RazMan
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| posted on 22/3/08 at 04:05 PM |
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Lappy WiFi on a wired network
I'm not really keen on wireless networks as they are too easy to crack so I have an olde worlde wired network at home with my desktop PCs
connected to the outside world.
My lappy has wifi built in which is handy when I'm at work as I can pick up my emails wherever I am.
However it would be nice to be able to take my lappy in the garage, living room etc by utilising the wifi occasionally.
Is there an easy way of doing this without changing the router/modem to a wireless version? I assume I just need to connect a dongle of some sort to
one of the router ports?
Cheers,
Raz
When thinking outside the box doesn't work any more, it's time to build a new box
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BenB
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| posted on 22/3/08 at 04:14 PM |
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A very easy way is to get a USB wifi dongle and plug it into a USB port on the desktop computer and allow internet sharing on the desktop box. It
means you'll have to have the desktop on (as it'll act as the wireless router) but it's cheap, quick and simple....
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madmandegge
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| posted on 22/3/08 at 04:14 PM |
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If you have a PC already that you use, you could put a wireless card in it, or buy a wireless dongle and use the PC to share this. If you follow the
windows network setup wizard, there's an option to share the internet connection through your computer.
For the most reliable wireless, unfortunately my suggestion would be to upgrade your router!
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jlparsons
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| posted on 22/3/08 at 04:27 PM |
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I used to think exactly the same, was suspicious of wifi and used cabled networks, then wanted to wifi up the laptop. In the end I gave in and used
wifi for everything with a good level of encryption, mac address filtering and also keeping the network name invisible. I'm sure someone could
crack it but it'd probably be easier to get in via the broadband connection anyway and, more importantly, there's nothing on my network
worth going to that trouble for.
I got my router for about £30 on the web, not much more than a wifi card for your pc, plus it means your wifi is always on without the PC having to be
on the whole time.
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onzarob
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| posted on 22/3/08 at 08:29 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by RazMan
I'm not really keen on wireless networks as they are too easy to crack
This is not true, WEP is easy the rest is not.
The encryption technique for WEP was leak on the net years ago and there is a host of tools to crack it, but its still very involved. WPA with
preshare key which used TKIP has not been cracked and is secure. on the other hand the software running your routers firewall is extremely easy to
crack
[Edited on 22-3-2008 by onzarob]
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MikeRJ
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| posted on 22/3/08 at 08:33 PM |
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The device you are after is called an "Access point". Unfortunately they aren't particularly cheap compared to wireless routers,
probably as they simply don't sell many.
You can use a wireless router as an access point, but they can be a bit of a pain to set up.
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 22/3/08 at 08:37 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by MikeRJ
You can use a wireless router as an access point, but they can be a bit of a pain to set up.
Tell me about it! 
I've just about got mine running after 7 day's faffing about...
In hindsight, my best and cheapest option would have been to buy a combined ADSL modem, wired and wireless router - cheaper than a wireless access
point, only £5 more than a plain wireless router.
[Edited on 22/3/08 by David Jenkins]
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RichardK
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| posted on 22/3/08 at 09:25 PM |
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Hi Raz, we stuck one of these on to a customers pc so he could intermittantly use his laptop wifi for net access, he can then unplug when not needed,
seems to work ok.
[url=http://www.zyxel.co.uk/web/product_family_detail.php?PC1indexflag=20040520161256&CategoryGroupNo=95CF7389-56F8-4A99-A4F4-3ED29D75ACC7]LINKY[/
url]
Cheers
Rich
[Edited on 22/3/08 by RichardK]
Gallery updated 11/01/2011
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RazMan
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| posted on 23/3/08 at 01:28 AM |
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Thanks for all the input guys - looks like the key word is access point then (two words then  ) I didn't know that combined cable &
wireless modem router existed so that's another option.
fwiw I did a search on WEP cracking and I even found some Utube videos of cracks being applied in less than one minute! Makes you think doesn't
it .... especially when I can find nine WEP networks within range of my home and two from my office which are unsecured!
Cheers,
Raz
When thinking outside the box doesn't work any more, it's time to build a new box
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MikeRJ
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| posted on 23/3/08 at 08:48 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by RazMan
fwiw I did a search on WEP cracking and I even found some Utube videos of cracks being applied in less than one minute! Makes you think doesn't
it .... especially when I can find nine WEP networks within range of my home and two from my office which are unsecured!
An excellent demonstration as to why you should use WPA rather than WEP 
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