We are about to build a home network. our desktop will be our pin point and we'll connect 2-3 laptops to it as well as my PS3.


What do I need? What wireless adapter do you guys recommend?


Will I be able to get a wireless connection to my PS3 that will be fast enough for online play w/o spending a stupid amount of money? We are on a pretty tight budget for this. I wouldn't object to keeping the PS3 hardwired like it is now.

Also, how do I turn my printer into a network printer?

I'm currently using a cable modem from time warner if that means anything.




I'm a newb when it comes to this stuff, any help appreciated.

 

What do you mean the desktop will be your pin point? Sharng files from there? If so, connect the printer to the desktop and share it.

Get a Pre-N wireless setup...Its the best out there.

 

We also have time warner for our internet. We used the linksys wireless adapter and it has been great. Its been a few years and not a signal issue. This is also the one that best buy and those type of stores seem to recommend. When you get it however if it asks you to set up encryption make sure you say YES. Without encryption anyone can get onto your network and see what your doing and steal all kinds on information. Even if nobody does that the neighbors can still get on it and slow down your internet. Linksys was very easy to set up with step by step directions. As far as budget it was about 50 bucks at best buy.

 

I am assuming that your PS3 will not be located near the router that you will have to install for wireless internet throughout your place. There is special firmware for linksys and other routers that allows you to connect two routers wirelessly.

Since I am living in my parents basement, my Dad has the cable modem and a wireless router upstairs. But I have a mediacenter computer, my computer and a 360. Instead of buying additional adapters for each computer/360, I used my wireless router from college and I "bridged" the routers. It wasn't that easy, but frustrating at some points, but now I have my mediacenter computer and 360 hardwired to the basement router, which transmits data to the upstairs router then to the modem.

You probably wont' have to do this though since you could just buy an adapter for your PS3 for a little more than an additional router.

In the short run, you need to get a wireless router. Your laptops can connect to the internet through the wireless router IF they have wireless built in or wireless cards. Then for the PS3 you should just buy a wireless adapter made for the PS3. I am assuming since the 360 has one, there should be one for the PS3.

 

yes, ultimately our desktop has a backup external hard drive that we'd like to be able to access.

 

We are in a 1 bedroom apt, so all devices will basically be in the same room. Why would I need two routers?


why would I need an adapter for the ps3? It has built in wireless ? (i'm not trying to sound like i'm arguing, i'm just curious)

Will the speed be fast enough for online play? Or should I keep it hardwired (most wireless routers still have connections to hardwire a couple of slots right?

 

Can the PS3 and the desktop be in the same room?

 

they are in the same room

 

So the best bet it to hookup the PS3 and desktop to the router using the cables (cat5)....Im not sure if you get one for the PS3....That would be the fastest. But, if you put the wireless router in the same room as the PS3, you should get good speeds.....

 

CLpower, just get this router click me You can connect a USB hard drive to it and it becomes a shared drive on your network. You can even connect to it via the internet through an FTP program. It’s the easiest way as I see it. I am currently using it and it work great. You will need a wireless network adaptor for your PC though. I suggest get this one click me It's the best one. Don't get the USB adaptor though. It still has major issues. Also if you do get this set up make sure you have the latest drivers. If you have the old ones you might run into connectivity issues.

 

I use the 360 for online play wireless and it works fast enough. Wireless doesnt really slow it down and if you are worried about that there is a linksys router you can buy that has a built in speed booster.

 

anything you recommend cheaper? I'm looking for something in the $100 range? Our PC is right next to where the cable line comes in, w/ this would I still need a wireless adapter for the PC or can I just hook a cat5 up to it?

 

^^^ You can get a cheaper Linksys, or netgear. If you're going to keep the desktop and PS hooked wired. A 54g should be good enough http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...d_i=B00007KDVI if your laptops already have wirless cards in them then try...http://www.amazon.com/Linksys-WRT54G.../dp/B00007KDVI

I've the first one for 3 years, the sppedboost part will only work if the w/l card in the laptop is a speedboost as well.

 

yea, all of our laptops have built in w/l


I wouldn't object to keeping the PS hardwired as I already have it running underneath the carpet.

 

I have my xbox 360 hardwired it's cheaper, I have a 50ft cable running behind everything.

