ADSL to wireless bridge?

[ManDownUnder]

Attention all self professed geeks...

I (finally) went onto broadband and can run everything, hardwired off a single hub which I already have.

I now want to set up a PC out in the shed - and wireless seems to be the way to do it. So what's the cheapest reliable setup you guys see out there at the mo?

I need
1) A wireless adapter to plug into an ADSL modem port
2) Receiver for the PC to be set up.

Needs to be very reliable, secure and not too pricy.

Suggestions?

[ArcherWC]

how far? line of sight? walls etc in the way? heavy electrical equipment nearby? do you use digital cordless phones already?

[Colapop]

I went into the Telstra Clear shop and picked up a wireless router for $98. I already had the wireless card (available at the same shop) so no extra cost. The one I have only has a range of a standard 3 bedroom house but there are ones that have greater range. I think the next one up was around $180 from memory + the wireless card for your PC.

It took a bit of effort to set up (called the 0800 helpdesk number in the end) but now that I have - it's great.

[bungbung]

I have a Linksys WAG54G set up in a very large mansion.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Computers/Networking-modems/ADSL-modems/auction-162085610.htm

I use a range extender to increase the range to the far reach of the house

Linksys WRE54G

Depending on the distance you are talking about, you may not need the extender. Perhaps a high gain antenna such as:

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Computers/Networking-modems/Wireless-networking/Other/auction-162215782.htm

At home I have a D-Link ADSL/wireless DSL-G604T.

It is rubbish in comparison to the linksys for reliability. In the desktop PC I'm using a Dick Smith electronic branded wireless pci card. It seems to work just fine.

[vifferman]

how far? line of sight? walls etc in the way? heavy electrical equipment nearby? do you use digital cordless phones already?
Hmmmm...
What are you trying to say?
We have digital cordless phones (5.8 thingies) AND cabling AND walls'n'floors in the way (3-stroey house), and although our wireless is fine, the reception on the extension cordless is crap. Which is the most likely culprit? (Don't care about the wireless, coz I don't actually have a computer; the feckless troglodytes in the house use all the bandwidth - I just pay for it. :wacko:

[bungbung]

As long as your cordless is not in the 2.4Ghz range you should be ok, as that is what wifi is using.

[CookMySock]

Needs to be very reliable, secure and not too pricy.As usual, you don't get all three. Good quality, or cheap, but not both.

The thing to consider now, is once you have wireless you will never want to be without it. All manner of little toys will connect to it - so consider splashing out a little on the Access Point. Fortunately there is only a hundy or two difference between a junk one that will really piss you off, and a quality one that will just work and will last you ten years, or until someone tips fanta in it.

My first pick is this one ;
http://www.gowifi.co.nz/products/access-points-802.11/engenius-ecb-3610s-600mw-wireless-802.11b/g-multi-client-bridge.html

If your laptop has built-in wireless then that is all you need. Failing that, then any of these ;
http://www.gowifi.co.nz/products/client-adaptors-802.11/engenius-eub-3701ext-802.11b/g-usb-2.0-adapter.html
http://www.gowifi.co.nz/products/client-adaptors-802.11/engenius-epi-3601s-500mw-27dbm-wireless-pci-adaptor.html
http://www.gowifi.co.nz/products/client-adaptors-802.11/engenius-eub-362-ext-200mw23dbm-usb-2.0-adapter.html

This is top quality semi-professional gear and it will utterly piss over any cheap consumer junk.

Notice the antennas are removable on this wireless gear. You can easily attach an external antenna and do a 10km link with this gear.

If you put an antenna such as <a href="http://www.gowifi.co.nz/products/antennas/2.4-ghz/omni/2.4-ghz-professional-15-dbi-omnidirectional.html">this</a> on your access point, you should get a good 300-1500m range around your property.

Terrain and height make a big difference.


HTH,
Steve

[ManDownUnder]

how far? line of sight? walls etc in the way? heavy electrical equipment nearby? do you use digital cordless phones already?

About 20m, no line of sight, 3 or 4 walls in the way.

Yes digital cordless phone already in use

[CookMySock]

digital cordless phone already in useThey will co-exist with 802.11b wireless, but eventually you should move the phones to 1.9 or 5.8GHz.

DB

[ManDownUnder]

Thanks all.

MDU

[avgas]

The linksys is what you need.
should last you until the new 802.11n wireless stuff comes out.

[bungbung]

One more thing, if you buy a router with an inbuilt ADSL modem, then you can remove your existing modem. Less devices = good