Wirelessly networking a house

[Nuke]

What are you etting the quotes on?

[Prime]

What are you etting the quotes on?

[*]D-Link DIR-655 "extreme" router: R1,463

[*]D-Link DWA-556 PCI Express wireless network card: R786

This. I'm going with the N standard unless someone has reason otherwise.

Although i'm really unsure about the router?

I don't know that i'll get any benefits on the extreme router that our systems will take advantage of.

[ryanrich]

The WRT with the standard Linksys firmware isn't fantastic but with the dd-wrt custom firmware it's tested as one of the best and most stable routers. In production.

As was already answered, MAC filtering is either denying or allowing specified MAC addresses to the wireless network.

[Prime]

The WRT with the standard Linksys firmware isn't fantastic but with the dd-wrt custom firmware it's tested as one of the best and most stable routers. In production.

As was already answered, MAC filtering is either denying or allowing specified MAC addresses to the wireless network.

Now i'm lost completely. Sorry guys, i'm rather unknowledgeable on the modern networking setups.

[Prime]

The WRT with the standard Linksys firmware isn't fantastic but with the dd-wrt custom firmware it's tested as one of the best and most stable routers. In production.

As was already answered, MAC filtering is either denying or allowing specified MAC addresses to the wireless network.

Now i'm lost completely. Sorry guys, i'm rather unknowledgeable on the modern networking setups.

Ok, i've just looked it up, So you mean if you use a different firewall and such with it?

[ryanrich]

The WRT series from Linksys didn't have the most stable firmware, but the hardware itself is very good. Now, the models I use have Linux based firmware so there are a number of custom firmwares out there that when loaded greatly increases the stability of the router, gives you a much better interface and adds a plethora of features that only much more expensive routers usually have. We have some running at the office 24/7 and with a lot of network traffic passing through and they're rock solid. My home one running dd-wrt v24 SP1 firmware hasn't needed to be reset or anything for the 2 months it's been running now with only about 5 network devices running on it 24/7. Overall the best commercial personal or SOHO router I've used. Of course opinions differ, but most of the reviews agree, and the CCNP guys I work with all rate them highly. If buying a WRT54 though it's imperitive that it's the Linux based version.

[Prime]

The WRT series from Linksys didn't have the most stable firmware, but the hardware itself is very good. Now, the models I use have Linux based firmware so there are a number of custom firmwares out there that when loaded greatly increases the stability of the router, gives you a much better interface and adds a plethora of features that only much more expensive routers usually have. We have some running at the office 24/7 and with a lot of network traffic passing through and they're rock solid. My home one running dd-wrt v24 SP1 firmware hasn't needed to be reset or anything for the 2 months it's been running now with only about 5 network devices running on it 24/7. Overall the best commercial personal or SOHO router I've used. Of course opinions differ, but most of the reviews agree, and the CCNP guys I work with all rate them highly. If buying a WRT54 though it's imperitive that it's the Linux based version.

Ok but the problem with the WRT54 is its a g rather than n router. so i'd be wasting my money getting n cards then because they perform as g cards... And part of the n spec is supposed to be better transmission through walls and stuff

[ryanrich]

Havent tested an 'n' network with regards to transmission through walls etc but the testing I have done I only got near the 108Mbps transfer rate when 1 meter from the router, if I worked in the lounge where I usually sit I got the same signal and speeds as with my G router and equipment. Perhaps Nuke or some other guys who have worked more with Wireless-N networks can comment further on that though.

[Prime]

Havent tested an 'n' network with regards to transmission through walls etc but the testing I have done I only got near the 108Mbps transfer rate when 1 meter from the router, if I worked in the lounge where I usually sit I got the same signal and speeds as with my G router and equipment. Perhaps Nuke or some other guys who have worked more with Wireless-N networks can comment further on that though.

Ok, thats interesting.

I'm going to set it up on the on the landing on the second. That way it will be almost above the Basement. and it will have near line of sight with my room...

I think I'm going to hold off on that quote until i hear back from Ron and Nuke

[Ron2K]

Unfortunately, I haven't worked with N networks at all (yet). Nuke would probably be your best bet.

If Nuke can't give you a satisfactory answer (he should be able to though), you can try asking on the forum of your local WUG. Here's the website for the Johannesburg one.

[ryanrich]

Spoke to the networking guys and yeah, definitely go for Wireless-N if possible. Typically it will give you 3 times the transfer speed of Wireless-G when tested in Vista. You will mostly notice the improvement when doing multiple things at once on the router such as running a full speed download from one PC, copying files from another and using remote desktop. Whereas a Wireless-G network would become a little unresponsive in this scenario, a Wireless-N network would handle the load much better.

