Database Users

WIFI help needed

Ok, I'm soon to get a Universal (O2 XDA Exec to be precise) and want to take advantage of the inbuilt WIFI capabilities to surf the net from the comfort of my bedroom using my PC's broadband connection.
I currently have a desktop PC, with a broadband connection (provided by NTL). What additional kit do I need to enable WIFI on my desktop PC and allow my Universal to share the broadband internet connection.
Is it just one of those little boxes with the flip up aerial? I'm presuming so but want to check before I waist money on one.
Also, the reason I mentioned I'm on NTL is that PC World have signs everyhere telling me that NTL users require a different type of wireless router to BT users (one is DSL/Cable and the other is ADSL). Anyone know if this is true?

hi ive never had ntl before but im under the assumption that they use coax or something similar to connect to the internet but yes the easiest way ive found is by connecting through a wireless router, yet dont be so hasty to buy yourself the wifi kit and caboodle, when ou get your xda exec when connecting the wifi on it see if you can leech a neighbours unsecure WEP DISABLED connection
i dont know if a usb wifi antenna would work for connecting the exec to pc

I'm thinking that a "usb wifi antenna" is used for enabling wifi on a device in order for said device to connect to an existing wifi network (router).
I was looking at them because they were cheaper, lol. But I don't think they'd work for this purpose.
Also, my neighbours either side are both old, so I doubt they even have a computer. And even if they do they probably tippex out mistakes on the screen :lol:
What kind of range does WIFI have anyway?

Anyone?

Please?

Hi GaZ,
The signs in PcWorld are correct, if you connect over a BT line, you will be using an ADSL modem. As you are with NTL, you will be using DSL/cable modem.
NTL will have supplied you with a modem already (that allows you to surf on your desktop PC). I'm assuming this modem has a Coax cable that joins it to the NTL socket in your wall, and an Ethernet socket, with a LAN cable running to your desktop PC's network card? (Not sure if you can get USB varieties as with ADSL, but I haven't seen them).
So, if you do currently connect your desktop PC to your modem with a standard Cat5 LAN cable, your best bet is to get a wireless router (as you correctly state, the little box with flip up aerial).
There are a few different wireless routers available (PcWorld and Argos do several - Belkin, Linksys, Netgear are all good), the main thing being some have a built in ADSL modem - which you don't want! As you already have the modem, you just need a simple wireless router.
I think most have a 4 port hub built in and many have a built in firewall. You will need to take the LAN cable from your modem (that currently goes to the PC) and plug it in the hub on the wireless router instead. Now, your internet signal can be transmitted through your wireless router - and therefore your XDA will be able to connect and surf the net (even if your desktop PC is switched off!).
To connect your desktop PC back to the net, you can either
a) Buy a Wireless USB dongle, around £15-£20. This plugs into a USB socket on your desktop PC and allows it to connect using your wireless router as well, the same as the XDA.
b) If your PC is located near the wireless router, you could use a second LAN cable to connect your PC's network card to one of the spare sockets on the wireless routers hub. This will provide a slightly faster connection compared to wireless, but you wouldn't notice much difference either way for normal web surfing.
Sorry for going on, but I suggest (providing your cable modem currently outputs it's signal via standard ethernet LAN) you get a wireless router, with built in hub (4 or 5 LAN sockets on the back)... but avoid ones with ADSL modems built in as they cost more and you don't need it.
The only other thing is 54g or more? The standard wireless 'G' products are rated at 54mbps (which should be fine)... but you can pay more for high-speed versions listed as 108g or 125g - you'd have to read reviews to see if you think one of these will give you any added benefit.
As an example, PcWorld do this Belkin one for only £43.97:
http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/st...null&sm=null&tm=null&sku=886496&category_oid=
And here's the matching USB adapter for £20, should you wish to connect your desktop wirelessly as well:
http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/st...null&sm=null&tm=null&sku=369188&category_oid=
It has "DSL Connection for Cable Customers" - just the type you need.
It has "With 4-Port 10/100 Switch" - meaning you can hard wire PC's as well.
And it "Protects your Network with Firewall" - another level of security.
But there are loads more out there! Happy surfing.

Need internet on my laptop... what to use...

