Small Office Networking Advice Needed

[MarcNJ]

Hi,

I am helping set up a small office to be networked, and was wondering if anyone could offer some advice regarding a potential problem I have. The situation is as follows: There is a small office in the back of their suite where a DSL line comes in and is plugged into a DSL modem. Presently, the modem is then connected directly to a laptop in this office, and that is the only high-speed connection in the suite of offices. At the front of the suite of offices is a receptionist area with four computers that are all networked together to share a printer (which is connected directly to one of the computers and is then shared). However, these computers need to be able to gain access to the high-speed DSL connection. Unfortunately, the DSL modem cannot be moved up to this receptionist area without first having the telephone company come in to add a jack for the DSL modem line up there. As a result, the DSL modem, and subsequently, the wireless router that I purchased, will have to remain in the office in the back. I also cannot lay a cable from that office to a hub in the receptionist area, as the layout of the suite of offices prevents this. I need to somehow wirelessly connect the four computers in the receptionist area to the wireless router in the office in the back. As far as I know, the only feasible way to do this is to purchase four separate USB adapters (one for each computer). However, this seems somewhat ridiculous, given that all the computers in the receptionist area are in close proximity to each other, and are already networked together. Is there any way I can purchase some sort of wireless adapter that I can then plug into the hub/switch in the receptionist area so that this would provide high-speed internet connectivity to all of them? What about WDS (I have heard of this before, but don't know very much about it...although I believe its supposed to be used for linking together networks wirelessly, right?)? Or how about if I bought one USB adapter and then set up internet connection sharing on that machine to provide internet connectivity to the other three machines via the local network already set up in the receptionist's area? Also, what would be the security considerations with respect to doing something like this? If possible, I'd like to enable WPA-PSK on the wireless link, as I know that is more secure than WEP. Any help or advice is greatly appreciated! Thanks!

- marc

 

[bobby13]

Hello Marc,

Because you can't run a ethernet cable from your Wireless router into your hub in reception, I suggest you install Wireless PC Cards or USB flash cards in all the computers that need high speed DSL connection.

If the PCs are running Windows XP Professional its quite simply to create a wireless home/office network using the utility provided.

You now have a wirless network, you can add PCs and Laptops to the network on the fly. For security enable WEP with 128 bit encryption or higher.

You mention a printer, which should be accessible via the PC its connected to. The best solution would have been if you purchased the new D-Link wireless DSL router with inbuilt print server (USB and Parallel printer ports).

This obviously makes your ethernet network redundant, and will cost you a fair bit to buy PCI cards for all desktops.

At my office we had a similar problem where the land lord would not let us run ethernet cables to the Wireless AP or build shelves on the walls for wireless access points, so what I did was run power over ethernet cable in the ceilings and left the wireless APs in there hidden from Sight and no messy cabling was visible either.

Regards
Bobby

 

[G0AOZ]

You will need to evaluate the situation re signal path between reception area and back office where the DSL connection is located. Assuming you've not got thick stone, concrete or steel walls etc., and we're not talking about huge distances then wireless could provide the answer.

We'll assume at this point that your existing DSL modem only has a USB connection to the laptop. Discard this modem and replace with a wireless DSL modem/router. The laptop will hopefully have an ethernet connection which can be linked to one of the modem/router's RJ-45 ethernet ports.

Attach a wireless AP to your existing reception network. Configure the two wireless devices in bridge mode, and apply suitable security.

Job done.

ROGER - G0AOZ.

 

[MarcNJ]

Bobby13,

Thanks for the reply. I have a few questions regarding your advice that perhaps you can assist me with.

First, why do you suggest wireless PC cards or USB flash cards instead of USB adapters? Is there some problem with USB adapters?

Second, you state that "If the PCs are running Windows XP Professional its quite simply to create a wireless home/office network using the utility provided." I'm a bit confused by what you mean here. It is my understanding that by adding some sort of wireless adapter (USB flash, USB adapter, PCI adapter, or PC card) to each receptionist PC and then setting up a wireless router in the rear office, I would have successfully created a wireless office network already. Is there something I'm missing here?

Thank you for the suggestion about the printer, but I prefer to go with Netgear products, and they don't mind if the printer remains connected to one of the PC's in the receptionist area and is networked that way.

When you state, "This obviously makes your ethernet network redundant," I'm assuming you are referring to the wired network that already exists between the receptionist computers. I understand this network would then be redundant, but does it pay to keep it in place anyway? Would it make data transfer speeds faster when data is simply going from one receptionist computer to another?

Your last statement regarding power over ethernet cables completely confuses me, as I have no idea what this is? Would this be an option for my scenario? If so, can you provide some further information regarding it? Thanks again for all your help!

- marc

 

[MarcNJ]

G0AOZ,

Thanks for the reply.

I am pretty sure that a wireless solution would be adequate in my scenario, but setting it up is where I run into some difficulty. The existing DSL modem actually has an ethernet connection, and I'd prefer not to replace it with a combo wireless DSL modem/router, as it has been my experience that these combo units do not work that well, do not offer as much protection and functionality as stand-alone wirelss routers, and are overall not as good as stand-alone units.

When you state that I should connect a wireless access point to the existing receptionist network and then configure the two wireless devices in bridge mode, I sort of lose you. I'm assuming bridge mode basically allows the wireless link to act as if it was a wired link, correct? Do all wireless devices allow themselves to be set in bridge mode (If not, can you provide me with some models that would work in your scenario.)? Is this similar to WDS? Also, what kind of security can you have running in bridge mode? I'd prefer to go with WPA-PSK since I understand its more secure than WEP. Thanks again for all your help!

- marc

 

[G0AOZ]

I assume the existing DSL modem has only one ethernet port, and you probably get the choice of using this port OR the USB port to connect a device like your laptop for instance. You probably cannot have both ports running at the same time - check the specs with the manufacturer.

If it's a case of either/or re those ports, then you will need to connect a wireless router to the DSL ethernet port. Reconfigure the laptop to connect to the router, using the laptop's ethernet connection if it has one. If not, fit a PCMCIA network card to the laptop. Get a compatible wireless AP and connect into your reception network hub/switch.

You have now effectively created a second network with the wireless router/laptop/DSL modem. All you need to do is configure the two wireless devices in bridge mode, which will link together your two networks. Apply selected security to both devices.

I would suggest you choose devices by the same manufacturer. Linksys has a selection of suitable devices, and offers good WiFi signal range - forum members may be able to advise other products.

ROGER - G0AOZ.

 

[bobby13]

Hello Marc,

I'm not aware of any data transfer or connectivity issues for using USB connectors. I've never used USB adapters as oppossed to Wireless PC cards, because the desktops i work with only have 2 USB ports and most users are using them for either USB mouse's or CD-RW Drives. So by using PCI cards i have the option of 2 free USB ports for future use.

After installing your Wireless router, when you bootup your first windows XP machine,under My Network Places you have a utility called "Set up wireless network for a home or small office". Basically you use this utility to setup your wireless network e.g SSID name, WEP keys. You also use this utility to add computers to your wireless network. If oyu have a Windows XP machine try it, it will make more sense.

Finally the "power over ethernet(POE)", its hard to explain but in a nut shell, POE is a Ethernet cable that carrys electricity as well as data to your Wireless Router, the advantage being you don't need a power socket where ever the Router is going to be placed e.g ceiling.

So one end of the POE is divided into 2 cables, one isa ethernet cable which gets connected to your swtich/hub and the second cable to a power socket. So in this scenario your wireless network is connect to your LAN as well.

I hope this makes sense.


Regards
Bobby