WiFi

6 Mar 2008 12:03:08

Mark Ford

This is a dumb question!
I would like to use wifi in a building that currently has only broadband.
Can I simply plug the wireless router that I use at home into their telephone outlet and get wifi?

Re: WiFi

6 Mar 2008 18:13:59

Terry Willis

Yes & No! ;o)

If they have a broadband enabled telephone line yes, but, they may already have a router connected, perhaps supplying a wired Local Area Network (LAN). In this situation you would need to use a Wireless Access Point or use your router as a WAP on one of their connection points. So it depends on the situation...

Give me a ring if it will help.

Re: WiFi

6 Mar 2008 18:14:24

Mick Burrell

Yes you can Mark - it's the router that provides the wireless aspect, not a special broadband.

Having seen Terry got in while I was typing my reply, he's right but if (as is likely) they already use a broadband router, I was assuming you would use yours to replace theirs not run alongside it.

Re: WiFi

6 Mar 2008 20:10:49

Terry Willis

Don't forget, many broadband ISP's use logon's to connect (Username & Password). This is within the routers settings, so if using your own router you would need to get their settings, not use yours.

Re: WiFi

7 Mar 2008 12:54:02

Mark Ford

Thanks Terry & Mick. Wonderful quick help!

They have broadband already &, I suspect, a local network.
I want to be able to approach them with some confidence when I make my pitch to use their broadband as part of the presentation - and not simply be told "its not possible/too difficult!"
My plan is to use Google Earth with my own layer on it.

Will I loose my home settings or will my Modem Router [Netgear DG834G] retain them?

Re: WiFi

7 Mar 2008 15:19:09

Mick Burrell

Mark - the DG834 has a "save settings" option in the menu on the left hand side when you're logged into it. This saves a configuration file which you can load when you get back to restore your settings.

Re: WiFi

7 Mar 2008 17:08:51

Terry Willis

Mark - Will they be happy entering their username and password into your router...?

Re: WiFi

7 Mar 2008 17:35:33

Terry Willis

...In fact, thinking about it, will they know their password?

Re: WiFi

7 Mar 2008 22:39:16

Mark Ford

Good questions!
The answers remain to be seen - at least I now know what I need to know to start the conversation. Thanks!

Re: WiFi

10 Mar 2008 23:06:39

Alan Cox

life was so much easier when we could use simple slide projectors with none of these WiFi, HotSpot, Broadband, configuration files, passwords (forgotten), usernames, DG834, local networks, router settings, wired LANs and WAPs (not guaranteed to be comprehensive but sure to put off us old fogeys). Ah, for the good old days.

Re: WiFi

14 Mar 2008 14:59:10

Mark Ford

Thanks everyone.
It went like a dream. Lionel lent me a router which I simply plugged into the ethernet outlet on the wall, switched off Airport on my laptop and there it was. No passwords - straight to the internet.
[Now I read what I have just written I find myself wondering what sort of person has dreams like that!]

Re: WiFi

14 Mar 2008 15:06:08

Mark Ford

" .... switched on Airport ...."

Re: WiFi

15 Mar 2008 17:52:01

Lionel Ogden

As a matter of interest, is this a vulnerability of networks. As I read it and as we found in our experiments, plugging in an "open" router bypasses any security in the original router modem. Surely this cannot be right?

Re: WiFi

15 Mar 2008 21:46:24

Terry Willis

If I understand correctly, you plugged a router into the existing network, acting as a Wireless Access Point. The security of the existing network is only as good as the administrator of the system. The fact that you did not need to make any changes to the existing router was a bonus, as it just 'worked', as it might do in any small home network where there is a low risk of security breaches or attack.

The need for security needs to be balanced against the perceived risk, by implementing stricter security you would have had greater difficulty in connecting (if at all), with the associated aggravation, requiring administrator assistance/permissions.

The system administrator could have implemented any number of precautions for greater security, including: Tamperproof LAN access points; MAC address filtering; Proxy server filtering; Firewall Rules; etc... The list is almost endless, but unnecessary for most small networks behind locked (Front) doors!