[jckinnick]

I am looking into getting my first laptop and had some questions about going wireless. The Laptop would be used in conjunction with another computer in the house, the owner of that computer is an older person who doesn't know much about the internet. My question is could both computers be in harm of a virus through a wirless set up? Also, will two computers running at once slow down the speed of the internet. Right now i have 10 meg connection hard wired through DSL to just one computer. The Router im looking into getting would be one of the more expensive ones in the 100-150 dollar range. Also this would be a two story house with one computer on each level.



Another question is how long does a 9volt battery on a laptop usually last?

Edited by jckinnick, 10 June 2010 - 11:45 PM.

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My question is could both computers be in harm of a virus through a wireless set up?

Yes if one computer gets infected, it could likely infect another computer on the same network.

Also, will two computers running at once slow down the speed of the internet. Right now i have 10 meg connection...

With a 10 meg connection I doubt you will ever notice a slow down having two computers connected. Most sites don't serve content that fast. The exception might be if you were downloading large files (movies) while the other person was online. If you buy a router with QOS (quality of service) that can be metered too.

[admin]

My question is could both computers be in harm of a virus through a wireless set up?

Yes if one computer gets infected, it could likely infect another computer on the same network.

Also, will two computers running at once slow down the speed of the internet. Right now i have 10 meg connection...

With a 10 meg connection I doubt you will ever notice a slow down having two computers connected. Most sites don't serve content that fast. The exception might be if you were downloading large files (movies) while the other person was online. If you buy a router with QOS (quality of service) that can be metered too.

[jckinnick]

My question is could both computers be in harm of a virus through a wireless set up?

Yes if one computer gets infected, it could likely infect another computer on the same network.

Also, will two computers running at once slow down the speed of the internet. Right now i have 10 meg connection...

With a 10 meg connection I doubt you will ever notice a slow down having two computers connected. Most sites don't serve content that fast. The exception might be if you were downloading large files (movies) while the other person was online. If you buy a router with QOS (quality of service) that can be metered too.

Crap thats what i was afraid of. What about battery life how long would a 9v battery last if used everyday?

[admin]

I would expect 3-4 years.

[jckinnick]

I would expect 3-4 years.

Oh, i meant how long will a charge last? Aren't they chargeable like a cell phone you charge them or you could use it plugged up?

[jckinnick]

I also am wondering what i need to do to protect my wireless router from being used by someone else outside the two computers that will be in my house? Do i need a wireless modem as well as a wireless router?

Right now i use a router in front of my comptuer because i was told it would block people from accessing my computer. I would like to keep that kind of set up if what i was told is true.

[jckinnick]

What about usb ports? Dont a wireless usb stick go into the side of the laptop so the router will pick it up? What if you want to plug in an ipod or something you have to go offline?

[SpywareDr]

Oh, i meant how long will a charge last? Aren't they chargeable like a cell phone you charge them or you could use it plugged up?

How long depends on how much "juice" is needed to run the laptop, and how much "juice" the laptop's battery can hold.

For example, the battery in a laptop with a 17" screen, (full brightness), running an extreme quad-core CPU, with 8GB of RAM, spinning two or three 7200 RPM hard drives, all while playing a movie in a DVD|BlueRay drive probably will not last long enough to make it through to the end of the movie.

On the other hand, a netbook with say an 11.6" screen, Atom CPU, 1GB of RAM, 5400 RPM HD, no CD/DVD and extended battery will let you surf the net, play games, do email etc., on and off for up to 8 hours before the battery needs to be recharged.

I also am wondering what i need to do to protect my wireless router from being used by someone else outside the two computers that will be in my house?

Exactly what depends on the features available in the router. WPA2 with a long password is a must. Being able to set it to only allow certain MAC addresses is a plus, (they can be spoofed however).

Do i need a wireless modem as well as a wireless router?

If you need to connect more than one computer, yes you need a router.

Note that there are many single devices that contain both a wireless Cable/DSL modem as well as a router.

Right now i use a router in front of my comptuer because i was told it would block people from accessing my computer. I would like to keep that kind of set up if what i was told is true.

Yes, a NAT router helps protect your network.

Note that wireless is not as secure as a wired connection ... because wired requires physical access to the network.

What about usb ports? Dont a wireless usb stick go into the side of the laptop so the router will pick it up? What if you want to plug in an ipod or something you have to go offline?

Most laptops today have built-in wireless cards, and more than one USB port.

If you have more USB devices than USB ports though, you can usually use a USB hub.

[jckinnick]

Oh, i meant how long will a charge last? Aren't they chargeable like a cell phone you charge them or you could use it plugged up?

How long depends on how much "juice" is needed to run the laptop, and how much "juice" the laptop's battery can hold.

