Do I need to pay the evol corporation 29.95 to do the hook up or is it idiot proof? I'm looking at the cable company, so I assume I would need to run wire from the ground floor (where the cable box is) to the basement (where my computer is).
Pay it up.
Do you already have a phone line down there? If so that is probably just an activation fee that you would have to pay for them to come out and do their thing, no way around that.
You don't want the phone company running phone lines for you; I can't speak to where you are, but most of the tme they don't want to do it so they normally charge a ridiculous amount to do it.
Quote from: sbr on January 20, 2012, 11:40:14 AM
Do you already have a phone line down there? If so that is probably just an activation fee that you would have to pay for them to come out and do their thing, no way around that.
You don't want the phone company running phone lines for you; I can't speak to where you are, but most of the tme they don't want to do it so they normally charge a ridiculous amount to do it.
I looked on the Mediacom website and they said you can do it yourself or pay them 29.95 to do it for you.
Quote from: Admiral Yi on January 20, 2012, 11:51:12 AM
Quote from: sbr on January 20, 2012, 11:40:14 AM
Do you already have a phone line down there? If so that is probably just an activation fee that you would have to pay for them to come out and do their thing, no way around that.
You don't want the phone company running phone lines for you; I can't speak to where you are, but most of the tme they don't want to do it so they normally charge a ridiculous amount to do it.
I looked on the Mediacom website and they said you can do it yourself or pay them 29.95 to do it for you.
If they're going to run the cable for you, I say pay the $30. But if they're only going to install the modem where your cable box is and leave you to figure out the rest, then it's not worth $30.
Whatever you do, I would suggest getting a router to put between your computer and the cable modem, even if you'll only have one computer that will need internet access. Not sure if it has changed in recent years, but cable modems don't really offer much in the way of security, and even the cheapest router will give you the benefit of being behind a firewall.
Please tell me more.
Some ISPs now have router/modems in a single box. If they don't have that, I agree about putting a router in there. Also don't install the ISP's shit on your computer unless you know what it does and really want it.
That's so polite of them. Time Warner forced me to pay a $45 dollar setup fee even though I had one of their cable modems and was at a location where said modem was working when I changed my address of record...
I called up Mediacom to get some more dope, and the long and the short of it is I need to get a router and hook it up to my dad's connection. Given that his computer is on the 2nd floor and mine is in the basement, I'm thinking wireless.
So do I just go to Best Buy and get a router and a wifi...thing?
Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.
Almost all routers have built in wifi. You will need a wireless network card for your PC.
How far will you be from the router? Is it a standard wood and sheetrock house? Wireless down into the basement sounds like it would be problematic; couldn't be much worse than dial-up though, right?
Quote from: sbr on January 21, 2012, 09:12:12 PM
Almost all routers have built in wifi. You will need a wireless network card for your PC.
How far will you be from the router? Is it a standard wood and sheetrock house? Wireless down into the basement sounds like it would be problematic; couldn't be much worse than dial-up though, right?
Actually, that's exactly how I'm rigged up- two computers in the shared office, both physically wired to the router, and mine's kept in the basement, where I always have at least 60% signal. And that's just a cheapie $40 Belkin Wireless-N. I've also got my Xbox 360 wired to a Linksys WRT54G with DD-WRT running in adapter mode on the first floor
Quote from: DontSayBanana on January 21, 2012, 10:46:08 PM
Quote from: sbr on January 21, 2012, 09:12:12 PM
Almost all routers have built in wifi. You will need a wireless network card for your PC.
How far will you be from the router? Is it a standard wood and sheetrock house? Wireless down into the basement sounds like it would be problematic; couldn't be much worse than dial-up though, right?
Actually, that's exactly how I'm rigged up- two computers in the shared office, both physically wired to the router, and mine's kept in the basement, where I always have at least 60% signal. And that's just a cheapie $40 Belkin Wireless-N. I've also got my Xbox 360 wired to a Linksys WRT54G with DD-WRT running in adapter mode on the first floor
Ah, OK. There are very few basements in the Northwest I wasn't sure how that would work out.
