We should be getting broadband on our telephone exchange around June so I'm looking at what hardware I'll be needing. I have two PCs, one downstairs and one upstairs in the spare bedroom. The upstairs PC is just for use by the grandkids when they visit.

Wired networking isn't practical and wireless gear looks an expensive solution for the limited use it would get, so I'm thinking of just installing a PCI ADSL modem in each PC.

Is this a practical solution? - any forseeable problems ?

Thanks

You wouldn't be able to have both computers connected to the internet at the same time, but if you don't mind that then I guess it would work.

I don't think wireless routers are that expensive now though, if you just get 802.11b.

A bit impractical really. If you have both modems plugged into the phone line neither will work, even if you're not active on the internet on both or one or the other. You can only have one plugeed in to the line at any one time.

You can get networking kits that are meant to run over the phone lines or existing mains wiring. I've no personal recommendations or experiences of these as I only install proper networks. :wink: Have a scout round on Google for some info on those as I think they're your only option.

Thanks for the feedback. Having just one PC at a time connected is the way things work with dial-up and the kids are used to being 'rationed' for their on-line time.

A rough costing comes up with about £120 for a combi ADSL modem/wirelss router plus two PCI wireless NICs.

Two ADSL PCI modems come to less than £50.

Originally posted by Greybeard
Is this a practical solution? - any forseeable problems ?

Thanks

Yes: giving kids unsupervised internet access. Better to have them surfing the net on the downstairs PC where you can keep an eye on them.

A rough costing comes up with about £120 for a combi ADSL modem/wirelss router plus two PCI wireless NICs.

You don't need the ADSL modem/wireless router. (assuming you already have a DSL modem...) You can run 2 wireless NICs in ad-hoc (peer 2 peer) mode and use one of the pcs as a nat gateway or proxy. Use windows internet connection sharing or something like 602lansuite.

If you know about wired networking its the wireless equivalent of using 2 nic's and a crossover cable without a hub.

you can have 1 broadband connection and 2 computers coming off it. I have. You need to get a Router i think bt do one which you can by from shops like comet, currys, or you can connected one computer to the other and one computer been a server which is connected to the internet and the other is linked and can be used. If u pm me i will give you more info ( dad is an IT Technition....lol)

Originally posted by underground1
you can have 1 broadband connection and 2 computers coming off it.
We know, we don't want to do that though. Read the question again.

best thing for u to do would be call in a computer shop and ask them, ill ask mi dad 2night.

What punk suggested sounds perfectly fine to me. I'd go with that.

Seconded. Punk is the dude...

Two of these (http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/index.html?action=c2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X292ZXJ2aWV3&product_uid=64618), the USB cable modem your ISP will (probably) provide, & half hour* fighting with windows networking, & Robert's yer mother's brother, all for about £40 + VAT...

* - half an hour is assuming your PC likes you, Saturn is in the third house, & you stand on one leg. Otherwise a few days. Dangframmit Windoze.

Originally posted by underground1
best thing for u to do would be call in a computer shop and ask them,
You seem to have missed the point of this forum.

Back on-topic for a moment, Windows Internet Connection Sharing has been known to not work all that well. I've used AnalogX Proxy (http://www.analogx.com/contents/download/network/proxy.htm) before now and it works well, (free download btw).

Originally posted by Lurch
Back on-topic for a moment, Windows Internet Connection Sharing has been known to not work all that well. I've used AnalogX Proxy (http://www.analogx.com/contents/download/network/proxy.htm) before now and it works well, (free download btw).

Thanks Lurch, the two wireless NICs looks an attractive solution, but I'm a bit doubtful about how easy wireless ad hoc networking is in Win98SE; I downloded that software just in case I need it.

Another problem is that the antenna on the downstairs PC will be hidden behind the PC under the desk, - the RF will have to travel through the PC which could cause reception problems.

The upsairs PC only gets used about three days in a month so two ADSL modem cards still look the best option, but I'm very grateful for all the advice that's been offered.

Time to start looking at ISPs :)

Originally posted by Greybeard
Another problem is that the antenna on the downstairs PC will be hidden behind the PC under the desk,
Some wireless cards have removable antennaes which can be positioned somewhere less shielded with a patch lead between it and the card. I think Linksys cards, or at least some of them did. Anyway, point is, they're available. :wink:

As for ISP's, I recommend Pipex, I haven't had a problem with them in the 18 months I've been with them. ADSLGuide (http://www.adslguide.org) is a good place to start for comparisons.