The Dolphins Make Me Cry.com - Forums

Just curious what is invloved in setting up a home network? anyone have any good websites they trust to point me too? (I found afew,but they tend to be few years old...)

Wireless networks are pretty straightforward. Most of the router manufacturers provide instructions along with their equipment.

It can be as easy as running a few wires.  However, setting up an encrypted wireless network, I have found to be a complete hassle.  

What kind of devices are you trying to hook up to your network?

I disagree on the encrypted network. I've done it a couple of times now and it's been nothing but easy. Just follow the directions...

^^ I follow the directions.  I tried just last week to set up a new router but got nothing but problems.  Nothing would connect, just hassle.  I'm not inept, I have done it before (my current router is encrypted), but it just seemed like nothing but problems...

I'm probably just lucky. Or maybe it's smarts. Should I apply to Mensa?  ::)

I've set up an encrypted wireless network several times. It's been super easy. I even go in and change the passwords on stuff on a whim.

Well, My Samsung T.V. has Built in internet connectivity....I'm 99% positive that wrapped present from My mom is a Nintendo Wii,I've got my old Laptop that I transpose my notes on, it would be nice to sit on the couch and surf the web....The Blu Ray player I'm looking at has "Steaming Netflix" built in ( Right now I'm using an HDMI cable out of my video card,to my T.V.) My Cell Phone...Don't get me started on At&T has Wifi...

I'm not sure if I want to go completely wireless, I've got DSL,and my house 6ft from a fairly busy alley (not that most of the homeless would steal bandwidth,and most of my white trash nieghbors wouldn't have clue how) I'm not sure how to go about it...

I'd like (but not sure how too)....
Wired- Main P.C.,Blu ray Player,T.V.
Wireless access - Wii,Cell Phone ,Laptop (I'm pretty sure the laptop has a Wireless card built in) I've disabled it recently....

Funny. Remember the thread we had on homeless with cell phones? What better way to get on the web than to find a home base wifi to hit.

No,you're thinking about Florida Homeless....So. Mo homeless...Drunks that when you say cell phone,they say...No We don't wanna buy a phone....I worry about the 8 year olds in my nieghborhood,that their parents let them out with the dogs....They tend to have the latest and greatest phones,go figure...

If you're running windows 7, it's easy.  Just plug it in and go.  Everything speaks together properly and network printers just WORK.  I had no major issues and didn't do anything but set it up according to the regular instructions.

Speaking of which - maybe you can help me, Dave...  (sorry to hijack your thread, Lil B)

I have a wireless printer on my network.  We have 2 Vista computers and a XP notebook, all which can access the printer no problem.  Now I got a Windows 7 laptop and I tried to install the drivers and hook up to the printer and it WILL NOT WORK.  It just says "printer installation failed" and won't tell me why.  I'm assuming its a Win7 issue.  Do you know what's up with this?

Is the wireless printer its own stand-alone/IP address? Or is it also connected to a computer via a USB?

it's a stand-alone. It's not hard wired to any computer

It has its own IP assigned by the router... 

I just went to the control panel and then chose Add Printer, then it asked if it was a network printer.  I said yes and chose the printer from the dropdown box.  Everything from there was done automatically.

^^ yeah, that doesn't work for me....

I know that certain anti-viruses really wreak havoc on wireless printers.  You may want to check your anti-virus settings.

I tired to find a way to turn off my firewall, thinking that may play a factor, but I couldn't find it...

If you want to do anything in Windows 7, just go to the start bar and then use the search function.

Type "firewall" in there and it will return all the stuff you'll need.

Bump,

Ok, well I took the plunge a couple of weeks ago,I did quite abit of research on What router I probably needed,what might work the best for me. I went with a Old Blue Linksys router,and Decided to run Tomato firmware.I remembered seeing an episode of System on revision3 about how good the Tomato firm ware was,and I got scared off with "New" Linksys routers when they seemed to get lots of bad reviews,and was worried about the stock firmware....

Quick thoughts F'n WOW,I can't believe my 3gb DSL seems to work So much faster....I went with Cat6 shielded cable,which I think is the reason for the speed boost,I was using the same ethernet cable I got with the DSL modem.

I have three problems,I was wondering about...
1.) When I log into the router,the first thing I did was change the password,But couldn't find away to change the Login name....

2.) It seems like everytime I reboot my computer,or (the other day we lost power here), it seems like my "wireless" turns on....I have it set to disable,When My Wii was looking to connect to my router,I was SHOCked at how many wireless access points it found....Then Talking to my neighbor across the alley,someone stole a chunk of bandwith..So I've been keeping my Wireless off till I'm more combfortable with it....

3.) There is a tab on the Wireless setting in my router,labled Security,Wep,Wpa Personal,WPA Business,etc,etc Could anyone give me a nudge in the right direction about this stuff,and what it means...Port forwarding etc....I'm a little nervous about just checking,unchecking boxes...Thanks...

The security tab is what you can do to password protect your wireless.

The simplest is WEP, which should probably be enough for your area.  If you have any computer genuises near you, then you may want to go the WPA route.

Simply choose a password, remember the key, and the next time you log into your wireless, type in the password or key (depending on which security protocol you use).

Your computer will remember it every other time you log on.  Then, viola, no worries about turning on and off your wireless.

Thank you Lee, that's what I was looking for.... :)