For example, the battery in a laptop with a 17" screen, (full brightness), running an extreme quad-core CPU, with 8GB of RAM, spinning two or three 7200 RPM hard drives, all while playing a movie in a DVD|BlueRay drive probably will not last long enough to make it through to the end of the movie.

On the other hand, a netbook with say an 11.6" screen, Atom CPU, 1GB of RAM, 5400 RPM HD, no CD/DVD and extended battery will let you surf the net, play games, do email etc., on and off for up to 8 hours before the battery needs to be recharged.

I also am wondering what i need to do to protect my wireless router from being used by someone else outside the two computers that will be in my house?

Exactly what depends on the features available in the router. WPA2 with a long password is a must. Being able to set it to only allow certain MAC addresses is a plus, (they can be spoofed however).

Do i need a wireless modem as well as a wireless router?

If you need to connect more than one computer, yes you need a router.

Note that there are many single devices that contain both a wireless Cable/DSL modem as well as a router.

Right now i use a router in front of my comptuer because i was told it would block people from accessing my computer. I would like to keep that kind of set up if what i was told is true.

Yes, a NAT router helps protect your network.

Note that wireless is not as secure as a wired connection ... because wired requires physical access to the network.

What about usb ports? Dont a wireless usb stick go into the side of the laptop so the router will pick it up? What if you want to plug in an ipod or something you have to go offline?

Most laptops today have built-in wireless cards, and more than one USB port.

If you have more USB devices than USB ports though, you can usually use a USB hub.

"Note that wireless is not as secure as a wired connection ... because wired requires physical access to the network."

This is what i was worried about.


So i would need a wireless modem too?


The wireless router im looking at is the Linksy Cisco ES300 N router. I didnt read anything in the specs that said wi fi protected. Its a pretty expensive router so im guessing its got to have that included.

[jckinnick]

Would having two routers work. I could put the wired one in front of the wireless one in the chain couldn't i?

[SpywareDr]

"Note that wireless is not as secure as a wired connection ... because wired requires physical access to the network."

This is what i was worried about.

The only secure computer would be buried in the mud at the bottom of the ocean.

So i would need a wireless modem too?

Depends on the box that your ISP provides. If it's a DSL|Cable modem with a built-in wired and wireless router, you probably don't need anything more.

Usually though, when you sign up with an ISP they send a simple, wired DSL|Cable modem that only allows a single computer to connect to the internet.

You can share this connection with more than one computer though by "inserting" a router (firewall) that is either wired, or wireless, or has both wired and wireless capability.

(Most "home" type wired routers have at least four ports to which you can connect four computers via ethernet cables).

When you start out with just the simple DSL|Cable modem and your single computer, you have a single ethernet cable that connects the modem to your computer.

[DSL|Cable modem]--->[computer]

You "insert" the router by: 1) unplugging this ethernet cable from the computer and plugging it it into the "WAN" port on the router, then 2) hook up another ethernet cable from one of the four ports on the router back into the ethernet port on the computer.

[DSL|Cable modem]--->[router]--->[computer]

Your computer is once again connected to the internet ... but now through your router.

You can now hookup three more computers to the other three ports on the router, which means you'll have four wired computers sharing your single DSL|Cable modem connection to the internet.

If this router also has wireless capability, you can also connect multiple computers wirelessly.

Once this is all setup, you could insert a second router to share one of the four ports on the first router.

You could then insert a third router to share one of the four ports on the second router. Etc., etc.

However you decide to set it up, all will be connected to and sharing your single DSL|Cable modem connection to your ISP (the internet).

The wireless router im looking at is the Linksy Cisco ES300 N router. I didnt read anything in the specs that said wi fi protected. Its a pretty expensive router so im guessing its got to have that included.

Hmmm... Are you sure that's the right model number? Google couldn't come up with anything.

Would having two routers work. I could put the wired one in front of the wireless one in the chain couldn't i?

Sure. That's what I do. DSL modem to a four port router/firewall. A wireless mesh is setup (with both open [public] and secure [WPA] encrypted SSIDs) and plugged into port 1. And then another wired (only) firewall is plugged into port 2. My wired home network is behind the second firewall.

[happyrock]

The wireless router im looking at is the Linksy Cisco ES300 N router. I didnt read anything in the specs that said wi fi protected. Its a pretty expensive router so im guessing its got to have that included.

I think you mean Cisco E3000 N ...and yes it has wpa2...

please don't quote what we posted...it just makes the topic slower to read

[jckinnick]

The wireless router im looking at is the Linksy Cisco ES300 N router. I didnt read anything in the specs that said wi fi protected. Its a pretty expensive router so im guessing its got to have that included.

I think you mean Cisco E3000 N ...and yes it has wpa2...

please don't quote what we posted...it just makes the topic slower to read

Yeah thats the model i was talking about.

[happyrock]

again...please don't quote what others posted...it just makes the topic slower to read...
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