Wireless networking - help a n00b(me) learn

Well my dad is getting a new laptop and he wants to be able to wireless connect to the internet from the living room. The living room is located downstairs while the main comp which connects to the internet is upstairs. Would it be possible to network in this setup?


Assuming the answer is yes, i would like some setup and configuration advice too. I have no real experience in networking . So what should i need to know? and what equipment would i need?

Thanks in advance

[Jason425]

http://compnetworking.about.com/cs/w...obuildwlan.htm

[Dragon]

man.... if one person could help sbdy learn wireless networking, hed be retired by now, living in the alps and driving a bentley, lol.

[Jason425]

hmm.. bentley in alps = slide into ditch.. no thanks..

[Aemon_]

land cruiser or rubicon in alps = fun

[Jason425]

finally a use for an h2 other than taking up too much room and wasting gas!

thanks for the link, i'll read through it and any questions i'll post here

It's really not that hard, nor is it expensive. Buy a wireless router with a notebook pc card (if you're new, it's best to buy them as a set), turn them on, follow instructions...and it should work.

I've really not had much trouble and I'm no expert. Instructions that come with the stuff are pretty self-explanatory.

Rind

if you already have a home network and a router(or computer acting as a router) i would sugest just getting a D-Link DWL-2100AP

it's a 802.11G wireless Accesspoint that will turn any existing wired network into a wireless network, and with a compatable card and good enuff signal strenth u can get 108Mbps link wirelessly ..

i would seriously sugest once you setup the basics on the laptop you add it's mac address (the wireless cards MAC) to the allowed list and deny unknown mac's in the wireless AP's (what ever one you do get) configuration
then change the stock channel to one that no one else uses in your neighboor hood (makes for better signal ...). if u get any other wireless networks that is..
turn off SSID broadcasting (helps prevent others from detecting your wireless network)
and set a custom SSID that is not descriptive of your house/ or any other address ... (just use a nickname, not real name..)

i have seen wireless networks with names or addresses as their SSID when i was first studying how it all works, it just makes it much easier to find the best signal and use that network for free internet... yet people still do it after the news blew the whole wireless thing up showing how easy it really is to steal others' inet..

this is how i setup mine... knowing that people could just drive by with a $30 wireless card and a $50 antenna and use my inet to hack... (i have first hand experience with how easy it is cause the public doesn't secure their wireless... :/ )

[Jason425]

SHHH I need those people for when i'm war-driving! :P