Adding a wireless router to wired Cable 4 port router... will it work? How safe?

[chad]

Hello all PC users!

I have a cable Router at the moment and run 2 cables for 2 PC's off it, on a pretty reasonable broadband connection. My flatmate has bought a wireless router which can be added to a network for quick, easy wireless access. I use windows xp with SP2...

Firstly, just by connecting the wireless router to my hard-wired Cable eouter, will this give extra access to the wireless PC without interrupting the 2 cabled PC's I already have? Does her operating system matter at all?

Also, SECURITY!! Just How safe is this? Does anyone have any issues I should be aware of before letting her hook into our network? i.e. will there be access to files, email etc on my PC through the wireless connection? Will there be access to material being downloaded on either PC by the others?

I am a big newbie still but I would really appreciate a few tips on this kind of set-up, if someone has the time to reply.

Thanks!

Scared Wierd Little Guy
Moved from Hardware to Networking -Zylstra

[kbm292]

Ok....you can do it that way if you want to or you could just unplug the wired modem and run the two PC's that were connected to that off the wireless modem.  On the back of the wireless modem there should still be ports to have computers wired into it.  That way you can have the wireless going and the wired PC's as well.  As for security, all you would have to do is access the main page of the wireless router and enable WPA.  Use WPA not WEP.  WPA is more secure.  You will have to enter in a password and then that will be the password that anyone who wants to access your wireless will have to enter.

[M1CH431]

Firstly, just by connecting the wireless router to my hard-wired Cable eouter, will this give extra access to the wireless PC without interrupting the 2 cabled PC's I already have? Does her operating system matter at all?

Alright First of all yes you can run the wireless off a port of your wired router. In my house we have a wired router, running off a port of our wireless router. It will not interrupt your 2 Pc's. You could also just use the one wireless router and eliminate using two. Also, You'd have to have a computer plugged into at one point to set up the connection. I'd say your best bet is to either use the one router (the wireless one), or run your router off a port off of the wireless one.

Also, SECURITY!! Just How safe is this? Does anyone have any issues I should be aware of before letting her hook into our network? i.e. will there be access to files, email etc on my PC through the wireless connection? Will there be access to material being downloaded on either PC by the others?

I'm not sure what you mean by this do you mean your flatmate accessing your files using the wireless, or do you mean "hackers, or do you mean both.

Your flatmate would not be able to access any files if he isn't in the same workgroup as you (I'm not completely 100% sure but unless he is really skilled with computers I doubt he could do it). And im not exactly sure what would happen if a hacker tried to access your computer from the wireless but make syre you do what kbm292 said and put a password on the wireless connection.

[chad]

Thats great... thanks. What is WPA compared to WEP?

[kbm292]

Here is a website of interesting reading to answer your questions.

WPA vs WEP

[viking]

Your flatmate would not be able to access any files if he isn't in the same workgroup as you (I'm not completely 100% sure but unless he is really skilled with computers I doubt he could do it).

False. If he has physical access to your network, than he has access to all your shares, no matter what workgroup he uses.

How skilled is your mate? Does he do this kind of troube, he is ussually "stealing" someone else computer information?
WEP/WPA don't help in this case. But they help if another person wants to connect to your wireless router, without your aprouval.

[M1CH431]

But the flatmate is trying to run off the wireless.

[viking]

Ok, so we will consider him part of network, and your main concern is outside access to your local area network (to your network, in short).
Set up properly the wireless router security. I recommend to enable WPA mode on the wirelles router (if your flatmate's computer network adapter supports this security schema).


English question: I said "flatmate's computer network adapter" and to me it seems to be a little too long and fuzzy. Is any other way in which I could say the same idea?