Another Computer Question

[MossRoad]

Here's a link to a humorous article regarding wireless zero.

Windows Wireless Zero Configuration: Five Steps to Sanity

 

[SnowRidge]

I never heard of the term "Wireless Zero" before, so I had to look it up. Neato! I guess I've been fortunate enough to never have had that many wireless networking problems.

The first time I tried wireless, I bought a little SMC wireless access point and a 16 bit PCMCIA card for my laptop, also by SMC. The wireless card came with its own driver, which turned off Wireless Zero and did its own thing instead. When I got a new laptop, it came with a built in wireless card. It would not work with the manufacturer's driver, but worked fine with the M$ driver and Wireless Zero. Go figure.

Anyway, we use fixed IPs on the LAN with Linuxes and a Mac OSX. Winders is for when we are desperate, or in the mood for some self flagellation.

 

[MossRoad]

Everything in our building is hard wired. We have one wireless access point in a conference room for visiting folks that need internet access on laptops without the foot trip hazards of wires.

At home, for a long time, I had a Net Modem from Net Gear. It was a modem that sat on the network and anytime a PC wanted internet access, it automatically dialed up my ISP. After no activity for 15 minutes, it hung up. I put a Net Gear wireless router on my home network. Then I had wireless access to my 28.8 dial up with my laptop.

I take my laptop with me when I travel and have run into some pretty weird configurations. However, the trip I took last week was uneventful. Everywhere I went, it just seemed to work perfectly. Things are looking better.

 

[SnowRidge]

When we build a new house, it will be hard wired to the max. Wireless is a PITA, even if you know what you are doing, and it is marginally secure at best.

Most wireless installations are wide open. The nightmare scenario is when the cops serve you with a warrant for all your computers and computer media at 5:00 am, while the press and neighbors take pictures and look on -- all because one of those same neighbors was using your wireless Internet connection to download the wrong kind of kiddie pictures.

There is an interesting article on The Legal Reader web site regarding such a theft. I don't think I can put the link in this post without violating TBN's term of service, but the most interesting thing about the incident is how the police found out about it. It happened in Toronto, and the criminal was driving and downloading at the time.

 

[milkman]

As was mentioned earlier, if your AVG is updating, your network connection is fine.

As also was mentioned earlier, you should launch Internet Explorer and go to the TOOLS pull down menu and select INTERNET OPTIONS.

From the INTERNET OPTIONS box, select the CONNECTIONS TAB.

At the bottom of the CONNECTIONS TAB select LAN SETTINGS.

In the LAN SETTINGS window uncheck everything and hit O.K.

O.K. the INTERNET OPTIONS box.

Test I.E. and see if it now works and report back.

Well I thought that fixed it, I followed the directions and plugged in the adapter and typed in TBN.com and the home page popped up, but that is as far as it would go, if I tried to navigate anywhere, no internet connection detected. I think that my AVG is not updating either with this adapter.

I am able to get to the config for the adapter, but haven't a clue as to what I need to set or change, I will check the settings on the netgear and see if they can be of any help.

 

[SnowRidge]

Well I thought that fixed it, I followed the directions and plugged in the adapter and typed in TBN.com and the home page popped up, but that is as far as it would go, if I tried to navigate anywhere, no internet connection detected. I think that my AVG is not updating either with this adapter.

I am able to get to the config for the adapter, but haven't a clue as to what I need to set or change, I will check the settings on the netgear and see if they can be of any help.

Sounds like you got TBN's home page from the browser's cache.

 

[MossRoad]

When we build a new house, it will be hard wired to the max. Wireless is a PITA, even if you know what you are doing, and it is marginally secure at best.

Most wireless installations are wide open. The nightmare scenario is when the cops serve you with a warrant for all your computers and computer media at 5:00 am, while the press and neighbors take pictures and look on -- all because one of those same neighbors was using your wireless Internet connection to download the wrong kind of kiddie pictures.

There is an interesting article on The Legal Reader web site regarding such a theft. I don't think I can put the link in this post without violating TBN's term of service, but the most interesting thing about the incident is how the police found out about it. It happened in Toronto, and the criminal was driving and downloading at the time.

Yeah, two CAT5 network cables and two RG8 coax cables to each location from a head end closet is a pretty safe bet. Still, wireless is nice for laptops and old houses. You can get routers with adjustable signal strength that make it hard to get the signal outside of the house.

 

[SnowRidge]

Yeah, two CAT5 network cables and two RG8 coax cables to each location from a head end closet is a pretty safe bet. Still, wireless is nice for laptops and old houses. You can get routers with adjustable signal strength that make it hard to get the signal outside of the house.

Right. We will still have a wireless node for times when it is appropriate, but most of the time it will be turned off. Besides, there will be almost no one within range, without a Pringles can antenna anyway.

My wife went to a security conference at which the presenter advocated putting wireless access points in the basement. He claimed it would foil the war drivers. He probably has a good point.

 

[MossRoad]

Right. We will still have a wireless node for times when it is appropriate, but most of the time it will be turned off. Besides, there will be almost no one within range, without a Pringles can antenna anyway.

My wife went to a security conference at which the presenter advocated putting wireless access points in the basement. He claimed it would foil the war drivers. He probably has a good point.

That's where mine is. My dsl box, my wireless router, my net modem (turned off for now) and my A/V head end are all right next to each other on a wall in the basement. I should take my laptop out in the yard and see how far the signal reaches.

 

[SnowRidge]

Yeah, two CAT5 network cables and two RG8 coax cables to each location from a head end closet is a pretty safe bet. Still, wireless is nice for laptops and old houses. You can get routers with adjustable signal strength that make it hard to get the signal outside of the house.

OK, I know what the Cat5 is for. What is the RG8 for?