Home Network, wireless or hardwire?

[The Rabbi]

We have high-speed internet connection here at my computer, which is the family computer.  I am thinking about getting separate computers for the two kids so they can use them as well and networking them.  Anyone have any experience doing this?  Is it expensive?  Difficult?  Performance problems?
Thanks

[cordex]

I've put together a few dozen networks using all manner of common networking technologies.

Depends on the situation, but in most cases wireless is much easier but a tad more expensive.  Be sure to lock down your WAP nice and tight.

[The Rabbi]

Oh, did I mention I dont have a clue?  But if you say so I'll have the tightest WAP this side of Fire Island.

[cordex]

Okay ... let me try this again then.

Running a wired network gives you (currently, anyhow) the capacity for much greater speed.  This could be useful if you plan on transferring a lot of files back and forth between computers.  Your internet connection, however, will not be nearly as fast as your network connection whether you use wireless or wired, so for the most part it won't matter much.

Running cables neatly can be pretty tough if the computers are very far apart at all.  Between rooms/floors, for instance.  And you've got to be sure to crimp them well.  You can have someone do it for you, but that's just an added cost.

Setting up a wireless network is getting to the point that most folks who can use a computer can do it.  My suggestion to "lock down your WAP" was referring to making sure your Wireless Access Point had a network key set up on it.  That will keep other people nearby from having access to your network with their wireless devices unless you tell them the "key".

Technically, you don't need a Wireless Access Point to set up a network, but it is usually easier and more reliable to do it that way.

[Vodka7]

Depends on how much time, money, and effort you want to put into it.

For a real computer guy or someone who's building a new house, I'd recommend running gigabit ethernet everywhere you could ever possibly want a computer (don't forget the kitchen, den, or anywhere else you could conceivably drag a laptop.)  If you're comfortable running lots of wire, regular old 10/100 will be just as good for usual uses.

Really though, that's just the computer guy in me talking.  For simplicity and low cost of installation, you really can't beat wireless.  I have a D-Link based system in my house and I put together a Belkin based system in my ex's parents' house.  I think I spent $50 on her router and maybe another $50 on a wireless card for the second computer (her laptop had one built in.)

I've never had a problem reported to me about the system in her parents' house, except for the one time her younger brother buried the router under a pile of dirty clothes and wondered for weeks why the second computer had no signal (not the cleanest kid around.)

Here in my house, I've had problems with Windows XP trying to take over control of the wireless card on the second computer a couple times (maybe four times in the two years it's been up.)

My advice is get whatever letter (802.11a/b/g) fits your price range and distance requirements (g and b have much better penetration than a does).  *Follow the instructions in the manual to the letter* when installing the card and configuring the router.  For both of the brands I've worked with, some of the directions they give you are not in the natural order I would do things; but, I followed the instructions and had zero problems with installation.  I've seen a lot of message board posts from people who did things backwards and had some trouble correcting their mistakes later.  This may be one time when less computer experience is actually more helpful

And don't worry about speeds.  All three standards are faster than your cable modem is.  802.11g is only worth it if it's about the same price as a 802.11b solution, or if you do a lot of between computer transferring.

[jefnvk]

OK, IMHO:

If you don't mind running wires, I'd go this route.  I always prefer wired networks, especially where I live.  In a college dorm, lots of wireless routers around, and signals get mixed up easily.  That is why just about everything I have is wired.  If you are moving files back and forth, you'll appreciate the extra speed that the wires give you.

Get the bulk wire from Lowes or Home Depot, a crimper and some ends, and you'll save a bunch of money on wiring, plus make the job easier, not having to stick the ends through walls.

Wireless is the option if you don't want to run wires.  It is plenty fast enough for internet usage, much faster than your cabel modem is.  G is the bg thing right now, so you can find B stuff on the cheap.  Even G isn't all that much.  A while back at Target, I picked up a Microsoft G router, notebook card and desktop card for $12 each.  Works like a charm, although I went back to wired for the desktop for the above reason.

[The Rabbi]

OK, these are great.

The situation is, my kids are 12 and 10 so not a lot of file sharing (heck, I cant get them to share a candy bar).  Their rooms are upstairs at the other end of the house from where the computer is.  The network is solely so that everyone can use the net an not hog my computer.
Does that clarify it?
PS.  I am not a computer geek, as if that needed spelling out.

[Kharn]

I use wired for desktops and wireless for my laptop.  I dont purchase anything or do anything I wouldnt want the neighbors to know about on the laptop.  You never know what the geeky 14yo next door does with his computer, and what he can read of yours.

Kharn

[jefnvk]

Wireless then.  Pop a PCI card in each of their computer, one in yours.  That would be the easiest.  You could even do USB adapters if you really don't like the idea of taking the case off your computer.

I like D-Link equipment, always seems to be the best of the lower priced stuff.  Linksys is another decent brand.  

Router: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16833127143 $25 after rebate
USB Adapter: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16833127151 $25 after rebate
PCI Adapter: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16833127145 $26 after rebate

You could wirelessly network three computers for about $100.  Another place to look is in the Sunday ads, often times you can find the stuff (especially older B equipment, plenty good for internet) for free or cheap after rebates.

[Ben]

Keep in mind that if you're going from downstairs to upstairs, you may need to use a wireless access point to "boost" the signal. This sometimes depends on your wireless cards as well as the lay of your house (how many walls between your wireless node and your computers).

 I have two laptops from work that I use at home when I telecommute. My wireless is setup in my office, and with my Dell I get either a very low or dropped signal if I'm in a room at the opposite end of the house. My Toughbook gets a good signal there however.