Quote from: sbr on January 21, 2012, 11:04:43 PM
Ah, OK. There are very few basements in the Northwest I wasn't sure how that would work out.
WiFi from floor to floor isn't that bad in a house- honestly, floors in houses are mostly empty space between joists that are covered with a relatively thin surface material. It's much more problematic in commercial buildings or large apartment complexes because the subflooring is more likely to be a thick layer of concrete.
Quote from: sbr on January 21, 2012, 09:12:12 PM
You will need a wireless network card for your PC.
Is this hardware that plugs into the back of the computer, hardware that plugs into the motherboard, or software?
For a desktop PC, it's usually a PCI card that plugs into the motherboard. WiFi's built into just about all recent laptops, but if it's not for some reason, you can get a USB antenna.
Thanks.
How can I check if I already have one or not? I assume I don't.
Control Panel > Device Manager
Under network adapters, if you don't see one that says "wireless network adapter," you don't have one. Generally, you'll only see one if you don't have wireless and two if you do. The number'd switch to two or three if you added a 56k modem somewhere along the line.
I don't see Device Manager in Control Panel. It jumps straight from Date and Time to Display.
Quote from: Admiral Yi on January 22, 2012, 12:26:47 PM
I don't see Device Manager in Control Panel. It jumps straight from Date and Time to Display.
There should be a button in the "System" control panel, then.
Arigato.
So I don't have one.
When I buy one do I have to worry about compatability?
Quote from: sbr on January 21, 2012, 11:04:43 PM
Ah, OK. There are very few basements in the Northwest I wasn't sure how that would work out.
They're pretty common here in Spokane. I'm using wireless on a laptop in the basement.
Quote from: Admiral Yi on January 22, 2012, 02:04:41 PM
Arigato.
So I don't have one.
When I buy one do I have to worry about compatability?
If you're getting a PCI card, you want to make sure you get the right drivers. USB wireless adapters are pretty much plug-n-play, unless you're running Windows XP.
Quote from: DontSayBanana on January 22, 2012, 02:18:40 PM
If you're getting a PCI card, you want to make sure you get the right drivers.
How do I do that?
QuoteUSB wireless adapters are pretty much plug-n-play, unless you're running Windows XP.
You lost me.
Quote from: Admiral Yi on January 22, 2012, 02:32:28 PM
Quote from: DontSayBanana on January 22, 2012, 02:18:40 PM
If you're getting a PCI card, you want to make sure you get the right drivers.
How do I do that?
QuoteUSB wireless adapters are pretty much plug-n-play, unless you're running Windows XP.
You lost me.
A PCI adapter should come with an installation CD that's got the drivers on it. With a USB adapter, 99 times out of 100 (at least on Vista and 7), you should be able to just plug it in and Windows will recognize it after a minute or so. XP wasn't designed with WiFi in mind, so XP users would probably need to get a driver from the adapter manufacturer's website or a driver site like www.driverguide.com
What does the USB adapter do?
You're a prince Bananarama.
It's just a different style of adapter that plugs into a USB port, you only need one or the other.
USB:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ft1.gstatic.com%2Fimages%3Fq%3Dtbn%3AANd9GcSwjbXdJ40iPTiKwTSmKIXW8XoPyt_YfOFzwqckhElOJmwexdanFA&hash=f98b955045d4174e2d8db2fe4a625d97a5c324b4)
PCI, which connects directly to the motherboard:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fflourishcomputer.com%2Fproducts%2Fdesktop%2Fdesktop_right%2Fnetwork_accessories%2Fiee802._11b_g_pci.jpg&hash=a0036cc9b1ef2dbc947582cc46a2428f07d540ce)
Groovy.
Then I plug something into the UBS adapter? The second half of the wifi...thing?
No, that is the antenna that you are plugging into the usb port.
At least usually.
