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eheger · Jul 18, 2006, 04:14 PM

I have three computers in my house that are all connected to a network through a lynksys router. This is not a wireless router, they all have ethernet cables connected to the router. My girlfriend has a brand new dell laptop with a wireless network adapter and it also came with a wireless router. My question is what do I have to do so she can use the internet on her laptop when she is over my house? How would I connect her to my network so she can share by broadband signal? Any help is greatly appreciated.

samir_raut88 · Jul 18, 2006, 04:34 PM

U mean.. a linksys hub?
One way as you may have realised is to just have her connect to one of the ports at the 'hub' (while you may have to sacrifice one of yr ports.. but I'm sure you can make that). For that she just needs ethernet cable like you are using.

U said: "This is not a wireless router", meaning yr house/room is not wireless accessible? Well, then she wouldn't be able to use the 'wireless' in your room. It doesn't exist, if I understand you right.

eheger · Jul 18, 2006, 05:18 PM

Thanks for your response. I guess I should have provided more information. Here's the deal. I have 3 computers that are on 3 different floors in the house. One in the basement, one on the first floor, and one on the second floor. I have a verizon dsl modem and a lynksys router next to the computer on the first floor. I have long ethernet cables going through the walls that connect the other computers to the router. (I did this after having a lot of trouble with the wireless router setup I was using.) my girlfriend will mainly be using her laptop on the second floor, not on the same floor as the router. So I won't be connecting an ethernet cable to the router. I want her to be able to use the laptop wirelessly, if possible, and be connected to my network. Is there a way to connect a laptop wirelessly to an already wired network? That probably is a stupid question, but I obviously have no idea. If not, should I try to set up all of the computers in the house (including hers) on a wireless network? Thanks again for you help.

Fr_Chuck · Jul 18, 2006, 05:36 PM

Replace your router with a wireless one, it still allows for a wireed system, mine does the wireless but allows up to four units to also be wired to it.

Walmart about 60 to 80 bucks.

cajalat · Jul 18, 2006, 06:12 PM

Another possibility is to take the wireless router that came with her laptop and plug that into the 2nd floor connection. Then take the current computer that is on the 2nd floor and plug that into the wireless router. It isn't perfect but at least if all you're doing is using the Linksys for Internet access then none of your PC's will notice. But if you are establishing communication between your computers then you may have to get creative with your software configuration.

What are the exact models on your existing wired router and the wireless router that came with the laptop? If you list those then we can help you with how the connections could go in a bit more detail.

Casey

Davidmex · Jul 26, 2006, 10:01 AM

Well what you can also do since she is more than likely use her computer in the second floor and she is not going to be there all day and all night just disconnect the PC you have in the second floor and connect the laptop so you don't have to "sacrifice" any ports on your router.

nerdynotes · Aug 1, 2006, 01:46 AM

Most of the Dell laptop come along with a NETGEAR wireless router. So replace the existing Linksys router and make use of the NETGEAR router. No need to connect both routers in the same network.

StuMegu · Aug 1, 2006, 03:01 AM

Most wireless routers can be used simply as a wireless access point. This just means that you plug the router in to the wired network somewhere and it extends the network to wireless clients. Check the manual for the wireless router and set it to be an access point.

I would not change the wired router settings if it is working fine.

ScottGem · Aug 1, 2006, 06:20 AM

There is one thing that's unclear here. You say the laptop cane with a wireless router, but you don't say where that router is being used. Since you refer to "she is over my house", I assume that means she doesn't live there. So I would assume she is using the wireless router where she lives. That would take that out of the equation.

You have, however, several options.

1) Add a small (4 port) switch or hub near the 2nd floor PC. Plug the cable going to the router into the hub/switch, then plug a short patch cable between the hub/switch and the PC. Add another short patch cable that your g/f can connect to her laptop.

2) Simply disconnect the cable from the 2nd Fl PC and plug it into the laptop.

Both of the above options require her laptop being wired into your LAN. If that's not a problem then they are your best alternatives. However, if you want to allow her the freedom to connect from anywhere around the house you have 2 other options

3) Add a Wireless Access Point to your network. You can purchase them separately or just get a wireless router. You can then connect this to your existing wired router and disable the router functionality. (note; this is the setup I have in my home). The wireless can be located either on the first floor near the wired router or on the 2nd floor, by plugging the cable from the wired router into the uplink port and connecting the PC to it.

4) Replace your wired router with a wireless one.

eheger · Aug 7, 2006, 05:06 PM

Thanks to everyone for their advice, I appreciate it. I did what most of you said and I simply replaced my existing linksys rounter with the wireless netgear router, set it up, and all computers are working fine. Thanks again for the help!