WiFi At Home

[Napoleon PhoneApart]

I'm not a home networking expert, so I have what's probably a stupid question:

I have two computers at home networked via a switch (not a router), as each computer has its own IP address. We have broadband cable internet access.

How can I set up a WiFi connection in my home for use with the iPhone without getting rid of the switch?

I'll just sit back and wait for the wisdom and knowledge to roll in...

 

[Ranged30]

The wifi network doesn't even require a computer to be hooked up to it. I would by the new Apple Airport Extreme basestation and you can just add that into to your existing network topology and leave your other two computers just how they are. Hope this helps.

 

[RchGrav]

I'm not a home networking expert, so I have what's probably a stupid question:

I have two computers at home networked via a switch (not a router), as each computer has its own IP adddress. We have broadband cable internet access.

How can I set up a WiFi connection in my home for use with the iPhone without getting rid of the switch?

I'll just sit back and wait for the wisdom and knowledge to roll in...

Yes, you can use a Wireless access point if you have another IP address to give the access point. If you don't have another free ip address to give the access point, then you will need a router (which you can get with an access point integrated into it) then all of your computers will get private ip addresses something like (192.168.1.x). I'm thinking though that if you already have 2 computers hooked up then your cablemodem most likely has a router already and you just don't know it.

If you post the model number of your equipment you are using I'm sure we can clear it up pretty easily. Also, if your PC's already have an IP address something like (192.168.x.x, or 10.x.x.x) then you already have NAT (Network address translation) and you should be able to just plug and play an access point onto your network and you should be set.

But the basic answer is YES, you can. No Problem.

Oh yeah, and the Apple Airport Extreme is a really nice one.

 

[WolfmanXII]

I would by the new Apple Airport Extreme basestation and you can just add that into to your existing network topology and leave your other two computers just how they are.

I agree that the Apple Airport Extreme is probably the best router in the market considering it has 802.11n, which is the fastest. But in a case where someone is using it for the iPhone, you are already spending 600 dollars and the iPhone probably cannot read 802.11n anyways (probably 802.11b and 802.11g) so I would save some money and buy either a NetGear router or Buffalo. Try to stay away from Linksys because it is complicated to hook up. Also, it seems that you will use the wifi connection mainly for the iPhone so buying Apples router seems pointless, but if you are rich, I say go for it.

 

[Ranged30]

I agree that the Apple Airport Extreme is probably the best router in the market considering it has 802.11n, which is the fastest. But in a case where someone is using it for the iPhone, you are already spending 600 dollars and the iPhone probably cannot read 802.11n anyways (probably 802.11b and 802.11g) so I would save some money and buy either a NetGear router or Buffalo. Try to stay away from Linksys because it is complicated to hook up. Also, it seems that you will use the wifi connection mainly for the iPhone so buying Apples router seems pointless, but if you are rich, I say go for it.

I say the airport because of the features like wireless printer sharing and wireless hard drive sharing as well. This is the easiest and best router on the market IMHO. After all it is an Apple product.

 

[RchGrav]

I agree that the Apple Airport Extreme is probably the best router in the market considering it has 802.11n, which is the fastest. But in a case where someone is using it for the iPhone, you are already spending 600 dollars and the iPhone probably cannot read 802.11n anyways (probably 802.11b and 802.11g) so I would save some money and buy either a NetGear router or Buffalo. Try to stay away from Linksys because it is complicated to hook up. Also, it seems that you will use the wifi connection mainly for the iPhone so buying Apples router seems pointless, but if you are rich, I say go for it.

Linksys isn't very hard actually. I find Netgear and Buffalo just as difficult for a newbie. Plus Netgear has a habit of shipping routers with outdated unstable firmware that won't even work until you update it.

But, actually, the Linksys wrt54g router is very flexible and very much a standard inexpensive wireless router. If you get more advanced you can even update the firmware with ddwrt software which will turn your cheap $60 router into something that you would need to pay 10 times more to get that type of functionality. Linksys is a VERY good choice if you want to go cheap. I think many would back me up on this.

 

[Ranged30]

Linksys isn't very hard actually. I find Netgear and Buffalo just as difficult for a newbie. Plus Netgear has a habit of shipping routers with outdated unstable firmware that won't even work until you update it.

But, actually, the Linksys wrt54g router is very flexible and very much a standard inexpensive wireless router. If you get more advanced you can even update the firmware with ddwrt software which will turn your cheap $60 router into something that you would need to pay 10 times more to get that type of functionality. Linksys is a VERY good choice if you want to go cheap. I think many would back me up on this.

I used to use Linksys, they are quite good, but they aren't Apple.

 

[Napoleon PhoneApart]

My two IP addresses start with 68.84.xx.xx.

 

[RchGrav]

My two IP addresses start with 68.84.xx.xx.

Those are actual internet addresses.. Honestly, my opinion is that you should pick up a router and install it before all of the computers get access to the internet. It really doesn't hinder your net access in any way. Think of it as a one way mirror, you computers can see everything on the internet, but the internet can't see them. If you need to run a service that IS visible to the internet, like a web server, or some other service for gaming or whatever, you can easily add port forwarding to enable that. You would have much better security using a router and setting your machines up with 192.168 addresses.

