A mind bender for the Tech Heads.

[thegurio]

Because of my want to have internet everywhere i have decided to ditch the home phone and internet (which costs us about $160 a month) and go for 2 broadband wireless cards from Vodafone which are going to cost $39 each. Everything was fine as for the most part i dont spend a lot of time at home and theres always Skype if anyone cant ring a mobile. I currently run at home at Xbox 360, a PS3 and a N router with a server etc.

Now i understand the the network here will work without a ADSL connection but what i was wondering was how am i going to get internet to the PS3 or Xbox for updates etc. I realise that games are going to be all but pointless with a ping of around 800 - 900 but then again i dont play a lot of online games and the boys will just have to deal without that when they come round.

So, can i share the connection with more than 2 "computers" through the network, or do i need to create an adhoc network, or is there another choice? Im happy to change to a different router if i need to as the one i have isn't really working as planned...

 

[NM]

Why not get something like the Netcomm N3G002W, which is a 802.11G Wireless router that accepts either a PCMCIA or USB modem. So just put one of your Vodafone card into the router and you can share the internet connection with all of your home WiFi devices.

I am sure there are other vendors that make these types of devices as well. But in my experience, the Netcomm devices are well supported in Australia and support Australian ISP cards and SIMs.

 

[Evan]

Why not get something like the Netcomm N3G002W, which is a 802.11G Wireless router that accepts either a PCMCIA or USB modem. So just put one of your Vodafone card into the router and you can share the internet connection with all of your home WiFi devices.

I am sure there are other vendors that make these types of devices as well. But in my experience, the Netcomm devices are well supported in Australia and support Australian ISP cards and SIMs.

About support, Optus go one better, they offer (or used to) exactly what you talking about a router than has 4 ethernet ports, + wlan and is getting its internet via 3G ! in a nice little attractive silver box.

Optus myZOO Help - HUAWEI E960

 

[NM]

About support, Optus go one better, they offer (or used to) exactly what you talking about a router than has 4 ethernet ports, + wlan and is getting its internet via 3G ! in a nice little attractive silver box.

Optus myZOO Help - HUAWEI E960

yes, its an option. But thegurio said he has chosen Vodafone as his ISP and has purchased two of their USB modems and a plan. Not sure how the Optus deal is going to help him.

 

[Evan]

yes, its an option. But thegurio said he has chosen Vodafone as his ISP and has purchased two of their USB modems and a plan. Not sure how the Optus deal is going to help him.

Only because i was thinking you may be able to buy that modem some other way, other than just through optus, its a very nice small package.
It may not be possible to buy it seperatly i don't know, i did not check in Australia if that is the case, was just an idea.

 

[thegurio]

yes, its an option. But thegurio said he has chosen Vodafone as his ISP and has purchased two of their USB modems and a plan. Not sure how the Optus deal is going to help him.

Sorry NM, i should have been a bit clearer - ive actually gone for the ExpressCard one as i would break the USB one within a week i reckon... I just really want to leave it in the computer all the time and have the network connect to it from there. Basically set and forget - like i have my network setup at the moment.

 

[NM]

Sorry NM, i should have been a bit clearer - ive actually gone for the ExpressCard one as i would break the USB one within a week i reckon... I just really want to leave it in the computer all the time and have the network connect to it from there. Basically set and forget - like i have my network setup at the moment.

I expect the Vodafone ExpressCard could could be used with the Netcomm device. It has both PCMCIA and USB ports.

It sounds like you want to use Windows Internet Connection Sharing. Have a look at this Microsoft document for how to set this up for Windows XP.

 

[2muchplastic]

I expect the Vodafone ExpressCard could could be used with the Netcomm device. It has both PCMCIA and USB ports.

It sounds like you want to use Windows Internet Connection Sharing. Have a look at this Microsoft document for how to set this up for Windows XP.

Unfortunately NM, Expresscard and PCMCIA are different, and the only way you'll get it to fit is with a light tap with a hammer :shock:

 

[Evan]

Unfortunately NM, Expresscard and PCMCIA are different, and the only way you'll get it to fit is with a light tap with a hammer :shock:

Thats the logic i like, if at first it wont fit find something bigger to hit it with !

 

[Chimpy]

I use an Asus WL-330gE if I need to share my laptop wireless connection with
my wife (she uses a psp). It is a portable wireless access point that can turn your notebook into a wireless hotspot. It conects through the ethernet port. Very easy to use once set up and has a travel pouch to take on holiday. In a hotel room it can also turn a wired internet connection to wireless.

 

[thegurio]

hahahaha.... If it doesn't fit force it - if it breaks it needed replacing anyway!

Now that I've thrown a spanner in the works, let me throw a toolbox in there! I have 2 laptops, both mine that run vista and I have a few that come and go and they use xp and vista. The wifes computer which has to run flawlessly no matter what to increase WAF runs so and will ahve her own card so that only has to networked not have a shared Internet connection.