Quote from: Admiral Yi on January 21, 2012, 05:25:27 PM
So do I just go to Best Buy and get a router and a wifi...thing?
My advice is to go as cheaply as possible. Wireless N routers and adapters are pretty cheap these days, so don't let some blue shirt at BBY talk you into anything overpriced.
It looks like they have a router there as cheap as $30 which is pretty fair, but their cheapest wifi adapter looks to be the same, which IMO is overpriced.
On Newegg they have a decent-enough router for $20: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833127363
And USB wifi adapters as cheap as $10: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100010074%20600014288&IsNodeId=1&name=USB%202.0
You generally want to match the adapter speed to that of the router (and some even prefer both to be the same brand) but I've mixed & matched without any issues.
Quote from: derspiess on January 25, 2012, 12:42:16 PM
Quote from: Admiral Yi on January 21, 2012, 05:25:27 PM
So do I just go to Best Buy and get a router and a wifi...thing?
My advice is to go as cheaply as possible. Wireless N routers and adapters are pretty cheap these days, so don't let some blue shirt at BBY talk you into anything overpriced.
I really can't agree with that advice.
I went out and bought a couple of cheap-o routers, and constantly ahd problems, had to reset them every few days, that kind of thing.
I wound up inheriting an Apple Airport wireless router and the thing has been a rock - I don't think I've ever touched it.
This isn't meant to be an Apple thing - unless you're on a Mac there's no particular need to have an Apple router. But you get what you pay for, so buy a more expensive, reliable router.
Quote from: Barrister on January 26, 2012, 09:51:10 AM
I really can't agree with that advice.
I went out and bought a couple of cheap-o routers, and constantly ahd problems, had to reset them every few days, that kind of thing.
Hmm, wonder where you're going with that?
QuoteI wound up inheriting an Apple Airport wireless router and the thing has been a rock - I don't think I've ever touched it.
Surprise!
QuoteThis isn't meant to be an Apple thing
Oh, of course not ;)
Quote- unless you're on a Mac there's no particular need to have an Apple router. But you get what you pay for, so buy a more expensive, reliable router.
Unless Yi wants all sorts of advanced functionality in his router, there's no reason for him to go with an expensive one. Among the more-recognized brands, basic wifi routers have become something of a commodity. I'm not just going on my own past experience here, but that of friends, family & co-workers I've helped.
Of course it pays to read user reviews on a particular router to see if people had problems with them, but that goes for pretty much any tech product.
Thanks very much all.
So, depending on how motivated I am this weekend, I'm going to head over to Best Buy and buy two pieces of equipment, a router and a wifi adapter. (Right? Nothing else?)
Do I need to check to see if my computer has a USB port? Around when did they become widespread?
Quote from: Admiral Yi on January 26, 2012, 11:54:21 AM
Do I need to check to see if my computer has a USB port? Around when did they become widespread?
:hmm: If your computer's operating system is DOS 6.22, then it probably doesn't have a USB port. Otherwise, it probably does.
Quote from: DGuller on January 26, 2012, 01:48:39 PM
:hmm: If your computer's operating system is DOS 6.22, then it probably doesn't have a USB port. Otherwise, it probably does.
:cheers:
Quote from: Barrister on January 26, 2012, 09:51:10 AM
Quote from: derspiess on January 25, 2012, 12:42:16 PM
Quote from: Admiral Yi on January 21, 2012, 05:25:27 PM
So do I just go to Best Buy and get a router and a wifi...thing?
My advice is to go as cheaply as possible. Wireless N routers and adapters are pretty cheap these days, so don't let some blue shirt at BBY talk you into anything overpriced.
I really can't agree with that advice.
I went out and bought a couple of cheap-o routers, and constantly ahd problems, had to reset them every few days, that kind of thing.
I wound up inheriting an Apple Airport wireless router and the thing has been a rock - I don't think I've ever touched it.
This isn't meant to be an Apple thing - unless you're on a Mac there's no particular need to have an Apple router. But you get what you pay for, so buy a more expensive, reliable router.
