Disadvantages to going wireless with ADSL connection

[longrawker]

hey.

I'm in the process of building a comuter, and for internet access, we are looking at going wireless with the ADSL connection. (I think ADSL is just high-speed DSL, and Belgacom, the provider, wanted to feel special with their own Acronym.)

Anyway, would the connection slow down at all with a wireless network? Already we have two computers going through the router...

Would there be any other problems with going wireless?

Thanks.

[mbossman2]

there are a few concerns with wireless:

1) it is a shared bandwidth technology, like a hub. so the more users you have wirelessly connected, the more collisions you will have and the slower your network will go.

2) interference - in the 2.4gHz range there are many common devices that can cause interference (microwaves & cordless phones to name 2) as well as dead spots due to vagarities of antenna and radio coverage.

3) finally, the biggie: security. you have to take stronger steps to protect the integrity of your network and data packets from unwanted eavesdropping: WPA/WEP encryption, MAC filters and the like.

[RJ]

I think ADSL is just high-speed DSL, and Belgacom, the provider, wanted to feel special with their own Acronym.

No, that's not it. ADSL means Asymmetrical DSL and is the most common form of DSL. Almost everyone who has DSL, has ADSL.
The asymmetrial means that upload and download transfer rates are not identical, therefore asymmetrical. With ADSL you have a higher download than upload.
I for example have 768K down and 192K up.

A DSL with the same transfer rate for up- and download would be SDSL, symmetrical DSL.

And there is also QDSL (which I'm not sure what it really is) and I think there were some more.

So Belgacom, the provider, was just more precise giving the information that it's asymmetrical DSL. . . with more transfer rate for download than upload.

RJ

[EzyStvy]

Oooops. didn't see RJ's post.

[kram 2.0]

I'm using a Netgear router to share an ADSL connection with three computer, generally at different times (so as to bring bandwidth clogging to a minimum). I like it a lot, and it is truly a great fidelity to be able to do this. The only concern is that I have it as an open network...in other words, some guy could just come up to near my house and they could acces it with the proper tools. I have yet to make it encrypted...I probably should.


kram