Going wireless questions

[SFG75]

O.K., here's the deal. Turns out that my employer is giving everyone laptops to take home and use. Of course, I'd like to be able to access the workplace server, as well as check my own internet stuff. I'd like to know three things: (1)What items do I need at home to go wireless and check the net; (2)How much would this stuff cost me?: (3)At what ballpark-figure prices should I perhaps start to walk to the door when I go to buy the equipment?

[Archangel]

O.K., here's the deal. Turns out that my employer is giving everyone laptops to take home and use. Of course, I'd like to be able to access the workplace server, as well as check my own internet stuff. I'd like to know three things: (1)What items do I need at home to go wireless and check the net; (2)How much would this stuff cost me?: (3)At what ballpark-figure prices should I perhaps start to walk to the door when I go to buy the equipment?

What's your home internet connection? Do the laptops have integrated wireless? If you have cable and the laptops already have wireless it shouldn't cost you more than 60 or 70 bucks for a decent solution. Here's a pretty decent wireless router for you that is easily configured as an access point if you're just adding it an existing network. It's got a $20 dollar rebate going, too, so it should be $40 shipped in the end.

Wireless Router

[alexgtp]

1.Will your laptop at work connect to the company network via a wireless solution? or a cabled solution

If your laptop is equipped with a wirless connaection than you can do the following.

1. You will need to purchase a wireless router (easiest for home use is a linksys type one model wap5ag this router supposrt 802.11 A,B and the G)

2.install this inbetween your CABLE/DSL router and your PC.

3.You will also need to set up your laptop with 2 user profiles.
One for your offices settings.
second one for your home settings.
because both settings will be very different.

With the linksys system it is all plug and play when you run the install CD and it will configure your new router automatically. .

Also for home use enable the WEP on your router. Or esle someone will be able to use your network.

[SFG75]

Thanks for the replies, Alexgtp inspired me to buy a router and it looks like I'm on my way. I downloaded and printed off the steps to wirless success. Looks to be a good fall as I'm on my front deck smoking and enjoying entering grades on a nice cool, fall day. Thanks a million fellas-much appreciated.

[Archangel]

If you want to run a secure home wireless network you'll need to set it with at least WPA-PSK TKIP and enable MAC Address filtering in your router's options. If your laptop is new you don't need to set up different profiles to use different wireless networks. Linksys is ok, but I prefer DLink in the generic network equipment arena. I've had trouble with a WAP54G dropping connections on a fairly regular basis. Don't think that because Cisco owns them they're close to Cisco grade equipment.

[CoventryCat86]

If you want to run a secure home wireless network you'll need to set it with at least WPA-PSK TKIP and enable MAC Address filtering in your router's options. If your laptop is new you don't need to set up different profiles to use different wireless networks. Linksys is ok, but I prefer DLink in the generic network equipment arena. I've had trouble with a WAP54G dropping connections on a fairly regular basis. Don't think that because Cisco owns them they're close to Cisco grade equipment.

LMAO!! I barely understand 3/4 of what Archangel said I'm glad to see we have someone here with a clue because I sure don't

I have a wireless router (I think it's a linksys) but after that, he lost me. My wireless seemed to drop connections on a regualr basis to my laptop so I just said to hell with it and now run it with a "hard connection."

I heard about "wardriving" but how I'm not smart enough to know how to use my laptop with my wireless "card" to find open "hot spots" (Now mind you, everything I have in quotes is me probably using the wrong words to please correct me as necessary )

[Archangel]

LMAO!! I barely understand 3/4 of what Archangel said I'm glad to see we have someone here with a clue because I sure don't

I have a wireless router (I think it's a linksys) but after that, he lost me. My wireless seemed to drop connections on a regualr basis to my laptop so I just said to hell with it and now run it with a "hard connection."

I heard about "wardriving" but how I'm not smart enough to know how to use my laptop with my wireless "card" to find open "hot spots" (Now mind you, everything I have in quotes is me probably using the wrong words to please correct me as necessary )

Your use of the vocabulary is perfect. All you need to do is install a sniffer for wireless networks. I use Netstumbler or AirSnort. AirSnort is more for cracking a network, though. AirSnort needs to capture about 5 million or so packets to crack a WEP key. Once it has enough packets it can crack your key in about a second. There are a few other people in my neighborhood that run WEP "secured" networks. I always make sure to use their connection when I don't want to be caught.

If you have a Linksys WRT54G there are alternate firmware upgrades available. You actually get a ton more control over certain features, like you can boost the transmission output 900%, but it comes at a risk of burning out your router or getting a bad flash.