If you have no need for 802.11N wireless pick yourself up the Linksys WRT54G router, its a decent little unit. If its still in its factory configuration you can just point a web browser to 192.168.1.1 and all of the settings are available via its build in web server. Approx $60

If you have a little extra money to burn, pick up the Apple Airport Extreme. There is a smal configuration app you run right in mac or windows which gives you access to all of the routers functionality, port forwarding, wireless password, etc. Approx $170

In either case I would suggest getting a router with a wireless connection and plug it in on the network between your cable modem and existing switch. You would have much better internet security and not have to worry about people getting access to your computers via the internet and loading viruses or worse.

Goodluck

 

[iJohn]

I don't know the price comparison, but Linksys has given me no trouble at all over the 4 years I've had my router. No problems at all.

As great as Apple products like the Airport Extreme Base Station, it may be nicer to save a few dollars when you can.

 

[ColsTiger]

I installed the Linksys WRT54G when I went wireless and it was not complicated at all. There's a CD in the package that you run and follow before you connect any cables. Follow the steps on that and you shouldn't have a bit of trouble. And the best part is they're only $49.99 at Circuit City and many times they give a $10 Circuit City gift card when you purchase one. For $39.99 it's really hard to beat.

 

[joe]

I am going to use the iPhone as my wireless base station. Turn on internet sharing to share EDGE out the WiFii antenna.

 

[RchGrav]

I am going to use the iPhone as my wireless base station. Turn on internet sharing to share EDGE out the WiFii antenna.

assuming that feature exists. Let me help. I can say with some reasonable amount of certainty that it doesn't. This would be considered a form of tethering, and you will not get tethering for the data prices that they are cooking up for the iPhone. Cingular/AT&T charges different rates for different levels of the same connectivity.

 

[Ranged30]

I am going to use the iPhone as my wireless base station. Turn on internet sharing to share EDGE out the WiFii antenna.

Bet that is going to be fast...

 

[ColsTiger]

assuming that feature exists. Let me help. I can say with some reasonable amount of certainty that it doesn't. This would be considered a form of tethering, and you will not get tethering for the data prices that they are cooking up for the iPhone. Cingular/AT&T charges different rates for different levels of the same connectivity.

I saw this on one of their plans and I think it was $79.99/month.

 

[RchGrav]

Bet that is going to be fast...

it'l be blazing... its like double modem speed. I bet you could even download a 1MB file in less than 7 minutes!

 

[Marksman]

From a quality standpoint I would recommend a linksys or netgear, buffalo, d-link and the rest. Have not used any Apple wireless products so can't speak to them.

My experience with netgear is extremely poor quality, I would never recommend them.

 

[RchGrav]

I saw this on one of their plans and I think it was $79.99/month.

True that, unless you have another line with them and you will get a $20/month discount, if you agree to sign a 2 year contract.

btw, this is where they get the iPhone unsubsidized 2 year contract from, they aren't subsidizing the phone, they are actually subsidizing the data plan with a discount.

I have my own laptop EDGE data card that I paid full price for (Unsubsidized 3rd party) and Cingular required a 2 year contract in order to give me the $59.99 (Subscriber discounted) data plan instead of the $79 one. Kind of a rip off for a EDGE only connection w/ No texting plan. I bailed on that and I am riding out the contract by converting that number to a family talk line for $9.99.

Lets hope that the iPhone data plans play out like this... I can pretty much guarantee they won't be much cheaper. This would be a pretty good deal in my eyes.

--- Required in addition to voice plan on iPhone ---
$19.99 Unlimited Data, pay for texts.
$39.99 Unlimited Data, Unlimited texts.

OOps back on subject now.

 

[RchGrav]

From a quality standpoint I would recommend a linksys or netgear, buffalo, d-link and the rest. Have not used any Apple wireless products so can't speak to them.

My experience with netgear is extremely poor quality, I would never recommend them.

Yup, I have had mixed results and buggy unstable performance on these also.

 

[Ranged30]

True that, unless you have another line with them and you will get a $20/month discount, if you agree to sign a 2 year contract.

btw, this is where they get the iPhone unsubsidized 2 year contract from, they aren't subsidizing the phone, they are actually subsidizing the data plan with a discount.

I have my own laptop EDGE data card that I paid full price for (Unsubsidized 3rd party) and Cingular required a 2 year contract in order to give me the $59.99 (Subscriber discounted) data plan instead of the $79 one. Kind of a rip off for a EDGE only connection w/ No texting plan. I bailed on that and I am riding out the contract by converting that number to a family talk line for $9.99.

Lets hope that the iPhone data plans play out like this... I can pretty much guarantee they won't be much cheaper. This would be a pretty good deal in my eyes.

--- Required in addition to voice plan on iPhone ---
$19.99 Unlimited Data, pay for texts.
$39.99 Unlimited Data, Unlimited texts.

OOps back on subject now.

Just for the record...

If you have a Windows Smartphone you can only use the 39.99 plan. I tried using the 19.99 plan with my 8125 and it kept getting cut off. The 19.99 plan is for the phones like the 3125 that aren't full-fledged PDA phones.

I think the iPhone plan will fall somewhere in the middle with text messaging just because of the hype surrounding the device. I guess we'll see.