Wired or Wireless

loobyloo1 · 10-02-2006, 15:49

Been busy sorting out my PCs and decided to network them. Have a Linksys router which is now installed and working, but I cannot get the Wireless adapter (Belkin) for the other PC to work. I have a suspicion that the USBs are only 1.0 and have therefore tried to get PCI 2.0, 2 port USBs (low Profile) but have not been able to get them locally.

Three questions really, can I substitute the 1.0 for the 2.0 USB? and will the adapter work? It says on the box it will work with both 1.0 and 2.0 but it doesnt. I have an iDesign 100, true its getting on a bit but it still works.

If I can't get the USB PCI card, I can get online using the ethernet connection from the router but as I want this to be a spare PC in the bedroom upstairs I will have to connect it with a very long Ethernet cable to the router. Is there a limit as to how much cable can I use?

The Wireless router won't be wasted as my daughter has a laptop which she will be using once she returns from University.

MovedGoalPosts · 10-02-2006, 15:51

Moved to Networking

10-02-2006, 15:52

Again ill point in the direction of homeplug http://www.homeplugs.co.uk/acatalog/...FSkNQgodMDJeqA ok its gonne cost a few quid but you only need a pair and it saves routing the cable.If your only going to use the internet then buy the 14mps version.Also your wired network goes wherever theres a mains socket in your home or an extention anywhere

EDIT please note the first network I built using these was nearly a year ago and it has run faultless in all that time

MovedGoalPosts · 10-02-2006, 16:32

Length of ethernet cable maximum is around 100m - plenty for the average house

Problem with USB as a whole is it relies on your computer's other resources to handle stuff. Thus network connectivity can be poor, especially if the PC is older and relatively low powered hardware.

If you really do want to use wireless, and since you've indicated you are happy to open the case to fit a USB2.0 card (if you can find one) why not just fit a wireless PCI adaptor card and get rid of the whole USB issue?

loobyloo1 · 10-02-2006, 22:45

Thanks to you both for your replies.
I will have a look out for a low profile wireless card. Although I still have an issue with the USB ports. Two of the 4 original ones are malfunctioning, that is the reason I was looking for a low profile PCI 2.0 USB 2 port. Belkin do one, but there's a two week delivery. Only problem with that is that I am impatient and trying to find a local supplier. Maplins (Portsmouth) have said that they haven't got any and they would have to order one in, so still 2 weeks delivery. I'll see if they do a low profile wireless card as an option.