Wifi antenna

[Montana_1240]

quote:Originally posted by snfexpress

As for WAP's (Wireless Access Points), these can be incorporated in a router or not. If part of a router, then the WAN connection (DSL, Cable or PCMCIA Cellular card) goes to the Internet provider allowing you to connect to the Internet.

If a WAP is used without a router, then it becomes the equivalent of a wired switch (or hub) allowing more than one computer to connect to another on the same subnet.

Woo Hoo! That’s just what we need in this rig. Well, that AND a satellite Internet connection independent of all the Wi-Fi equipped CGs that charge for access.

quote:Originally posted by snfexpress

As for using Internet Connection Sharing from M$, I wouldn't. The ICS computer, acting as a kind of server, needs to be turned on all the time if the other user wants to connect to the Internet. Also, XP seems to lock up occasionally, especially if using ICS, requiring a re-boot of the "server" computer. I think a hardware solution is infinitely more reliable and eloquent.

Well, I don’t need to get into yet another Blue-Screen-Of-Death situations. While I wasn’t planning on sharing the Internet with my wife’s laptop, (she has her own Wi-Fi,) I was planning on using M$’s file and print sharing capabilities. I’m guessing it’d leave me open to the same problems.

quote:Originally posted by snfexpress


Finally, I have been noticing that EVDO (the technology used by cellular companies to provide broadband and slower speeds to the Internet) is becoming much more robust and available. So much so, that I think satellite (from Hughes) will probably not be able to keep up. In fact, if you look at the competing technologies, it seems that more and more manufacturers are betting on EVDO rather than pure satellite (pure satellite, using satellite phones can only get up to about 9600 baud at the moment, though it is thought that within about 5 years, all communications will be through satellites, including data packets for Internet). The reason that Hughes can get better speeds is due to the size of the dish - almost a meter. Handheld satellite phones obviously have much smaller antennas.

D’Oh!

quote:Originally posted by snfexpress


So, for about $400, I chose EVDO and Verizon at $60 per month unlimited with no FAP (fair access policy as implemented by Hughes) as a stop gap until satellite replaces cellular. The KR-1 router I purchased is a router with the WAN connection to the Kyocera air card, the LAN connection is both wired (using ethernet cables) and wireless (using WiFi). We have two wireless laptops and a wireless printer communicating via WiFi to our KR-1 allowing both of us to be on the Internet and also print wirelessly. We primarily use the Internet as a way to RDP into our servers and desktops at work so that it's as if we're sitting at our desks in our office, but in fact are enjoying the great outdoors in our Monty!

Been hearing nothing but good about that. And the prices do seem to be declining as fast as most technology prices will in time. Went with Verizon due to coverage and calling plans. Wish that stupid AllTel would stop saying to its callers that our number is not in service, though….

quote:Originally posted by snfexpress


If I can answer any other questions, I'll give it a go. If I just added to the confusion, I'll try again.

You’d have to PAY ME to get me to think up any MORE questions!



Thanks, so much. Saved my head exploding with even more stuff that I already jammed into it, hoping to find just what you’ve illuminated, here. Not to mention saving me loads of $$ being tossed at a satellite provider when they’re not gonna hack the mission.

Steve

[Banjo Jim]

Thanks Mike for the good info. looks like the way to go I've got Verizon for the cell phone.

Later Banjo Jim.

[trukdoc]

If you did set up a WiFi network in your Monty, seems to me that "the good neighbor" policy would be in effect if you did not broadcast your SSID. I am not seeing the evil of the signal relay. If I had a signal relay in my trailer and I am getting a fair signal that the relay rebroadcasts, my WiFi connection would be stronger as well as helping the "Neighbors" around me that would like to get a signal. It is not pushing anything on my "Neighbors" computer, their computer simply would ask if they wanted to connect. It is up to the ethics of us people to determine if we have the right to use that connection rather than the computer. The more I read the more I learn that if I do not want someone to view my files I can protect myself from that.
Part "B" of my question about Routers, I have bought two different ones. In the setup it detetcs no DSL modem and quits setup. It will not network my computers together. Even though I have turned on file and printer shareing it will not share. And I cannot get DSL no way no how. I called the engineers at Verizon and I am less than 1 mile from being able to get a connection.

[Montana_1240]

Rick,

Does your router have any open wired connections for Ethernet on the back? Mine does. I also tried to get my wife's laptop to talk to this PC through this wireless router, (used to service our brick & stick house on our DSL,) for printer access and file sharing. Didn't work. Even when I had this PC connected to one of the router's wired ports.

Not knowing squat about a Wireless Access Point, (and still can't be sure it'd do just what I want it to do, but hope to find out soon,) I simply connected both of us to the router's wired ports with my own private subnets set up on our two computers’ NICs. As long as I turn on my NIC, (this PC's wired to a port on it,) power up the router, my wife can run an Ethernet cable to it, enable her NIC, with the same subnet configured in it, then she can access files and print share.

It sounds like your router might not work, since it won’t get past set-up. But even if you were to get through set-up, you will likely have to set addresses in your NICs to make it see the other PC. Right now, it’s most likely doing like mine is when not plugged into our computers…Seeing the wireless PC and laptop, but only wanting to hand out an IP address and port the data out to the now non-existent DSL modem.

All in all, if I want to continue using wires, and enabling the NICs when we need to communicate, I could either keep this wireless router, (but probably sending some sort of useless signal outside the Monty, even though I took its antenna off,) or get a cheap, wired router or switch to plug us into for that deed.

If I can accomplish this with a WAP, I'll invest in one.

I hope that makes some sense, and helps a bit.

Steve

[snfexpress]

Routers are definitely needed in most situations. A WAP is just an added feature of the router so that you don't have to get your ethernet cables out.

Most routers have setup programs which I think are mostly crap if you have any situation that is outside of the box. The good news is that you can set up a router directly and with much more granularity by using a web browser, while wired to the router using an ethernet cable.

Look at your documentation, but usually it goes something like this. Open IE or Firefox and type in http://192.168.0.1 (you will need to get this IP address from your docs)

Then enter user name and password (the defaults that you will also get from your docs)

Then you can usually set up your WAN connection as automatic (DHCP). And, while any IP address not on your subnet will attempt to go out the WAN connection, it really won't be going anywhere. You essentially have a closed system (except for when you enable wireless functionality and then you will want to use security).

This stuff is pretty easy once you get in and look around.