Wireless setup questions

[Flood]

So, I'm moving home for a few months while I look for a job at the coast.  I have my computer that I want to set up over there and and use their cable connection to get online while I'm there. 

Here's the situation: One main machine that's the family comp.  It is on the hardline out of the wall.  They also have a Linksys wireless router setup, and the only thing I can see it's there for is to allow my sister to use her lap top wirelessly around the house. 

So the issue is that I will be moving into the "computer room" and the family rig is going into the den area.  My family is all tweaked that they are going to lose broadband because they won't have a hardline connected anymore. (My comp will be next to the jack now)  However, as long as I get them a wireless NIC for their desktop it should just auto detect and get up and run....right?  I have no experience with wireless networks (I live in a studio apartment lol) but since all the rigs in question are running WinXP things should auto sense and such I'm thinking.  I think that my sister can print to the big printer they have in the computer room also now that I think about it.

Anyway am I missing something here or can I just go pick up a USB wireless NIC and get it done?  Or am I overlooking some setup type stuff here?

Any input or experiences appreciated.

[Strazos]

Correct, XP should be able to sniff out the stuff you need after the wireless card is installed, things are reset, etc.

Though, if I was them, I would still be miffed about losing the hardline. I've had/seen too much bullshit associated with wireless.

[Oban]

Even easier solution:

http://us.slingmedia.com/page/slinglink.html

No need to fiddle with wireless cards and such.

[Strazos]

Hey, I remember a spot on the news about this kind of technology Years ago, but it was more concerned with using the lines Outside of your home as well to access the internest (instead of coaxial/whatever).

I just wish the thing plugging into the wall wasn't so damn big.

[raydeen]

Wireless shouldn't be a problem unless your house is really old and has whatever old houses have in their walls that destroys wireless signals. If you sister can meander around with her laptop and have no problems, the family comp shouldn't either. I would reccomend getting a USB antenna though as you'll be able to move it around until you get maximum signal. Positioning is pretty critical and you can notice a jump of 30 to 40% just by moving the thing 6 inches. I'm wireless at my house and get around 40% signal strength on my 3rd floor computer with the router in the basement. 70-80% with the computers on the 1st and 2nd floors.

[Signe]

I have a conspiracy theory.  I think Verizon is making our wireless drop once or twice a day to get back at us for not allowing their infernal Fios into our house. 

Righ says they're not that competent.

[Furiously]

"High speed, supporting up to 14Mbps connection"

That doesn't seem that high speed...

[Flood]

Cool thanks for the replies.  I found a Linksys wireless USB NIC (so I don't have to crack open their piece of crap HP) at my local Bestbuy.  I'm not a big Linksys fan, but I thought I might as well stay within the same make of components just in case.

Also: what's the letter mean on all the wireless models?  I have my families router written down as "802.11 B" but the wireless NIC is "G", although it states it's "B" compatible.  I know 802.11 is the protocol, but am I overlooking something with the letter designations?

[Oban]

Think of 802.11b as the PS2 and 802.11g as the PS3.

802.11g supports 802.11b but 802.11b does not support 802.11g, 802.11g will decrease your usable range, 802.11g has a higher throughput than 802.11b but your cable modem will not fill up an 802.11b connection and 802.11g causes all sorts of interference problems if you have legacy 802.11b connections in the area.

Oh, and the stuff in old homes that affects wireless signals...  It is called wood.

[sinij]

Some Linksys routers have physical button that form secure wireless network for you. As long as all your components support this feature all you have to do is press button on each of them to create a network.

You should be fine with XP, wizzard is fairly helpful. If you get stuck post you questions here. If we don't hear from you in a week we might send a rescue party.

[Flood]

LOL I may need it moving in with my family at 34 years old.  I've been out since 17.  I will certainly post here if everything is FUBAR.  In the meantime everyone use their pyschic/karma powers and send the positive energy to help me find a job at the coast.  That pays okay that is, heh.

[Flood]

Update:

Well, I didn't succeed exactly.  Everything talks to everything just fine it seems, however, the wireless router was setup by some goober that my little sister worked with at the time.  Nothing too crazy that I see in the setup (as I understand it anyway) other than now no one but this guy knows the WEP info.  So the computer recognizes the USB NIC but won't ever allow it on the internet.

So, again after doing some reading online it seems I have 2 options -

1. Get the WEP info from homey (my sis emailed him already)
2. Re-setup the network with new info and set my own WEP etc.

I'd rather not do #2 just in case it hoses my families computer usage, so I'm sort of in a holding pattern.  Anything I'm missing here or that anyone would suggest?

[Trippy]

Personally I would just start over from scratch (i.e. reset everything). Who knows what else that guy put in there that you aren't aware of like MAC addresses, admin passwords, etc. If you don't reset things then everytime something isn't working properly you won't be sure if it's your fault or something that guy did. If you reset it then it'll always be your fault :-D

[Flood]

Alright so, if for example I go thru the WinXP "wireless setup wizard" will it overwrite the existing setup or just cause conflicts?  Like, do I need to know how to go in and basically erase the previous settings first?

The reason I ask is because the largest response I got from my Google-fu tech responses about this issue is to direct your browser to "191.168.X.X" if you have a Linksys router (they do) and that will let you access the routers setup info, hence the WEP.  However when I try that it asks for a login name and password...which I (and no one else at the house) knows.

So, yeah, I mean I almost think it would be better to start over so I have known quantities to deal with, but I'm afraid I'm going to hose something.  (IE - my sister can print to the printer from her laptop, dunno how to set that up or if it's an auto-fig thing, etc.)

[Trippy]

Alright so, if for example I go thru the WinXP "wireless setup wizard" will it overwrite the existing setup or just cause conflicts?  Like, do I need to know how to go in and basically erase the previous settings first?

It may overwrite the existing settings on the PC but it does nothing to the settings on the router.

The reason I ask is because the largest response I got from my Google-fu tech responses about this issue is to direct your browser to "191.168.X.X" if you have a Linksys router (they do) and that will let you access the routers setup info, hence the WEP.  However when I try that it asks for a login name and password...which I (and no one else at the house) knows.

You could try a blank username with the password "admin". Otherwise use the reset button on the back of the router to reset everything to their factory defaults. Download the user guide (and software if necessary) for your particular router to learn how to set it up.

So, yeah, I mean I almost think it would be better to start over so I have known quantities to deal with, but I'm afraid I'm going to hose something.  (IE - my sister can print to the printer from her laptop, dunno how to set that up or if it's an auto-fig thing, etc.)

Well now is as good a time as any to learn.