 

[notzac]

I'm not sure that this is necessarily an easy problem to solve if you're set on using the express card adapters. Have you considered having 1 x 3G Internet connection for when you're on the go, and 1 x Naked ADSL connection for when you're at home? You might also want to consider a VoIP connection for making calls while at home - I've no idea whether the amount of phone calls you make would justify the expense, but it's worth a look.

Naked DSL providers I'd recommend are iiNet and Internode

 

[futaris]

Almost all ExpressCard modems are USB modems (in a different form factor). You can get PCMCIA Slot to ExpressCard adapters (on eBay, etc), which are generally a OHCI USB Host card. You can also get USB to ExpressCard adapters (on eBay, etc).

In terms of sharing your internet connection(s), depending on your current router's capabilities and software you can upgrade it to OpenWRT (or similar embedded Linux) and have it automagically use multiple fallback internet connections, connecting via 3G when needed.

 

[thegurio]

Almost all ExpressCard modems are USB modems (in a different form factor). You can get PCMCIA Slot to ExpressCard adapters (on eBay, etc), which are generally a OHCI USB Host card. You can also get USB to ExpressCard adapters (on eBay, etc).

In terms of sharing your internet connection(s), depending on your current router's capabilities and software you can upgrade it to OpenWRT (or similar embedded Linux) and have it automagically use multiple fallback internet connections, connecting via 3G when needed.

If at all possible, and i guess the only important point is i would like to keep the ExpressCard adapter in my computer at all times. Im quite happy to setup a PAN but im not sure if the Router/PS3/Xbox will see it. The Xbox i can garuntee as it doesnt have a wireless adaptor, however if it becomes important i will get reamed by M$ and buy one.

Would cabling my computer (with the EC in it) to the router help? Would that solve the problem? Its a pain and i would much rather do it wirelessly but if it solves the problem then so be it.

To be honest - im not that clued up in the world of linux and the last thing i need is another interest! And i'd rather not do it, as it wont work the first time and that will decrease WAF considerably, and its at an all time low atm and i'd rather it not plummet further!

 

[futaris]

The simplest solution is to:

Setup Internet Connection Sharing (ICS), and disable DHCP on your router. Give every computer, or network device on your network a static IP address, e.g. 192.168.0.5, 192.168.0.6, etc. Set the DNS server and gateway to 192.168.0.1 (the address that your machine will be on the wireless/wired network when ICS is enabled). AFAIK, you can't easily disable the DHCP server on ICS.

That way when you're home whenever you're connected any other machine will try to route out to the internet through your laptop and ICS. If you're machine isn't home and on the network, it won't be able to connect to the internet (unless you use a HSDPA card on that machine).

NB, in future, for these sort of questions, Whirlpool is generally the best bet in Australia.

 

[StevePER]

Why do you want to keep the ExpressCard in the computer? Otherwise something like the Linksys WRT54G3G would do the trick, looks like it would work directly with the ExpressCard without messing around with Internet Connection Sharing etc.

 

[zzyss]

The simplest solution is to:

Setup Internet Connection Sharing (ICS), and disable DHCP on your router. Give every computer, or network device on your network a static IP address, e.g. 192.168.0.5, 192.168.0.6, etc. Set the DNS server and gateway to 192.168.0.1 (the address that your machine will be on the wireless/wired network when ICS is enabled). AFAIK, you can't easily disable the DHCP server on ICS.

That way when you're home whenever you're connected any other machine will try to route out to the internet through your laptop and ICS. If you're machine isn't home and on the network, it won't be able to connect to the internet (unless you use a HSDPA card on that machine).

NB, in future, for these sort of questions, Whirlpool is generally the best bet in Australia.

Apologies for the juvenile response, but I don't have anything to add except "this is the right answer".

 

[thegurio]

Apologies for the juvenile response, but I don't have anything to add except "this is the right answer".

Nowhere near juvenile as it backs up what Futaris is saying. I think so far that is the best option and quite easy to do.

The main reason why i dont want to take it out is because i am very forgetful and will leave it in the router when i need it with me etc. I know it's pathetic and frustrates the wife no end but it's me and that's that! Almost everything in my life is automatically done and i don't need to think about it which works really well when your mind is buzzing from work.

I know about Whirlpool, and surprisingly am a member there too but this was easier and i trust you guys to give me a reliable response.

Thanks all - I shall do it and see how we go.

 

[thegurio]

Another spanner in the works... Vista wont let me bridge the connections... One of them is a dial up connection and the other is a high speed connection according to Vista. I think its going to have to be cabled whether i like it or not if there isnt any other suggestions.

 

[futaris]

Don't know about Vista, but in XP all you need to do is go to 3G Connection Properties, Advanced Tab and click the ICS "Allow other network users to connect through this computer's internet connection".

Bridging will link the two networks, e.g. connects a wireless network to a wired one, so that packets from either will go to the other one(s).

ICS will only allow connections out in one direction, e.g. from the wireless network to go out to the internet using NAT.