[Prime]

Ok thanks Guys

[Nuke]

N would be way faster in an open space, though I haven't used it yet. I have very little experiance using Wifi in a home for file transfers etc. The time we did it we used a Mikrotik with a 15db panel/12 db yagi. to make damn sure there is no signal problems. Remember N will help you very little if you have a weak/distorted signal. make sure your router has external antenna mounts(though you will need 3 external antennas for N) For good penetration through walls we use this http://www.miro.co.za/detail.aspx?pid=164&p=2&sp=&spp= Slow and strong

But i can tell you, for long range links we only use 802.11A & B.

[Prime]

OK, well the Dlink has 3 antenna on it and they are external but perhaps i need to get an aftermarket one

[SBSP]

Iburst is bandwith shaped, so applications like limewire and bit torrent dont work well on it.
In my opinion its not even worth using them on iburst.

If it was me i wouldn't go with routers and set up a gateway and all that.
I would just take an old PC install winXP on it and connect that to the Iburst modem.
and install a free proxy like 'free proxy' or even better SquidNT.

Then link the XPpc connected to the iburst modem via USB to an Access point of your choice. using a normal Cat5 flylead
My personal fav is NetGear DG834GNA. (Maybe too much for what you want to do though)

Using squid you will save some bandwith aswell

Then connect all PC's via wireless with the recommended security settings recommended by people in this thread.

[Prime]

Iburst is bandwith shaped, so applications like limewire and bit torrent dont work well on it.
In my opinion its not even worth using them on iburst.

If it was me i wouldn't go with routers and set up a gateway and all that.
I would just take an old PC install winXP on it and connect that to the Iburst modem.
and install a free proxy like 'free proxy' or even better SquidNT.

Then link the XPpc connected to the iburst modem via USB to an Access point of your choice. using a normal Cat5 flylead
My personal fav is NetGear DG834GNA. (Maybe too much for what you want to do though)

Using squid you will save some bandwith aswell

Then connect all PC's via wireless with the recommended security settings recommended by people in this thread.

Thing is, i have a machine i could do that with, but i want to use my copy of XP with my new PC. and if i have a whole Pc, it needs a UPS amongst other things. Plus, i have to put it somewhere...

Besides machine is a P3...

[ryanrich]

Iburst is bandwith shaped, so applications like limewire and bit torrent dont work well on it.
In my opinion its not even worth using them on iburst.

I usually get 80 - 100KBps with my torrents on iBurst. Not bad at all I think...

[SBSP]

OK ic.

Also it will have to be on 24/7 for the internet to be up at all times.

Edit

a P3 is fine Btw for this a P2 will even work

[SBSP]

Iburst is bandwith shaped, so applications like limewire and bit torrent dont work well on it.
In my opinion its not even worth using them on iburst.

I usually get 80 - 100KBps with my torrents on iBurst. Not bad at all I think...

Ok i'm wrong then. Back when Iburst was initially launched it was shaped.

[Prime]

Iburst is bandwith shaped, so applications like limewire and bit torrent dont work well on it.
In my opinion its not even worth using them on iburst.

I usually get 80 - 100KBps with my torrents on iBurst. Not bad at all I think...

Ok i'm wrong then. Back when Iburst was initially launched it was shaped.

on a good night, i get about 500KB/s on the dashboard

[Prime]

OK ic.

Also it will have to be on 24/7 for the internet to be up at all times.

Edit

a P3 is fine Btw for this a P2 will even work

We disconnect our net when not in use. Ibust chews up data even when on and not dialed in.

[ryanrich]

Damn, I'd get that checked out because my router is on 24x7 with iBurst always connected and it uses hardly anything when idling.

[Prime]

Damn, I'd get that checked out because my router is on 24x7 with iBurst always connected and it uses hardly anything when idling.

Ah, but plugged into a router, the dashboard (that annoying little appication that Mweb and Ibust give you) does not function...

[ryanrich]

Why would you want it to function if you have a router? Or are you saying the dashboard uses bandwidth? Sorry for the questions but I've never used the dashboard...

[Prime]

Why would you want it to function if you have a router? Or are you saying the dashboard uses bandwidth? Sorry for the questions but I've never used the dashboard...

At the mo, it plugs in Via USB to a computer. And the Dashboard only works with USB. But because the dashboard transmits and recieves its own info, it tends to nibble away at your cap.

We don't even dial in with the dashboard any more...