Help with a Wi-Fi network and a Mac

[cjbuchanan]

Hello friends,

I recently got my 15" Power Book with wireless card. I love this machine and I want to make use of its wireless potential. However, I have never set up a wireless network, so I would like some help from our collective brain pool.

What I am looking for is a cable wireless router that I can use with a Mac. I want to be able to set up a security password and perform any firmware or other improvements from my Mac. I have looked at a number of units, but their Mac information is very limited. So, do any of you have any knowledge you can pass my way? Do any of you have a Mac with a wireless network set up in your house? If so, what equipment do you use and what do you think of the results and ease of use?

By the way, I know that Apple's airport will do all this, but I do not have $200 to spend on this.

Thanks for all your help,
CJB

[Bonobo]

1. I use an SMC "Barricade" and it works just fine.

I am on OS 10.3.2. I have 3 computers routing wirelessly thru this sucker and one of them is a pc.

[emulatorloo]

2. D-Link, or an older airport

D-Link supports Macs, I believe, and have web based admin tool. They have support docs on their sites for OS X config of their wireless routers.

Belkin may have a product as well. . .

I have a second gen Airport, the all white one w two ethernet ports and it is great. . .while not the latest and greatest, it is no muss no fuss. You could probably find used or refurb.

[necso]

3. How do you plan on doing router setup?

You can do setup with a network cable or wireless. Wireless can be tricky for an out of the box router. I recommend using a cable.

Generally, we are talking independent standards here, so distance issues and configuration capabilities are a lot more important in choosing a router than what machines you are hooking into the network.

I usually find that rebate deals are the best way to buy stuff like routers. The following link is normally pretty accurate on current deals in your area --- but check store links before going in to buy.

http://www.salescircular.com

I have to go work now, but I will check back in later to see if you have gotten the help you need.

[cjbuchanan]

4. More information

Okay, I have the laptop I mentioned above, running OS X 10.3. I am more then happy to connect to the router via a cable for setup, as long as I can do all maintenance to the router on my Mac.

Distance is not much of an issue since I live in a 650 sq. ft. condo. However, I do want to make sure it is secure in order to prevent neighbors from tapping in to my network (side note, more then a few of them are big time Bush fans, don't want them on my network :) ).

As far as other computers, I do plan on hooking my G3 desktop directly into the router. Also, my wife sometimes brings her work laptop home, so I want her to be able to hook in as well (she is running XP).

Thanks for the link you provide.

Also, thanks to everyone else who has provided help. Means a lot.

CJB

[necso]

5. Three walls.

Generally wifi is considered a three wall solution (isn't strictly true --- but a good guestimate). If every possible locale is three walls or less you should (only should) be ok. (Two walls is better.) Of course you can add on better antennas in many cases, but this can be a hassle or even impossible for some adapters.

Wifi security is pretty standard. The best feature is MAC restrictions. MAC's are hardwired into every ethernet adapter and it is pretty standard to be able limit access to only MAC's you enter. WPA is a better standard for packet encryption than WEP so you might want that feature (but you can't do any more than your wireless adapters support --- WEP is more common). With MAC restrictions you should be able to keep other users out, but packet encryption (helps to) keep them from reading traffic. It is also nice to be able to suppress SSID broadcast, but again this is pretty standard.

There are lots of other security features and other configuration issues but these three are the ones most important to you. With them you can keep from broadcasting your SSID (the easiest way to "see" your network), restrict access to your network to only machines you allow by MAC's and make it tough to read your wireless traffic.

If you are doing a lot of machine to machine transfers, "g" is the best bet. For straight internet sharing "b" is adequate, but WPA is the newer standard and may not be found on "b" only routers. All "g" routers are backward compatable with "b" but "b" routers force "g" adapters to speak "b".

If you can decide whether you want "g" (newer, faster, found on generally more uptodate routers) or "b" and WEP (more hackable) or WPA (less hackable --- but do your adapters support it?) then I should be able to point you to a router for a good price, hopefully one that you can pick up locally.

I will be popping in and out for the next few hours, so I will check back later.

[cjbuchanan]

7. I am fine with b

I will be doing very little sharing between the computers.

There is only one wall in my condo and the furthest I will ever be away from the router is 20 feet. I was looking at using Mac restrictions, so something using that would be grand.

I just want to make sure that I can do any up-keep for it from my Mac.

Thanks for your help.

[necso]

8. Staples

Out here has the MR814NA for $30 after rebate. It has MAC filtering (wireless) and 128 bit WEP, plus stuff like port forwarding, DMZ etc (I thought it had not broadcasting SSID -- but having trouble finding it in the manual).

An older router it is pretty good.

To configure routers, generally all you do is make sure you are on the same net and type in a LAN address in a browser to access router config. The MR814NA supports wireless config but when you change params you can drop the connection. I always tell newbies "use a cable".

Of course Staples also has the WGR614NA "g" router for $60.

You can go to netgear and download either manual.

I make little reflectors based on

http://osiris.urbanna.net/antenna_designs/projects/Ez-10/

To improve antenna performance, "close" down broadcast area and help eliminate interference.

If you don't have a Staples nearby or want to go elsewhere to pick out a cheap router (say SMC, DLINK, Netgear or Linksys --- maybe Belkin), let me know the model# and I will give you my opinion.

You can PM me if you like or just keep up with the posts.

[necso]

10. You can

get screwed on a network cable. Don't pay more than like $5 (I buy them for like $2 or $3) for one, borrow one if you have to, but don't let yourself get screwed.

[necso]

13. Compusa

has the Belkin F5D6231-4 for $10. It has 128 bit WEP and MAC filtering. Given your circumstances (short range) it should be fine.

[htuttle]

6. I don't use a hub, just a few airport cards

I use the software NAT and firewall built into OSX. Look at the Sharing pane. You can set up a Computer to Computer(s) network without a hub. One of my iMacs acts as a Wi-Fi hub (and firewall) for the rest.

[Southsideirish]

9. Buy an airport Extreme Base Station - its a little domed thingee

That's what we did when we were in your predicament.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

11. Related question

Could I take my iBook and iMac (both of which have Airport cards), turn them both on, get them both receiving from the Airport hub, and then transfer files between them. Will they then appear on each other's desktop? Is it that simple or do I need to do something else?

[necso]

12. link

http://www.dummies.com/WileyCDA/DummiesArticle/id-94.html

Of course there is no crossover cable and I would recommend setting up some security for sharing, just as a precaution. Share as little as possible (I recommend a seperate folder only).

I trust that you have set up some security in your router.