I bought a cheap linksys b/g/n 5 years ago and the thing is still far more reliable than any public or university network I've encountered.
Yi, bear in mind that USB will bottleneck your transfer rate somewhat, but it will still be far better than dial-up.
Quote from: Maximus on January 26, 2012, 01:59:33 PM
I bought a cheap linksys b/g/n 5 years ago and the thing is still far more reliable than any public or university network I've encountered.
A couple years ago, Verizon had a fire sale on a bunch of generic Wireless B/G routers that had their logo on them. A co-worker needed to replace his router due to what I think was a power supply problem, so he ordered one that ended up being $8 with second-day shipping included. He hasn't had to reset it once since he initially set it up.
Quote from: Maximus on January 26, 2012, 01:59:33 PM
Yi, bear in mind that USB will bottleneck your transfer rate somewhat, but it will still be far better than dial-up.
Is this is a function of wifi vs. cable, or of USB vs. PCI card?
There is one for both but mostly USB vs PCI.
Quote from: Admiral Yi on January 26, 2012, 02:40:12 PM
Quote from: Maximus on January 26, 2012, 01:59:33 PM
Yi, bear in mind that USB will bottleneck your transfer rate somewhat, but it will still be far better than dial-up.
Is this is a function of wifi vs. cable, or of USB vs. PCI card?
For everyday use I don't think you'll notice the difference, either way.
Yeah, as a rough comparison, USB 2.0 has a max transfer rate of 480 Mb/s versus 600 for wireless n and 56 for dial-up.
Quote from: Maximus on January 26, 2012, 07:25:40 PM
Yeah, as a rough comparison, USB 2.0 has a max transfer rate of 480 Mb/s versus 600 for wireless n and 56 for dial-up.
Yeah, but if your "high-speed" connection only gives you 3, it really doesn't matter. Also, that's not 56 Mb/s for dial-up, that's 56 Kb/s.
You're right, my bad
@Beeb: experiences are all across the board with cheap routers. I've got two Linksys WRT54Gs (not the cheapest of the cheap, but damn near the bottom) that both still work fine- as I mentioned, one's actually being used with DD-WRT in lieu of an Xbox wireless adapter right now. The kicker is that the younger one is 5 years old; the older one is about 8.
I have my X360 hooked up to my network via a WRT54G with DD-WRT also.
Bought a Netgear router and a Netgear USB today. One step up from Best Buy's bottom of the line, which was Belkin. Something about that name did not inspire confidence. Salesdroid was trying to push the dual band, but they've got a 30 day no questions return policy so if the single band stuff doesn't work I can just swap it out.
Netgear shit ain't bad.
Quote from: Admiral Yi on February 21, 2012, 07:47:22 PM
Bought a Netgear router and a Netgear USB today. One step up from Best Buy's bottom of the line, which was Belkin. Something about that name did not inspire confidence. Salesdroid was trying to push the dual band, but they've got a 30 day no questions return policy so if the single band stuff doesn't work I can just swap it out.
Actually, my primary router is a Belkin Wireless-N, and it's been good to me- it was a lot more secure out of the box than any D-Link or Linksys rig I've set up for somebody (haven't done a Netgear setup, though, so I can't speak to how good their initial setup is).
Shit. Signal too weak. Gotta go get the dual band gear.
Quote from: Admiral Yi on February 22, 2012, 04:10:38 PM
Shit. Signal too weak. Gotta go get the dual band gear.
Word of warning-- you may not see much difference. Dual-band doesn't necessarily mean you'll get a stronger signal. It just means the router can communicate on two different frequencies (one of which could possibly give a better signal than the other in your house, but again, no guarantee).
If you haven't already taken it back, you may want to experiment a little with where you position the router & adapter. Sometimes moving one or the other a couple feet can make a big difference.
