Wireless laptop to wired LAN

[ihrsetrdr]

I just bought a Dell laptop with the following specs:

Manufacturer/Model: DELL LATITUDE D600
Processor: CENTRINO, 1.6GHz
Hard drive: 20GB
RAM: 512MB
Screen Size/Type: 14.0" TFT Active Matrix
Optical Drive: DVD
Floppy Drive: Not included
Network: Yes
Wi-Fi: Yes
Modem: Yes
Sound: 16-Bit Sound Blaster Compatible

My wireless knowledge is...zip; I need to know what components I'll need to connect to my existing wired network. I have a Linksys router and a couple Linksys switches...I was thinking of getting something like this (http://www.dlink.com/products/?pid=334) to plug to the laptop, then get a wireless access point (http://usa.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=12&l2=41&l3=0&model=59&modelmenu=1) as in the link.

Am I on the right track here?

[jivetrky]

I just bought a Dell laptop with the following specs:

Manufacturer/Model: DELL LATITUDE D600
Processor: CENTRINO, 1.6GHz
Hard drive: 20GB
RAM: 512MB
Screen Size/Type: 14.0" TFT Active Matrix
Optical Drive: DVD
Floppy Drive: Not included
Network: Yes
Wi-Fi: Yes
Modem: Yes
Sound: 16-Bit Sound Blaster Compatible

My wireless knowledge is...zip; I need to know what components I'll need to connect to my existing wired network. I have a Linksys router and a couple Linksys switches...I was thinking of getting something like this (http://www.dlink.com/products/?pid=334) to plug to the laptop, then get a wireless access point (http://usa.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=12&l2=41&l3=0&model=59&modelmenu=1) as in the link.

Am I on the right track here?


I'm not sure I totally understand. You have a Wired network? If that is the case, your laptop should have a Network connection on it (For Cat5 cable) this is what you would use to connect directly to your existing network.

If you are wanting to use the wireless (Wi-Fi) in your laptop, then you need to get an Access point for your network. You buy an Access point. THis access point will have a wireless antenna (or more) on it and it will connect to your existing wired network via a normal CAT5 cable. This will then give you wireless access for your laptop's built in wifi (there's no need for that USB adapter because your laptop already has it!)

Another option, since many access points are fairly expensive, you could just replace your linksys wired router for a wireless/wired router. Like the WRT54G series (I recommend the WRT54GL). It has wireless antennas and a 4 port switch for the wired network.

Hope that helps a little

[Madwand]

I just bought a Dell laptop with the following specs:

Manufacturer/Model: DELL LATITUDE D600
Processor: CENTRINO, 1.6GHz
Wi-Fi: Yes

...I was thinking of getting something like this (http://www.dlink.com/products/?pid=334) to plug to the laptop

Your laptop (like all other modern laptops) has built-in wireless, so you don't need to get that add-on adapter.

You can get a wireless router to use as an AP, and this might be cheaper than a dedicated AP due to greater volume of sales. To use a wireless router as just an AP, you'd configure its IP if needed, disable its DHCP, set the wireless security (minimum WPA, long randomized key recommended), and then connect it to the network using a LAN port (not the WAN port). This is similar to a wireless router setup, except that you wouldn't configure internet access and you'd disable the DHCP.

[jivetrky]

Your laptop (like all other modern laptops) has built-in wireless, so you don't need to get that add-on adapter.

You can get a wireless router to use as an AP, and this might be cheaper than a dedicated AP due to greater volume of sales. To use a wireless router as just an AP, you'd configure its IP if needed, disable its DHCP, set the wireless security (minimum WPA, long randomized key recommended), and then connect it to the network using a LAN port (not the WAN port). This is similar to a wireless router setup, except that you wouldn't configure internet access and you'd disable the DHCP.


Yeah, actually the WRT54G Linksys's can easily be configured as an AP. So I'd say either replace your current router, or just add the wireless one as an AP. Either would work.

[ihrsetrdr]

I'm not sure I totally understand. You have a Wired network? If that is the case, your laptop should have a Network connection on it (For Cat5 cable) this is what you would use to connect directly to your existing network.

If you are wanting to use the wireless (Wi-Fi) in your laptop, then you need to get an Access point for your network. You buy an Access point. THis access point will have a wireless antenna (or more) on it and it will connect to your existing wired network via a normal CAT5 cable. This will then give you wireless access for your laptop's built in wifi (there's no need for that USB adapter because your laptop already has it!)

Another option, since many access points are fairly expensive, you could just replace your linksys wired router for a wireless/wired router. Like the WRT54G series (I recommend the WRT54GL). It has wireless antennas and a 4 port switch for the wired network.

Hope that helps a little


What I'm wanting to do is to use my laptop in another part of the house, away from the wired LAN(you know, so I can sit with my wife in the living room and be sociable) ;)

The thought just occurred to me...one of my rigs is an ASUS P5B Deluxe/WiFi-AP, I bought it for it's overclocking potential mainly, and not for any of the deluxe/wifi-ap features. Maybe I already have what I need...?

Yea, I'm pretty wireless knowledge challenged :o a friend of mine on another forum offered to give me a "touch-tone" telephone to replace my rotary phone :eek: I don't need another gadget to figure out...still don't know how to set the time on the VCR...still blinks 12:00 A.M.Jan 01 1985 :rolleyes:

[jivetrky]

What I'm wanting to do is to use my laptop in another part of the house, away from the wired LAN(you know, so I can sit with my wife in the living room and be sociable) ;)

The thought just occurred to me...one of my rigs is an ASUS P5B Deluxe/WiFi-AP, I bought it for it's overclocking potential mainly, and not for any of the deluxe/wifi-ap features. Maybe I already have what I need...?

Yea, I'm pretty wireless knowledge challenged :o a friend of mine on another forum offered to give me a "touch-tone" telephone to replace my rotary phone :eek: I don't need another gadget to figure out...still don't know how to set the time on the VCR...still blinks 12:00 A.M.Jan 01 1985 :rolleyes:
:)

Well you actually could setup your Asus board to work with your wireless laptop. I'm not too familiar with the software or I'd walk you though it. I'm sure if you post a thread about setting up your P5BD-Wifi as an AP, someone would jump in and help.

[ihrsetrdr]

I'll be reading the manual(what a concept!) to see if that was the intent of the hardware...hope that that's the case, would like to get a bit more of my money's worth out of this board!

;)