug n play. There are plenty of savvy people around and the default user ids and passwords of the major brands of wireless gear are well known.

Good luck

Edited August 8, 2008 by mgjackson69