To reiterate what others have said, WEP is your friend.

[Sindawe]

I'll 2nd the wireless access point Rabbi.  I'm running a Linksys AP (access point)/Router on my home network removed from my office, where my high speed connection comes in.  The router end acts as as DHCP server for the wireless, which saves the limited pool of addresses I have for other stuff.  This also lets me shutdown/reboot my primary machine without breaking  the connection for the other boxes.  If you do go wireless, the following are important things you should do.

1. Change the network ID from default that the device ships with.
2. Change the Administrator name and password from default, helps to keep your network secure and under YOUR control
3. Turn off the network broadcast on the device. This minimizes others from seeing your AP and trying to use it.
4. Set the MAC exclusion list to only allow THOSE devices you specify, in your case being the kids boxes.  When set up correctly, evnen if others can see your network, the AP will not let them in.

Oh, and buy a composition book to use as a log for settings and the like.

I use this device (http://www.linksys.com/products/product.asp?grid=33&scid=35&prid=601) which can also control what the users can access on the Internet. IE: www.disney.com = yes, www.hotslut.com = NO! and keep a log of the traffic the users attempt to connect to.  Cost of the device was about $60 at CompuUSA.  It talks to the $25.00 NetGear wireless network card in my MediaPC with no problems, as well as the Linksys card for my laptop ($60).

[cfabe]

Wireless will probably be about the same cost or not much more than the wired parts. Much easier to install. Much less reliable, and susceptable to external interference that you must accept. Inherently insecure. For your needs though, sharing internet, wireless should be fine. You'll need a router/access point to plug into your cable/dsl modem, a pci wireless card for each of the kids PCs (if they don't come already equipped), and you'll have to figure out how to place everything so that you get a strong signal. Follow all the above security precautions, but never consider the network to be fully secure; you're still sending a radio signal outside of the house/property.

Don't bother with internet access control or monitoring stuff, it's not foolproof and if your kids want to get into naughty stuff on the internet it won't stop them. Raise them right and it shouldn't be a problem. If you don't trust them on the internet alone, don't put a computer in their room.

[brimic]

I set my home computers up on a wireless system about a month ago.

Cost wasn't bad- A trip to Walmart got me a linksys router, PCI card and a USB adaptor for my wife's notebook for abotu $150.

Took me probably about 2 hours to set the thing up and iron out all of the bugs- if you go to the linksys website, they have downloadable utilities that pretty much set the thing up for you. Even a complete networking noob like myself had no problems with it.

Definately set up security right away, or others will be tapping your highspeed line and eating up all of your bandwidth.

[BrokenPaw]

Security is a consideration.  802.11(a/g/b) are all subject to to something called "war-driving".  Anyone with a laptop or PDA (or one of these) can discover that you have a wireless network set up.  There are a number of tools available that allow (given enough time) someone to gather enough of the packets that you're transmitting over the air to "crack" the encryption key that you're using.  

They may do this because they want to see what you're doing or (more likely, in a residential situation) they want to be able to use your broadband access to surf the net.   Once they have your encryption key, they can use your network.  And given minor creativity and the ability to search the net for plans, they can build an antenna that will allow then to do it from at least a hundred yards away.  (I know a guy who shared a broadband connection with his 250-feet-away neighbours, with their knowledge, by building an antenna out of a Pringles can).  

All of this said, it depends on your location.  I run an 802.11b network in my home, but I live on enough land (with the proper hillyness and treefulness)  that someone would have to make themselves fairly obvious to eavesdrop and crack my network.  If you live in a dense residential area, it's much easier for someone to do unobtrusively.

-BP

[Vodka7]

WPA keys are several orders of magnitude more difficult to crack than WEP keys.  Even cracking a 128bit WEP key requires being able to monitor literally gigs of traffic.  Not hard if you have all the time in the world or are doing it on a corporate installation, but I'm guessing he'd probably have to be parked in front of your house for a good month or so to get the amount of traffic he needed.

Like suggested above, WPA + a MAC address white list will be more than enough to keep the average intruder out.

To be honest, with so many completely unsecured WiFi networks out there nowadays, it's easier to just keep driving and find one of those than to bother specifically targetting something that requires more work.

[mtnbkr]

One way to keep others off your network even if they crack your wireless security is to reduce your logical network to only the number of IP addresses you need.  In other words, if you only have three systems on the network, set your subnet mask to something like 255.255.255.248.  That'll give you 8 addresses, but you'll lose 2 to network and broadcast, giving you 6 total.  The next step down is 4 (255.255.255.252), but you'll only have 2 after "network" and "broadcast".

Turn off DHCP so they'll have to figure out your network rather than just getting an automatic assignment.  Hardcode the IP info into your PCs.  It's more work, but it'll make it more work for someone to outside to use your network.

Run software firewalls on each machine.

Set up MAC address filtering to only allow the three machines in your network to connect to your router.  I just saw that Sindawe recommended this too.  His other recommendations are good as well.  

Chris

[jefnvk]

Get a G if you are real concerned, as stated, WEP is better than WPA for keeping people out.  Turn off DHCP, manually set your IP addresses.  Lock it down so only your three MAC addresses can access it, and turn off broadcasting SSID.

They may be able to see it is there, but it'd be like you looking at the door of a closed bank vault.

And do change every default setting you can.  Computer geeks like me have fun with people who don't

[mtnbkr]

I replaced their windows startup screen with horseporn and enabled mac address filtering.

ROTFLMAO!!!

I bet they had to reformat to "fix" it.

Chris