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Rick,
I’m not positive about what you mean, but I’m part “Geek.” Maybe this’ll help.
Normally, a “Wireless Router” requires a connection to a DSL or Cable Modem. There’ll be a port on the back of the router, most often labeled “WAN,” for Wide Area Network. That is where the modem goes. The router takes that signal and “routes” it to the things in your house that are either set up for wireless, or connected directly, (via the Ethernet connectors,) to it. Each device is given a separate IP Address by the router. (The modem will have its own IP Address, set according to the provider’s own network requirements.)
There are devices that can extend a wireless signal. They’re pretty new, however, and I haven’t had any experience with them.
If you can’t get a DSL, or Cable Modem, there’s always HughesNet, (formerly “DirecWay,”) or DataStorm, or a couple other satellite Internet providers that can be connected to your home devices through a router. I believe there is also the Broadband services that several MOC members have been talking about, as well. And it seems those are now coming out with the capability to connect via a router.
Hauling a HughesNet antenna around, is a bit cumbersome, but doable. But the Broadband is eminently exquisite in design for travelers. It was designed to furnish Internet to handheld devices, after all.
And don’t fear about your location, regarding DSL from the provider. Where we lived in Fairbanks, we were certain there’d be no chance to get the phone company’s DSL because we were so far away from the nearest switch room. It took a call to the phone company’s engineering department to find out that we could be switched over from the fiber connection we were on, to a copper connection, (between their switch room and the remote switch that served our house,) to enable our connection to DSL. Sure enough. After a week’s wait, we were called to go pick up the DSL modem, instructions, and a CD with the programming any PC needed to connect.
So ask the provider, (cable or phone company,) if there’s any way they could connect you, and see what happens. If not, ask the local broadband provider of your locale can be checked out for signal strength and a possible connection.
As for connecting two or more PCs together in a house? There are wireless devices for that. I can’t tell you much about them, since I’ve not done that in our Monty, yet. My wife’s laptop still needs the router I have to share files with and print through this PC. She has to connect the Ethernet cable to do so, because this router’s a DSL router, and that’s all the wireless part of it wants to do. Without that Internet connection, she can’t connect to it with her wireless card. Someday I’ll get caught up on the technology, but for now, slinging the cable to her laptop isn’t an inconvenience.
Ask at Circuit City, or Best Buy to see what’s out there if you want to connect your household devices. If you want broadband, cable, or phone DSL, contact the providers.
Steve
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