A Trickey Question.

[Chris_Rootes_Wizard]

I have a kind of trickey question. Ill start from the top.

Im building my own computer, which some of you may know, and i live at my aunts house in the week, and at my grandads house and the weekend, bank holidays, summer holidays etc etc. And i want internet connection at both houses to my computer, heres the snag, i will take my computer back and thorth, with internet connection required at both houses, buuuuuttttttt they are both on different survers, my aunts is with tiscally, and my grandad with wanadoo orange (im not sure if any one in U.s. would of heard of them, but there both boardband, the wanadoo is 1mb and the tiscally is 512) Could i have a modem for each house, and leave the right modem at the right house(tiscally with tiscally etc), and just simpally connect one up, and connect with that addy/password etc for that connection , sign off when i go back, when i get back, sign on with that modem, that password etc etc.

Kinda complicated i know, any questions ask me, also i didnt know were elce to say it, so i figured this is the best place to ask. Thanks all in advanced!

[glc]

Yes. What would be BEST is if you have a combo modem/router at each house where the login is stored in each one. Then you just connect it up and go, no login required. This will also allow other computers in the houses to share the connections.

[Chris_Rootes_Wizard]

Soo, do what i said, but on the comp itll have "connect; tiscally , wanadoo" and i just select it.


"combo modem/router " sooo, one modem at each house and connect 2 computers to that 1 modem? or 2 modems at each house best?

[glc]

No, you can only HAVE one modem at each house. If there's another computer in the house you HAVE to use a router to connect them both up.

[Chris_Rootes_Wizard]

"No, you can only HAVE one modem at each house. If there's another computer in the house you HAVE to use a router to connect them both up."

So that splits the line into to kind of? Is it wirless, or does it not have to be wireless, cause the modem would be quite far away meaning a long cord running through my house

[AnotherMuggle]

A router is basically so you can connect more than one machine to the network / internet...it would be placed between the modem and any computers you wish to connect to it.

You can buy both wired and wireless options. If you buy a wireless router then you will obviously need wireless cards / adapters in all the machines which will be connecting to it.

[Chris_Rootes_Wizard]

Yeah, duh, lol. Errrrmmmmmmmmm, i dont think wireless would be good, setting everything up would be a bit of a pain (setting up 4 computer) i'v also decided to leave it at my aunts, and only bring to my grandads if im there longer than a weekend. Altho im building it at my grandads, icould set it up there first, make sure everythings orking, then go to my aunts, wow, itll probably take sometime. Thanks guys for your help.

[AnotherMuggle]

Sounds like a plan...although wireless is fairly easy to configure.

[glc]

Wireless routers also have wired ports.

If the existing modem is USB-only, it must be replaced. You have a lot of combo modem/routers available in the UK.

[Chris_Rootes_Wizard]

Oh, okay. Yeah, there USB. Bummer, so replace all modems with routers, got it. How much would 2 wireless kits cost, and how muc would a noraml kit cost? (i really have no idea?)

[glc]

Figure about 50 quid for a wireless ADSL modem/router and about 20 quid for each wireless PCI adapter. Computers that are near the router and have Ethernet adapters can be connected with standard CAT5 patch cables.

[Chris_Rootes_Wizard]

"Figure about 50 quid for a wireless ADSL modem/router and about 20 quid for each wireless PCI adapter. Computers that are near the router and have Ethernet adapters can be connected with standard CAT5 patch cables."

Errrr, okay, gunna cost a lot then. And you need to install something in to the PCI slot then? Okay, more complicated that i first thought.

Firstly can i use the origional modem (say at grandads) and connect it to my PC (ah, i need the cd installation too woudlnt i?) For now? Also is a cd installation required for the wireless connection?

Hummm, fully er, overwelmed. LOL

Wait, let me get this straight,

I need A wireless ADSL modem (i need one right) then 2 pci wireles cards. 90 quide right? (for say, tiscally connection)thats setup for one home.

Then the same for the other (but can i still use the origional pci card from the tiscally connection for the other Wanadoo?) So then for wanadoo, i need a ADSL modem, and 1 Pci card for the origional comp, and use the same one in my PC?

eek, this is gunna run up a bill, and im gunna have to install 3pci cards. That for all i know, cant go in the other 2 computer, ah, if they done have a free spot, then what?!!!!

