WiFi Questions!

[Friedrich]

All right, I've never had WiFi before and have no idea how it works so I had some questions about trying to get WiFi in my house.

I don't post in any other forums and figured this would be the best place to ask.

So, I currently have a cable internet connection. Now, in order to get wireless internet, would all I need to do is buy a wireless router and hook that up to my cable box thingy (yeah, I know, I'm not familiar with my techie jargon). Then it'll transmit my internet wirelessly throughout my house/where have you?

Or would I need to cancel my current cable internet and set up a new connection with my current internet service provider that is WiFi capable and get new box thingys to receive wireless internet?

:\

I have an iMac, a PC, and an iPhone 3G and it'd make my life a lot easier if I could get wireless internet.

Any help is MUCH appreciated!

 

[swiftaw]

All you would need is a wireless router.

Connect the router to your current cable modem.

 

[Friedrich]

All you would need is a wireless router.

Connect the router to your current cable modem.

Wow, really? That simple?

What do routers generally cost? Do I need to get a specific type based on my type of internet connection or just any old router will do?

 

[Consultant]

http://www.apple.com/wifi/

You should set up a WPA2 and password on it.

 

[Friedrich]

http://www.apple.com/wifi/

You should set up a WPA2 and password on it.

That just raises more questions and confuses me even further.

Is AirPort Extreme/Express a router? Will the cheaper one work for what I need (to just hook up two computers to)?

Will it work with my PC? My PC is the computer currently and only connected to my cable internet. If I set it up through my PC will my Mac still be able to get wireless?

 

[Tomorrow]

That just raises more questions and confuses me even further.

Is AirPort Extreme a router?

Will it work with my PC? My PC is the computer currently and only connected to my cable internet. If I set it up through my PC will my Mac still be able to get wireless?

AirPort Extreme is one possible solution. You can get virtually any router that supports 802.11 B, G, or N (N being the fastest/strongest, but G is more widely used) and you can connect to it with a Mac or a PC. The wireless signal is not platform-specific.

Unless your iMac is very old, it will connect wirelessly, as will your iPhone. Your PC may or may not have a built-in wireless adapter - go to Control Panel --> System --> Device Manager to see if you have one.

You can pick up a router for around $50-100, and a wireless adapter for your PC for around $25-50.

I also agree with one of the earlier posts, use WPA encryption to keep unwanted others off of your network.

 

[Friedrich]

AirPort Extreme is one possible solution. You can get virtually any router that supports 802.11 B, G, or N (N being the fastest/strongest, but G is more widely used) and you can connect to it with a Mac or a PC. The wireless signal is not platform-specific.

Unless your iMac is very old, it will connect wirelessly, as will your iPhone. Your PC may or may not have a built-in wireless adapter - go to Control Panel --> System --> Device Manager to see if you have one.

You can pick up a router for around $50-100, and a wireless adapter for your PC for around $25-50.

I also agree with one of the earlier posts, use WPA encryption to keep unwanted others off of your network.

$180 is a little steep for me. Not too many people live by me, and those who do all have their own wireless connections all ready.

My iMac is brand new. Just got it less than two weeks ago The PC is also fairly new (a year old). Would the AirPort Express suffice for this situation (my small house)?

 

[Consultant]

The apple routers are easy to set up and very stable.

Airport Express is $100, and could be bought for $80 refurb (but rarely seen in the refurb store).
That should work for you.

 

[Tomorrow]

$180 is a little steep for me. Not too many people live by me, and those who do all have their own wireless connections all ready.

My iMac is brand new. Just got it less than two weeks ago The PC is also fairly new (a year old). Would the AirPort Express suffice for this situation (my small house)?

Your PC may already have an adapter.

AirPort Express would work as well, but you can find wireless routers for even less than $99 - all of these will work:

http://shop1.frys.com/product/4703979
http://shop1.frys.com/product/4396295
http://shop1.frys.com/product/3635275
http://shop1.frys.com/product/5500710

Someone could have their own wireless signal already - that wouldn't prevent them from connecting to yours when they want to do something unsavory. That way their actions would be traced to you, instead.

In any event, WPA security doesn't add to the cost of the router. It's always a good idea.

 

[Friedrich]

The apple routers are easy to set up and very stable.

Airport Express is $100, and could be bought for $80 refurb (but rarely seen in the refurb store).
That should work for you.

Just checked and the Express and Extreme are both in the refurb store currently

Why is the Extreme so much more expensive then the Express?

 

[Tomorrow]

Just checked and the Express and Extreme are both in the refurb store currently

Why is the Extreme so much more expensive then the Express?

It actually does quite a bit more than the Express:

http://www.apple.com/wifi/

 

[Friedrich]

It actually does quite a bit more than the Express:

http://www.apple.com/wifi/

Yeah, an earlier post led me to that page. Didn't explain much to me... I'm a Wifi noob

 

[Tomorrow]

Yeah, an earlier post led me to that page. Didn't explain much to me... I'm a Wifi noob

In a nutshell, the Extreme allows up to 50 computers to connect to it instead of 10, it has 4 Gigabit ethernet ports rather than one, and you can connect an external hard disk to it. But that sounds like more than what you're looking for in a router.

 

[Friedrich]

Cool!

Thanks everyone for your help! If you have any other tips for setting up the WiFi, let me know!

 

[Friedrich]

Okay, dilemma.

My PC doesn't have a wireless card. So I was wondering, can if I get the AirPort Extreme, can I still hook my cable internet up to the APE and then run another ethernet cable from the APE to my computer so it still gets internet through a wire, and still get wireless on my iMac in the other room?

 

[Friedrich]

Okay, dilemma.

My PC doesn't have a wireless card. So I was wondering, can if I get the AirPort Extreme, can I still hook my cable internet up to the APE and then run another ethernet cable from the APE to my computer so it still gets internet through a wire, and still get wireless on my iMac in the other room?

I think I just asked a stupid question, but I'd rather know the answer for sure than spend $180 on something I can't use.

 

[Friedrich]

All right, screw it.

I'm just going to go buy one and if it doesn't work I'll return it

 

[fireshot91]

Yeah, Quadruple posts= Not good


Pretty much, your PC doesn't have a Wi-Fi card.
I'd get another router than the Airport Extreme/Express.
You can get a regular router for 50-80$.
From that router, you hook up to your Cable Box.
Then, the router will transmit your internet connection wirelessly to your iMac/iPhone.
You run a Ethernet cable from your router to your PC. That'll give your PC a wired connection (Much faster than a wireless, but wireless is fast also).
Thats pretty much your whole set-up.

 

[Friedrich]

Yeah, Quadruple posts= Not good


Pretty much, your PC doesn't have a Wi-Fi card.
I'd get another router than the Airport Extreme/Express.
You can get a regular router for 50-80$.
From that router, you hook up to your Cable Box.
Then, the router will transmit your internet connection wirelessly to your iMac/iPhone.
You run a Ethernet cable from your router to your PC. That'll give your PC a wired connection (Much faster than a wireless, but wireless is fast also).
Thats pretty much your whole set-up.

I figured that much out already, thanks.

Quadruple posts? I don't see why that even matters, really.