Wireless connection to the interent

[TimH]

I have a laptop and use just a dial-up connection to get on the interenet. Its a pain in the butt to constantly run a ohone cable to where ever I may be using the laptop. Is it possible to set my computer up to go wireless but still use a modem? I don't want to get a cable or DSL connection for the amount I online plus cable or DSL isn't available at my shop. Thanks Tim

[cfabe]

Possible, yes certianly. Easy, I'm not sure. If you can find a wireless router with a normal dialup modem built in, that'd be the easiest way to go, but I'm not sure they make that. Another way would be to set up a desktop comptuer as a windows ICS router and set up a normal wireless network.

[Guest]

You can network your laptop to your desktop by using a wireless access point and a wireless card in your laptop. Your still stuck with dialup though, and you would have to connect with your original modem the same as always before you could get on the internet. Kindof more work than its worth if you ask me. You could also go cellular and use your cell phone to connect to dialup or directly to a cellular network, but that is way more expensive than its worth if you dont need it due to travel.

Really wireless isnt all that compatable with dialup. I absolutely LOVE it for my setup (i have two machines on a wireless network at home, it saves running cable). But it really only makes sense if you have a constant connection (DSL/Cable). Cable is really coming down in price, and really isnt much more than dialup these days, and it really is significantly better

[cfabe]

But Tim stated that cable and dsl aren't available to him. Other broadband options would be satellite from DirecPC/Hughes or, if you have it in the area, fixed wireless internet, which is basically a super long distance wireless network, between an antenna on your roof and a radio tower. If you do want to continue with dialup, though, you can set up your desktop as a windows ICS (internet connection sharing) and I believe there is a setting to have it dial the connection on demand, so from you laptop you'd have to try to load a webpage, and then wait while it would dial up and connect. And then you'd have your slow dialup on the laptop via wireless. Another choice would be a dedicated router device like most people use for their cable/dsl, but with a built in normal modem.

[Aslan]

The Apple airport provides a modem connection in conjunction with it's wireless router. It is really more for fail-over if the broadband is down, but it might be an option to consider.

I'm currently running two independent networks over a broadband connection, plus two completely separate wireless networks:

cable modem goes to a 10/100 switch. Connected to the switch are an Apple airport extreme and a Cisco VPN concentrator.

The Airport is used for my personal stuff: 2 Mac's (1 Ti powerbook and a Dual G5) 2 windows machines (1 dell laptop, 1 hp tower) and an Xbox. On the VPN concentrator are 2 dell laptops and a netgear access point.

So, I have two completely separate networks (I have two IP's from the broadband provider, one is consumed by the Airport, the other by the VPN concentrator).

The Airport provides me with wireless connectivity for my personal stuff, and the netgear access point provides wireless for my work stuff that goes through the VPN.

Broadband is the way to go, wired or otherwise...

[lee n. field]

Set up an old PC (I'm using a Compaq Deskpro P133) with  a nic and a real modem.  Install smoothwall (http://www.smoothwall.org), and set it up as a dial on demand router.  Add in a WAP.  Works for me here.

[InfidelSerf]

As far as I know the only way to do it would be to set up ICS (internet connection sharing) on a computer hooked to the dial up line.   And wirelessly connect to it.  That should do the trick.

[jefnvk]

You'd probably need to get an old computer running as a router, but it could be done.

[TimH]

Thanks for the replies. I've been looking at this:

http://nebowireless.com/index2.html

And this:

http://www.wiflyer.com/StoreFront.bok

I would get DSL or cable but niether one is available at my shop and that is where I would need the speed the most.....Tim