Hummmmm, im officially, stuffed.

[glc]

You do not need a PCI wireless card if the computer is close enough to the modem/router to run an Ethernet cable and the computer has a standard wired NIC. There are also USB wireless adapters but PCI ones work better.

USB modems all require driver installs. Wireless card installs do too.

[Chris_Rootes_Wizard]

Okay, but how close is close enought, the downstairs one isnot that close, and up stairs (were mine would be) will be quite far so i guess wireless is best.

And at meh grandads, the comp is right next to the socket, so it could be wired, but my room is further, so i guess wireless is best at both ends.

[glc]

Nothing is too far away for a cable - you just have to run it. Each house should have at least 1 wired computer, it's not a good idea to try to run them ALL wireless.

[Chris_Rootes_Wizard]

"Nothing is too far away for a cable - you just have to run it. Each house should have at least 1 wired computer, it's not a good idea to try to run them ALL wireless."

It isnt, so i could have the ADSL router, connected by wires to one computer, and wireless to the other? So 1 wire 1 wireless? Or wont that work, it will save money doing it that way.

EDIT, maybe i should say this, my room that the comp will go in has a telephone socket, could i connect it to the socket, or use that socket to any advantage.

[AnotherMuggle]

You can have both wired and wireless working together providing the router has both options. Normally a router that has wireless on it also have at least 1 wired connection.

The telephone connection in you room could be used to connect an ADSL modem and router too...providing it is an ADSL broadband connection that you are using!

[Chris_Rootes_Wizard]

Oh, okay, thankyou guys for your help!

[glc]

Technically, you could use a second modem, but the other modem must be disconnected. You can only use one modem at a time.

Modem/router and wired computer in one room and a wireless computer in another room is the most common way of doing this. Most wireless routers have 4 standard switch ports for wired computers in addition to the wireless section.

Here's links to a wireless modem/router combo and PCI wireless card.

http://www.ebuyer.com:80/UK/product/94178
http://www.ebuyer.com:80/UK/product/45602

If the computer you want to connect wired does not have an Ethernet adapter, here's one:

http://www.ebuyer.com:80/UK/product/25986

[Chris_Rootes_Wizard]

Hay, thanks!

Bookedmarked, for when i get round to it

The wire, does that come with the router? Or would i neeed to buy it sepratly?

So the plan:

http://www.ebuyer.com:80/UK/product/94178

set up in house

then http://www.ebuyer.com:80/UK/product/45602

in my computer liked wirelessly to the router, and there would be a wire to the other computer. and : http://www.ebuyer.com:80/UK/product/25986 If need be. Right, seems liek a solid plan

Id then set up another router in the other house, wire it up to the origional PC and wirelessly to my PCI adaptor, origionaly from the other house.

Well, thanks for all the input guys. Its really helped, and saved me about £40.

Will post back if there is any changes too.

And thanks again!

EDIT: P.s. thanks Glc for the trouble you went throught to find the links too

[glc]

Most routers come with one cable to connect a single computer, usually about 3 to 6 feet long. Cables are no big deal, you can buy them in any retail store that sells computer equipment for a few quid.

When you do this, you no longer need the connection manager on the computers - the login is stored in the router. You would want to uninstall any ISP-provided connection manager software and modem drivers. The only drivers needed are Ethernet adapter and/or wireless adapter drivers. You would need to verify that the modem/router is compatible with the ADSL service - I don't see why it wouldn't be. The ISP may assist you with configuring it.

[Chris_Rootes_Wizard]

"When you do this, you no longer need the connection manager on the computers - the login is stored in the router. You would want to uninstall any ISP-provided connection manager software and modem drivers."

Okay, the connection mannager, you mean when you click Start_Connect to_*****(what ever it maybe)

"and modem drivers" The drivers you get on the C.D when you install it right?

"The only drivers needed are Ethernet adapter and/or wireless adapter drivers. You would need to verify that the modem/router is compatible with the ADSL service - I don't see why it wouldn't be"

Er, okay.

Thanks