I"m stuck at a hotel that has a horrible wireless router, that my wireless card cant get a good 'lock' on. And to make things better, I have crappy phone signal, so WiFiRouter is out.
However, when I turn WiFi on, on my Titan, it connects to the hotel router and stays connected. What software is out there to make the Titan into something that will feed my laptop its WiFi connection through USB?

well how old is ur card guy i never heard of the mogul being stromger than a card what yu have a only A or B card or something?

use wmwifirouter to broadcast the hotels signal

I have a Netgear WG511T that rarely even sees the router and an SMC 2336W-AG both a/b/g, both latest drivers as of this weekend. The SMC sees the router for short periods of time then dumps and reconnects.
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weav4444 said:
use wmwifirouter to broadcast the hotels signal
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you mean use it like a repeater or something? Is there somewhere to find something of a manual for this program?

WiFi

If i connect to the internet via WiFi on my HTC touch HD is this free? does it come out of my allowence (orange)? sorry im not up on all this tech.
thanks
Paul.

wifi is the same deal as if you connect your phone to your computer or network using usb or bluetooth
you can even remove the sim
your isp will never know when you're connected and transfering data over wifi
wifi is 100% the same thing as wired ethernet LAN networks just without the wires

Sending Wireless Signal FROM Laptop to second wired wireless router?

You see, my laptop can see my wireless signal but my PDA can't when in the same room as my laptop.
I have two routers (and wiring the second router from the first and using it as an access point isn't an option).
Is there any way I can send the wireless signal from my laptop obtained from the parent router to the other wireless router (through an ethernet cable) and then connect my PDA to the second router as an access point?
Thanks,

You should be able to just bridge the connections in windows.

So if I attach a router with no internet connection to my laptop (which has a wireless connection from a second router) via an ethernet cable, I should be able to detect it in My Network Places as a LAN connection and then bridge the connection with the wireless signal my laptop gets, which would then allow the router to transmit that signal wirelessly as it would if I connected it directly via an ethernet cable to the parent router and used it as an access point?
I just feel like there's too much magic behinds the scenes that Windows needs to do for that to work out. I'd be super happy if that works though, I'll try it when I get home!

I tried connecting the router from the LAN and WAN port and bridging my wireless connection with the LAN connection from the router connected to my laptop. In both cases (through LAN and WAN ports on the wired router), I was not able to connect to the original wireless signal after I bridged the connections.

Tether to Router?

So I can use my standard USB cable and tether to the laptop and have net connection on lappy. Same with desktop. USB tether works just the same as wifi tether. What about getting a micro USB to RJ45 (ethernet) cable and tethering to the internet in jack on my router. Would that put the net signal on the router like a modem would?

Chopstix9 said:
So I can use my standard USB cable and tether to the laptop and have net connection on lappy. Same with desktop. USB tether works just the same as wifi tether. What about getting a micro USB to RJ45 (ethernet) cable and tethering to the internet in jack on my router. Would that put the net signal on the router like a modem would?
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Or you could get a wireless adapter for your Desktop. That's what I did. Now I can stream Amazon Prime on my Xbox 360, and PC game at the same time.This is what I have and works like a charm.
Good luck.

Oh my desktop is already wireless enabled, that's not an issue... Been running the house off the phones for a couple years... Just gave up a little bit when I got rid of cable interet. Whole house networking to other computers in the house, had to plug the wireless printer back into the desktop, it's no longer a network printer, etc.... was just toying with the idea and wondering if it would work is all.
Actually, in looking at the micro usb - rj45 adapters, I don't think it will work. Those are actually ethernet adapters, like adding a network card to a slot on a pc. Made for taking a net signal FROM a network, not sending one TO it.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but can't you just get a compatible wireless dongle (Something you would use for sniffing/injecting packets) and use it as an access point so you can broadcast the signal throughout the house?
Another thing you can do is pick up a router that you can install Tomato or DD-WRT on and use it as a wireless client bridge. It would connect to your phone, and again, broadcast that signal through the house.

