I'm just looking for a bit of info to find out exactly what I need to set up a wireless home network. I spoke to a salesman today in a shop and he was trying to sell me a ton of stuff but wasn't entirely sure what he was talking about.
I have two PCs, my PC with cable internet and printer attached and junior's PC not attached to anything.
I'd like to set up a wireless network so that he could have internet on his one (and if possible print via my printer).
I thought I would need a router into which I would plug the cable modem, then wire it to mine, and a wireless network card for his computer.
The salesman told me I would need a router, a wireless access point and a wireless network card for each computer. He then said that maybe I would only need a router OR an aceess point but admitted he wasn't sure which exactly I would need.
Whats the difference between them and do I need one of each?
Thanks for any help.

The simplest way would be to add a wireless( either PCI or through a USB port) to each PC and connect these as a Peer to Peer network(Adhoc mode). You would then need to to set your cable connection as available to other users.

This is easily done with the Home networking Wizard in Windows. Just get the Peer to Peer bits working first.

The main downside of this is that your main PC needs to be on for the other PC to connect to the internet. You will also be able to share the printer easily.

I suggest you do this first before spending more money.

The next stage would to change your modem for a Wireless Cable router and and then either connect both PCs wirelessly or connect your directly. This is a bit more work but means that the internet is not dependant on the Main PC being connected.

Good Luck.

An access point just connects PCs to the the rest of the network. So if there are two PCs, both need to be configured with the internet software, and both with connect using their own IP addresses, but some ISPs will only allow a single connection.

A router contains a DHCP server, which allocates IP addresses to each IP as they log on, and can be programmed with your ISP log on password and details, so the ISP only ever sees one PC/IP address. and the PCs do not require any software accept a web browser.

A router can also have a printer port and a printer server, and also normally has 4 wired ports as well as the wireless connection.

I would suggest you get a wireless router with a printer server. Connect it to your PC via cable and connect your printer to it via the printer port. Buy one USB or PCI wireless card for Junior's PC and he will be able to connect to both when your PC is not switched on. The other advantages of a router are a built in firewall and parental controls.

ASFKAP,

ORAC has it exactly as I would do it:

I would suggest you get a wireless router with a printer server. Connect it to your PC via cable and connect your printer to it via the printer port. Buy one USB or PCI wireless card for Junior's PC and he will be able to connect to both when your PC is not switched on. The other advantages of a router are a built in firewall and parental controls.

Take Care,

Richard

Just before diving in, there's a few points to bear in mind.

1) does your PC connect to the cable modem with a USB or a network interface?

2) how old are your and your son's PCs?

3) what interface(s) does your printer support?

If your PC does not have a network interface card (either built-in or a PCI card) then you will have to get one (or a wireless network card) to use a wireless router / firewall / print server / switch device.

Age of PC is to do with the version of PCI the motherboard supports - most wireless network PCI cards require PCI v 2.1, and PCs older than about 2001(ish) will be v2.0 or less.
Yes, I found that out the hard way...

If the printer only supports USB - no parallel interface, you need to ensure that the print server element of any router you get supports USB.

SD

Thanks for all the advice so far,
The PC connects to the cable modem via the network card although you can also do it via USB. My PC is about a year old, the other one is probably about 4 yrs old but I only put the network card in it last year, both run on Win XP.
My printer has both paralell and USB ports.

ASFKAP,

Here are some options for you for Wireless 108Mbps Routers. They do not have a Printer Port, but that is something you could easily share off of your comp:

D-Link

D-Link AirPlus Xtreme G series High-Speed 108Mbps 2.4GHz 4-Port Wireless Router

http://images10.newegg.com/productimage/33-127-028-03.JPG

http://images10.newegg.com/productimage/33-127-028-06.JPG

Combined with the D-Link AirPlusXtremeG 108Mbps Wireless PCI Ethernet Adapter, Model DWL-G520

http://images10.newegg.com/productimage/33-127-118-07.JPG

http://images10.newegg.com/productimage/33-127-118-06.JPG

Netgear

NETGEAR 108Mbps Wireless Firewall Router, Model WGT624

http://images10.newegg.com/productimage/33-122-022-08.JPG

http://images10.newegg.com/productimage/33-122-022-01.JPG

Combined with the NETGEAR 108Mbps Wireless PCI Adapter, Model WG311T

http://images10.newegg.com/productimage/33-122-134-02.JPG

http://images10.newegg.com/productimage/33-122-134-01.JPG

(It is important that you keep to the same brand for both the Router and the NIC in order to get the full 108Mbps.)

Take Care,

Richard

D-Link (http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=105256&partner=register) wireless router & printer server. This has a list of most of the available routers and access points: Wireless Round-Up (http://wireless.gumph.org/content/4/7/061-roundup-wireless-ap.html)

ORAC,

Do they use different model numbers for the U.K. vs the U.S.?

Take Care,

Richard

Thanks a lot guys for all your help and suggestions, I'm planning a 'shopping trip' next week and now I know what to look for. I'll let you know how I get on but please saty near your computers for my next thread "help setting up a wireless network" which should be out in about 10 days time.

Try this matey. It is really simply to set up and will do wireless, cable network and broadband.

http://www.misco.co.uk/productinformation/47761/WW/NETGEAR_WIRELESS_ADSL_ROUTER_DG834G_+_FOC_USB_ADAPTER_WG111/index.htm