Hi All

I need some help setting up my home network - it's grown from a PC and a laptop to the following:

3 PCs on the LAN (I ran a Cat 5 network when we built the house)
I CCTV DVR (LAN) which I'd like to be able to view remotely.
1 NAS (LAN)
1 Wii (LAN)
Logitech Squeezebox (LAN)

2 laptops (WLAN)
Various handhelds (HTC, Ipod etc) WLAN
Logitech Squeezebox Radio (WLAN)

I have quite a few issues with being able to see some PCS from different locations etc ..

I also want to be able to lock down the security!

All the PCS are running Windows 7.

The router is a BT Home hub thingy and I have a couple of Netgear hubs at different locations.
I've also tried an old router to try and extend my wireless signal but that didn't work (I've just seen the other thread on using two routers!)

My son has an XBOX and it's only a matter of time before he wants to go Live! (LAN connection available)



I've looked at
this guide which seems pretty simple but is it too simple??!! My IT capabilities are OK but no network expertise.

Ta in advance

Wyn

To be honest... I would bin the homehub thingie


Get yourself a decent modem and connect it via decent cable to a good quality wireless access point in a good location (central and high), I put a cisco one in my parents house and it copes perfectly. Their house has THICK walls and is on the larger side.. Range is perfect.

Then get a good 1gb switch and run cables as appropriate to your fixed machines..... any that wont be playing games could be done with wireless PCIE cards.... I use one on this workstation and can get up to 500mb/s from my wireless AP in the loft...

All depends how much you want to spend... but £100 or so should give you all the capacity you need...

Although BT Home Hubs haven't a great reputation for wireless range you don't need to bin it as you have wired connections that you can put wireless access points on.

For wireless access point I always fit D-Link I tried Netgear and found the range poor. I have fitted a few of these bought very cheaply off ebay ---- D-Link DWL-G700AP Wireless G AirPlus Access Point ---- and found them to have great range and very easy to setup they have a a screw on aerial which makes possible fitting a bigger or remote aerial. do an ebay search on DWL-G700AP


One very useful free android app is Wifi Analyzer which shows the available wifi channels, which ones your neighbours are using so you can select the least congested.

Thanks Guys

I'm going to keep the HomeHub as it gives us another phone and line (and caller ID).

The D LInk access point looks good - is there one combined with a hub?

I'm still debating about the IP protocols - static or dynamic!

That said, I've got a 'new' PC in my garage (my Dad's old one!) and it's doing everything I want - internet access, access to all my car / bike manuals, and it's streaming music from my NAS so maybe I'll not fix what isn't broke!

W

Problem with old fashioned static IP is you have to maintain it manually better to allocate both IP adress and supply DNS by DHCP. You usually can set up DHCP on the router to allocate the same IP address everytime to individual clients.

I am sure some access points will have hubs built in but the usual way i work is simply to plug the accesspoint into a dumb hub. The static PCs on my home network are connected by both Cat5 and wireless. If buying wireless PCI cards as with access points and routers I look for screw on aerial connections.


For transfer of files to/from Android clients I have been using the free app Airdroid

I should also add for exploring the home network and address checking Angry IP Scanner is the tool to have http://www.angryip.org/w/Home.

Some (most) anti-virus program flag the IP Scanner as a threat because it can be used to explore networks but it is safe. Link to Angry Ip scanner


[Edited on 24/2/12 by britishtrident]