I could try that. The adapter came with a little stand thingy. BTW, my signal strength vascillates between 1 and 3 bars (out of 5). Do I need all five for a connection? I thought with 3/5 bars and speed of 150 mps I would have more than enough for my needs. Does it not work that way?
But I'm having a hard time seeing how moving my adapter 12 inches or so will change the amount of interference with the signal. How will I know that my furniture rearranging is working? Do I need 5/5 bars, as above, or will i automatically connect to the internet without the dialup connection? That's how I came to the conclusion that the router/adapter aren't working--I tried to access Languish and Explorer said no can do.
This is turning into a bit of a pain in the ass. I thought getting high speed would be relatively easy. Thanks everyone for the help.
On a related note, my email is set up with my dialup provider. What should I do for email when (if) I get high speed working and drop my dialup?
One more thing (for now): do I need to power down before unpluggin the adapter and trying the little extension stand thingy?
Quote from: Admiral Yi on February 23, 2012, 04:25:44 PM
On a related note, my email is set up with my dialup provider. What should I do for email when (if) I get high speed working and drop my dialup?
G-mail! Works rather well and good for quick searches of old e-mails.
Quote from: garbon on February 23, 2012, 04:34:16 PM
G-mail! Works rather well and good for quick searches of old e-mails.
How do I get set up? Imagine I'm a cave man who's just been thawed out.
Just go to gmail.com. At the top right is an option create an account in a red box. Pretty painless.
Okey dokey, I followed Speesh' advice and set the adapter up on the stand thingy. Now I'm getting 3 bars consistently, occaisonally four bars. And I connected to Languish without my dialup.
Should I let this ride? Like I said, I've got 28 days now that I can return the stuff for full refund.
Well do you find the speed to be better? And if so, is it meaningful to you? Doesn't matter much if the chorus agrees cable (or DSL) is better if you don't think so.
I didn't when you typed that. I was still connected on dialup. :wacko:
Since then I connected on the wifi, and now my speed is off the hook baby! And the charts! Off the hook, and the charts, both.
Thanks in particular to Speesh. :thumbsup:
Went to a couple test your speed sites. McAfee's gave me 20+ Mps, whereas TestMySpeed gave me 6 Mps (6,000 Kps = 6 Mps, right?) download, but only 242 Kps upload.
Is that kind of disparity between download and upload normal?
Man, I'm going to be fucking flying through that porn now.
Ah. Well, there's one problem; a router won't work with a dial-up connection- at least not the typical way (there's using it as a pipe for internet connection sharing between two computers, but that's complicated and not worth it on dial-up).
Email's easy. If the ISP doesn't let you just log in via their website and use them as a webmail host, there's always AOL, Gmail, etcetera.
did you really suggest AOL?
Quote from: garbon on February 24, 2012, 02:22:21 PM
did you really suggest AOL?
:D
Yi, there are a few simple things you can try to improve your signal.
Minimize interference. Try to figure out what's in a direct line between the two antennae. Electrical appliances or wires in between can cause interference. This includes your computer and any wires in the walls or floors, which is why moving the antenna even a couple feet can make a big difference.
Align your antennae. Not sure how much difference this can make at the range you're using, but it's worth a shot. Assuming your devices came with simple stick antennae, try to make them as parallel as possible.
That's exactly what I did Maxy Moose. The computer tower was blocking the direct line between the router and the adapter. Now that I've put the adapter in a cradle on top of the tower things look pretty peachy.
Quote from: garbon on February 24, 2012, 02:22:21 PM
did you really suggest AOL?
ONLY for webmail. Because it's a freebie. Generally any big-name one that isn't Yahoo.
Quote from: DontSayBanana on March 03, 2012, 10:37:13 PM
Quote from: garbon on February 24, 2012, 02:22:21 PM
did you really suggest AOL?
ONLY for webmail. Because it's a freebie. Generally any big-name one that isn't Yahoo.
There's still no excuse. AOL is antiquated. You read an e-mail and it gets sorted into your read mailbox which is separate from your inbox. :x