Bah! What is it that I want!?!?

[It_The_Cow]

In my search for my home networking solutions, I've ran into some trouble. I need a network that will

1. Allow for possible future computers.

2. Not allow any sharing what-so-ever (When my sister gets mad, she gets destructive).

3. Be easy to troubleshoot.

4. Not require the purchase of a new computer.


Options are to set up a wired network, wireless network, or implement dual NICs and a crossover cable. My current favorite is to set up a wireless network. Will it violate #2? What about the others?

 

[Kingslayer]

If you want to go wireless go for it. The not sharing part is on the OS side of the house. You need to set your security so your sister can't access your computer. If you are running NT,2000,or XP then this is easy. If you have 9x then all you have to do is unshare everything or set passwords she cant guess on anything that is shared.

My advice is to share at least one folder on each machine and password it. That way you can transfer files if you need to. And still achieve #2.

 

[nihili]

Unless you're going to be moving the computer a lot, or simply *cannot* string cable, I'd stay away from wireless. It's slower, more expensive, and more prone to error. I've got wireless, I love it, but one of my machines is a laptop. All the other machines are on wire.

It's not clear from your post why you want a network. Are you trying to share a broadband connection? Gaming? File Sharing? If you're not sharing broadband, then the easy solution is to by a switch and wire everything to it. No setup, no hassles, just do the security on your own machine. If you do need to share broadband, then the easy solution is to go get a firewall/router/switch combo. These are trivial to set up and function very well.

nihili

 

[It_The_Cow]

Right now, sharing the Internet is all I need. Physical networking will be very difficult to set up. The attic has about 16 inches of insulation, the walls are insulated, and I I'll have to cut holes in the walls. That alone will justify the cost of wireless. Under-the-floor wiring is also out of the question.

THe problem is my sister isn't willing to pay her share of the deal. At least $50... out of $300. The rest I'm willing to pay since I'll get to keep most of the hardware. Cheap b****.

 

[craigiz1]

If she doesn't want to put up her fair share of the cost, then let her stay on dial-up.

 

[It_The_Cow]

If she doesn't want to put up her fair share of the cost, then let her stay on dial-up.

Too bad my dad's paying for it. He'll eventually force me to anyways. I've leeched enough off my dad, I'm not going to ask him to pay for my sister's idiocy. I can actually pay for everything right now.

She's the one with the job, I'm the one that doesn't. She's the one that spends all her money, I'm the one that saves most of what I gets. Yet I'm willing to blow off $250 for her. B****. As soon as I get a job, she can suffer in 56k hell. Now to call a potential employer.

 

[nihili]

Hmmm, let's think about this.

How many computers need to be on the net. Yours, your sister's, any others?

Where will the broadband come into the house, and where do the computers sit in relation to that? It seems like you can reasonably volunteer to pay for the hub, and just let your sister arrange her own connection to it. You're paying for more than your share that way, but you're also not just carrying her along. I think if you present that to Dad, you'll look pretty good.

nihili

 

[It_The_Cow]

Hmmm, let's think about this.

How many computers need to be on the net. Yours, your sister's, any others?

nihili

The optimal placement for the modem would be in my room, which is right by my computer, since it already has a jack for it. I have plenty of space on my desk to allow the router to be set up. The router allows cheaper direct cabling to my computer, and wireless connection to my sisters and others. My dad might be getting a laptop sometime, so he can enjoy the internet via a wireless PC card as well.

Where will the broadband come into the house, and where do the computers sit in relation to that? It seems like you can reasonably volunteer to pay for the hub, and just let your sister arrange her own connection to it. You're paying for more than your share that way, but you're also not just carrying her along. I think if you present that to Dad, you'll look pretty good.

nihili

I like that idea a lot. Allow for wireless and cable networking, and force my sister to network it herself. I doubt my dad would object to that. He'll probably think it's a good idea as a matter of fact. If my sister doesn't like it, too bad. It is my money, and the router might come in handy in the future.

 

[rugby]

If you really want to mess with her, give her broadband, but set her mtu's to like 64bytes

 

[nihili]

The optimal placement for the modem would be in my room, which is right by my computer, since it already has a jack for it. I have plenty of space on my desk to allow the router to be set up. The router allows cheaper direct cabling to my computer, and wireless connection to my sisters and others. My dad might be getting a laptop sometime, so he can enjoy the internet via a wireless PC card as well.



I like that idea a lot. Allow for wireless and cable networking, and force my sister to network it herself. I doubt my dad would object to that. He'll probably think it's a good idea as a matter of fact. If my sister doesn't like it, too bad. It is my money, and the router might come in handy in the future.

And with the router in your room, you can go with the cheaper and faster wired network for your computer, thus offsetting the cost of having bought a router with wireless capabilities.

 

[donny_paycheck]

A note on wireless here. I didn't have good results using it. I could only get my laptop to acquire the channel within 40 feet of the access point but not in my room 100 feet away, even though it was only through some lightly-insulated wooden walls. nihili's idea of just fronting the bucks for a router or hub and cabling yourself up is what I would do. This way, like he said, you get what you want and leave your economically conservative sister to her own devices when it comes to gaining access to the internet. Cable is the way to go IMO because it is faster, cheaper and more reliable. It seems like a punk to run sometimes but in the end it is worth it. Getting a router/wireless AP combo and then wiring yourself would be the best option because your dad would then be able to hook up via radio whenever he felt like it in the future but you could still cable yourself in and save some bucks.

 

[It_The_Cow]

The router I linked to has both cable and wireless capabilities. Now to go out and buy it. Hmm, looks my sister has gone out partying for the third straight day...