Chopstix9 said:
So I can use my standard USB cable and tether to the laptop and have net connection on lappy. Same with desktop. USB tether works just the same as wifi tether. What about getting a micro USB to RJ45 (ethernet) cable and tethering to the internet in jack on my router. Would that put the net signal on the router like a modem would?
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DJNads said:
Another thing you can do is pick up a router that you can install Tomato or DD-WRT on and use it as a wireless client bridge. It would connect to your phone, and again, broadcast that signal through the house.
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Correct. Assuming the phone would even operate in this manner (I've never tried but sounds like a great idea!), you'd need a router that is capable of operating in bridged mode/wireless bridge/access point mode (may be labeled as either of them). You'd then have to configure the router to said bridged mode. An easier route (and possibly more expensive) would be to purchase just an access point.

MrHyde03 said:
Correct. Assuming the phone would even operate in this manner (I've never tried but sounds like a great idea!), you'd need a router that is capable of operating in bridged mode/wireless bridge/access point mode (may be labeled as either of them). You'd then have to configure the router to said bridged mode. An easier route (and possibly more expensive) would be to purchase just an access point.
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I may have an old WAP in my junk closet. A router that can bridge may work but first thing I think I would need is a router or WAP that has a USB connection on it.... I'm looking to plug the phone into the router to provide the internet signal instead of a cable/dsl modem, creating a typical LAN ... I can still use the LAN in-house sans the net connection. Just a pain to disconnect from one network (phone hotspot) and connect to another (netless LAN) for file transfers network printing etc ...

Chopstix9 said:
I may have an old WAP in my junk closet. A router that can bridge may work but first thing I think I would need is a router or WAP that has a USB connection on it.... I'm looking to plug the phone into the router to provide the internet signal instead of a cable/dsl modem, creating a typical LAN ... I can still use the LAN in-house sans the net connection. Just a pain to disconnect from one network (phone hotspot) and connect to another (netless LAN) for file transfers network printing etc ...
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You shouldn't need to physically connect your phone to the router at all. Depending on what router you get, it should be able to pick up the wireless signal from your phone's hotspot and rebroadcast it as its own network.
Edit: And honestly, I'm not sure connecting the phone via usb to the router would even share the connection. That router doesn't have the drivers needed for that to work.

To the OP, off topic question but what did you have to do to activate wi fi tether? your sig, tells me that your on stock and can still do it, yes? thanks!

Side note, it's been awhile but when I moved into my apartment I had no internet for a few days.
I did the USB wired tether to a laptop, then the laptop I think I enabled ICS/internet connection sharing and then connected with rj45 to a router, and it shared that as the WAN connection.

motrinHD said:
To the OP, off topic question but what did you have to do to activate wi fi tether? your sig, tells me that your on stock and can still do it, yes? thanks!
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What part of my sig tells you I am on stock?

I've done both these things. I've taken my cell and flashed a router with dd-wrt and set it up as a repeater bridge but that means that only the computers near that router gets internet, unless your house is wired for ethernet (or using wireless). My current setup is having the phone tethered to a computer running Zentyal linux. This is a cool distro that can replace a 2008 Small business server in a work environment but it does the trick for my router at home. I had it running on an old P4 and recently graduated to a Zotac Zbox Mini ID41 which is tucked away behind my TV. I set up the computer to hand out dhcp and be the router and gateway. When i plug in my cell in tethering mode, zentyal recognizes it and i set that USB device as external WAN. It usually takes some getting used to and about a minute to normalize after the phone is unplugged and taken on the road. This has worked for me so far but when i'm at work, no internet at home. I'm currently attempting to talk my workplace into letting me subsidize a Verizon Jetpack i can leave home which will do the same job.
As a side note, i live in rural WI and we only have Satellite internet as a choice, which really stinks as both carriers have a bandwidth cap which we were constantly hitting two weeks into the billing cycle. They then throttle you down to less than a meg until your billing cycle renews.

We RV all summer most years and I use WiFiRanger gear to network our 5th wheel. That way we can grab a WiFi AP if one is available and the credentials are known or I HotSpot my phone and the Router grabs the phone's WiFi AP and we are good to go.
If you are stationary and only intend to use the phone's HotSpot as a WiFi AP then WiFiRanger's GO2 should do the trick. They are currently working on a firmware upgrade that will allow some great bandwidth monitoring and device usage controls. Their price is comparable to most full featured routers being offered but not cheap.
I am a satisfied user and Beta tester of their equipment, not an employee or representative. We use several of their offerings to maximize our capabilities on the road.