 

No you wouldn't need the wireless card then. so you could save some money there.

If you shop around you can get for 170. That's how much I paid for it. I looked around real quick and found for 169 at Circuit city click me

 

Well my foot goes in my mouth.. I had no idea that PS3 had built in wireless so my whole previous post is void...

 

cat6 my friend!

 

buy a linksys WRT54G. Shouldn't cost more than 80 bucks. Hook it up and hardwire the PC and the PS3 to it via ethernet cords.

 

Wow, he must have very fast Internet...

 

will I run into any problems since one of our laptops is running vista?

 

Not as far as networking goes...

 

Not sure if this was meant to be funny, but

 

 

1. buy router
2. share hard drive/Printer (all you have to do is enable printer sharing and you can print from any laptop over network
3.
4. Profit

I dunno I just like those lists.


Anywho the explanations here are way too detailed then need be. If everything has a built in wifi adapter all you need is a wireless router...hell most any G rated one will do you good unless you want N and you only "need" N if you are transfering big files from one computer to another.

I am running a linksys wrt54g and it works fine, so did my netgear, and my dlink...

This shouldnt cost more then $50. Not sure which is the best router for the PS3 but in my opinion I would rather wire it up then go wireless especially if they are in the same room.

 

why are you guys telling him to get draft N? first of all, unless he has a T1 running through his apartment, there is no speed difference. second of all, it has more problems than god know what to deal with, so have fun getting 3 operating systems running on this and being stable.

wait till N gets finalized. otherwise you could spend $150-200 on wireless G stuff and be done in 30 mins.

 

Pre-N has better coverage and signal strenth......

 

^ You don't even need the better network coverage and signal strength than a wireless-B for a big house running 6 computers like mine... and CLpower lives in an apt.

I'm running on your basic liksys wireless G network setup, and our "pin point" computer is basically non existent. Our router is upstairs next to the cable router (the cable router will inevitably decide where your network router goes). as for my PS2/Xbox i'm too cheap to go wireless so with my handy dandy computer I piggy backed them (not easy) onto my computer's internet connection (the router is down the hall from me). But as for our crazy non-organization, everyone stores their files on mine because I have the best computer in the house :grin: and I always leave it on, and everyone prints downstairs in the office because it has the best (and only working) printer.
As for wireless vs. wired for your PS3/360 internet I didn't notice a difference from when I was piggy backing my computer's wireless or when I ran a wire down the hall and to the router, so you're good there. As for this N-wireless bizness, even when I have a wireless-B the PS2/Xbox ran fine lag free, hell I only notice the difference between B and G when I'm usiing limewire or downloading stuff from a really really good server (acheived 652 k/bs new record ) and when transferring files from computer to computer (That's really you're only advantage with the faster network...or the only one I noticed).
Oh yah and please do encryption it's not only for the security but it also prevents your computer from getting on your neighbor's network which will slow down your internet not because of too many people being on it but because it's your neighbor and his router is far from you (but wait you live in a apt, so prolly not)... but as for this stuff about them actually slowing down your internet speed? unless you have really krappy service and a low bandwidth cable connection (TW/Cc's is pretty fast so no worries) then you don't need to worry abuot that.
Now we did our own network and we do have our share of problems but if you do your network through Comcast/TW they'll take care of everything for you even from the smallest problem to the biggest ones, that's the only thing you're missing out on when you're not doing your home network through them....

 

Linksys Wireless G Router (WRT54G) - $49.99 from Best Buy

Enable WEP
Hardwire your PC and PS3 to the router
Connect Printer to PC and enable printer sharing (See This Thread )

 

our setup

Cable modem - Linksys Wireless Router w/Speedbooster (35% faster, 69.99 at walmart) - linksys range extender (i live in a 5500 sq ft house, no signal to family room w/o it for 50$) - ps3 wireless (i could play lag free with 45% signal on the ps3, now i have 70%)

remember if you do use the same router, you can share media files with the ps3 also

 

he said he lives in an apartment, Wireless G w/ Rangebooster by far is the best. I use all of them, speedbooster is a load of garbage, like i said, unless you have a T1 line coming in, what the hell good is speed booster?