PC/Wireless Internet/I'm Computer Illiterate-- Please Help.

[justineBTC]

Sooo... I have a predicament concerning the computer set-up @ my house and any answers from some tech-savvy blades would be greatly appreciated.

I have three roommates and only two of us have a PC. Mine is the nicer one, so I volunteered to put mine in the living room so everybody could get on the internet.

BUT... I'm over it.

I want to put my computer in my room because I'm sick of them interrupting me while I'm doing homework so that they can check their e-mail. I'm sick of them making stupid comments about "oooh, cool WEED forum" because they have different interests than I do and dont support/agree with the way that I live my life. AND I'm sick of them downloading shitty ass music on my computer. UM... Garth Brooks? Really? Honestly? No... Not okay.

So my question is this... If the internet connection/router/modem is down here in the living room... how do I get the internet in my room? I'm assuming that my other roommate would have to plug in his PC down here and I would have to buy a wireless router and a wireless card or something? Errrr... I really don't get all this technological stuff.

So, PLEEEEASE. I beg of you... for my sanity and for the sake of those around me... Tell me how to bring the City, my iTunes, and whatever the fuck else I fancy into the comforts of my own room.

[Anony]

Well, as much as I would like to help you, we cannot answer your question on this forum. This depends on many variables (The hardware you buy, your current software setup, has an effect) and has a lot of steps to "type out"

I would recommend reading up the subject as much as you can before buying the hardware to start.
Network hardware you buy comes with good instructions, then if you have a more specific question we can help you more.
Tips:
They make wired/wireless routers to make it easier for you.
Make sure your computers support the hardware your purchasing. (Your computer will have to support the wireless, like a card)
If you have questions, you can always call tech support and complain to them to help you get your money's worth

[Stoner420Chick]

I can't help you out too much, but I would like to know the same stuff, and how much it would cost to do that. I have my own laptop, and I can take it downstairs to where I can hook it up to the internet, but I can't get the internet in my room. My dad knows a lot about that stuff, if there's no responses to this thread I'll ask him. I'd really like to be able to use the internet in my bedroom and not have to carry my laptop around the house or anything.

[junkiedays]

You could either buy a wireless router plus a wireless card for your computer, which would make things all nice and wire free. Or if your room is close enough to the living room, you could just run a longer cable from the modem to your computer.

I'm pretty certain you wouldn't need another computer hooked up to it if you went the wireless route though. You can still get internet just fine if you have a wireless card in your computer and a wireless router connected to the modem. No other computer involved.


When I bought my wireless router it was like 50 bucks I think, and it looks like wireless cards have gotten pretty cheap. I found a bunch for around 20 bucks.

Damn, I'm going to have to get me one of those so I can be all wire free again and stop tripping on shit.


Edit: But like Anony said, "Make sure your computers support the hardware your purchasing. (Your computer will have to support the wireless, like a card)" that's very important. *nod*

[bigzach88]

i think you said there is a router out in the living room if thats the case you may have a wireless card in your computer and not know it if it was directly hooked up before in which case you could grab a wireless signal and have internet most likely anywhere in your house if not you could purchase one depending on how your computer is set up but ya as a few other people said more details are needed but yes it can be done pretty easily with the right parts

[justineBTC]

Well, my computer is hooked up to the router and what not, downstairs in the living room. I'm almost positive that my computer didnt come with a wireless card, and running a wire from living room to my bedroom isnt an option because my room is upstairs... up a spiral staircase, at that.

[sm666]

if you already have a wireless router then you just need to get a card

if not then you need a router + a wireless card, about $50 a piece in store you might find a better deal on ebay though.

EDIT: These little usb adapters work and are cheap http://cgi.ebay.com/54Mbps-WIFI-802-...QQcmdZViewItem

[head4life]

ima try to send her my old wireless card from my old desktop not like I use it and its so old no one would buy it anyhow..

[doob3r]

you cn get a usb wireless card for around 40-50

[pbmike15]

Originally Posted by head4life

ima try to send her my old wireless card from my old desktop not like I use it and its so old no one would buy it anyhow..

It might not work, but it's worth a shot.

What you first need to find out is if your current router is wireless or not. Typically a wireless router will have one or two antennae but if you read what is printed on it you should be able to tell pretty easily. If it is wireless, skip A.

A. Not a wireless router, well you're going to need one of those. Pick one up from Walmart, Best Buy, something like that. Something like this. They can kind of be a pain to setup once you get it in your house and hooked up but we can go over that if we have to.

B. Now that you have a wireless router, you just go to the closest store and buy a wireless card that uses a PCI slot. (You can buy them at the same time if you need to buy the router, lol). Open up the side of your computer (there should be at least 2 screws in the back to slide it off). You want to take off the left panel if you're looking at it straight on (you see the power button, disc drives, etc). There should be an open slot that looks like these:



You might have to pull off a metal piece on the back of your computer to allow the card to be set in place:



Set the card in place, and screw the antennae on. Hook up your cords and stuff (you should have the power cable unplugged anytime you're doing anything with the "guts" of your pc) and boot it up. There is probably going to be a disc you need to put in and it will install everything for you, should be pretty simple. Depending on how new your pc is, you might luck out and it will do it all automatically, without a disc.

You'll get a few popups, one of which will say your card is detecting wireless networks. Click okay, next, or connect, whichever it says. If there is more than one network, you'll just have to find yours and double click.. It will connect.. There you go, wireless internet.

Surprisingly, this was a vague description but if you have any questions, just ask away I'll be back and I'm sure there are other blades that can help you as well.

Good luck!

[Lakitel]

You have a few options here, you can ofc run a cable from the living room downstairs to your room up stairs through a window or something, this is provided ofc that your router has a place for more then one cable output. But you should keep in mind that if two people are online at the same time, the speed is cut between the two, so don't be surprise if the speed is much slower then you expected.

Another thing you can do, which is the second cheapest option, yuo can get something called an 'Wireless Acces Point' which is basicaly something you plug into your router and it acts like an antena for wireless, rather then having to buy a wireless router.

The third option which is probably the most expensive, which is buying a wireless router, and getting rid of your old one, then all you need to do is plug everything in normaly (phone cable basicaly) and you should be set, it should work as wireless.

If you choose option 2 and 3, you need a wireless card if you don't have one, but they are dirt cheap. Also, if you pick one of those options, you have to set up a password so that people don't connect to your network and leech speed off you, this is VERY IMPORTANT, you HAVE to set a password.

[head4life]

Haha well I know that mike I built my desktop myself..I meant old as in I dont use it anymore


it doesn't work anymore anyhow was pretty sure it crapped out haha

[Dark_Angers]

U could always pay 200 bucks and have geeksquad do it for you
http://www.geeksquad.com/

That is the easiest if you don't feel like opening your computer to install the card. Setting up the router correctly and securing it.

[pbmike15]

A router and a card will run you about 80 bucks, I didn't put prices in my post. 200 dollars for geeksquad? Hahaha.. they're such a rip. Most people today at least know a relative or close friend that can do it for cost or a few beers..

I was just saying, if it's "old" then it might not work. It's worth a shot!

[justineBTC]

WOW thank you guys so much!! im gonna read through all of these carefully tommorow when I get paid and then Im gonna hit up the computer store and one of my geekier friends.


AHHHHH!! I cant wait!!