Wireless internet with wired router......is it possible?

[deadlysyn]

I have just found out today that wireless internet is available where I live. That would be perfect for me, since I was under the impression that the only thing I could get out here was dial up. I am wondering, is there a modem that I will be getting, or need to get, and is it possible to still use my old wired Linksys router with it. Being on dial up and not having my NAT there kinda makes me paranoid, and I don't want to be online that often. Being on some kind of broadband would be enough to make me want to leave the computer on and start folding again. I just don't know if there is a way to keep my old wired router, which is only about 10 months old, and hasn't been used for the last six because I didn't think there was really much reason to have it being that I only have dial up access. If anyone has any ideas, or knows the answer to my questions, I would appreciate it very much. TIA

 

[martinjon666]

are you sure it is only a wired router? if it is only 10 months old it should be wireless capable. do you have any pics or give us any kind of links? What is the model?

 

[four4875]

it depends on the wireless ISP, but its highly likely. MOST customer equipment is ethernet based with power over ethernet run to the radio mounted outside of your home. then cat5 is run inside to a power injector and then youll have a cable that goes from the injector to your computer or router or whatever. best bet is to call up the WISP and ask them if it will work, but it should for sure. ive also seen customer radis done via USB, but those suck and we try to avoid them.

myself, AMD phreak, and DDRUID SMP all work at wireless ISPs, so we have a lil bit of inside info on how they work

 

[deadlysyn]

So how much equipment will actually be outside, and how weather resistant is it? And I would never run any kind of net connection by USB. My sister had her old cable modem set up that way, and was callin me every other day to try and fix it for her. It turned out something had caused the USB to crash, and she had to replace it. And another question I have, which I had just thought of, since the company is wanting a $150 installation fee, how hard is a wireless connection to set up, and is it something that someone fairly proficient with electronics could do to avoid the installation fee? I make fairly good money, but not quite enough to just lay down $150 for installation.

Edit: Martin, I am sure that it is only Cat 5e in and out of the router. It is just one of those cheap Network Everywhere routers from Wal-Mart, but finding out it was made by linksys kinda made me feel better about buying it.
Also four thanks for the detail in your reply. People like you are what keep me coming back to the forums.

 

[four4875]

usually installation fee is pretty much equipment cost. if done right, the antenna will have a small enclosure attached, in which the radio is enclosed. you shouldnt have to worry about its weather resistance, its all sealed nice and purrdy and made to be in all weather conditions. $150 isnt bad, i bet that the isp is actually biting some cost on the hardware on that one. one thing is, that with an installation fee, we know that customers are definately serious about having the service, not gonna keep it a couple month and then just drop it. they know you'll REALLY want it to drop 150 to start. but then again, you could look at like directway or other satellite services' startup / equipment costs. the average install we do is broken down like this for costs..

radio = $125
POE injector = $10
enclosure = $18
pigtail = $13
antenna = $41
totals at $207.

and these are big and ugly compared to some of the better / prettier solutions that most others are using. the setup that they should use will be an all in one type box with a panel antenna in it and an enclosure in the back with the radio in it. cat5 comin out of a weather sealing connector, running into the home.

the installation itself is pretty simple, just getting the right equipment / configuration and getting into their authentication systems is the hard part. you might be able to bargain with them to get the installaation fees waved or reduced, offer to physically put up the equipment for them. i know that we take off costs if the customer does all the drilling in the building, so we arent responsible for it.

might also ask them (the isp) if you could have a micro pop there and get some kind of discount on the service, some WISPs do that, like you get $5 off of your monthly bill for each customer coming off of that micropop. its worth a shot at least... lol. but basically give them a call and see if they will work with ya, i know that alot of the times a wisp will.

good luck with it.

 

[deadlysyn]

Well in that case I think it would probably be better to have someone that knows more about what they are doing come out and take care of the installation. I thought it would have been more like cable where you just hook up and set up email, connect to their server to verify and you are done. And as far as showing that I really really want it by throwing down the $150, I most likely wouldn't even be thinking about trying to install myself, except with the Holiday season coming up, I still have quite a bit of X-mas shopping to do. I may just wait until after Christmas to get it set up. Not really that big of a deal I guess. It's only about another months wait. I was just hoping to be rid of this dial up sooner. I have had nothing but problems since I had installed this 56k modem in my computer.