Sharing internet connection between two buildings

[froglander]

Hi. I apologize if I am asking a question that has already been asked, but I've been looking around and reading and haven't quite found an answer that quite fits my situation. I will be moving in a couple of weeks to a small studio apartment while I finish school. The apartment is a separate building from the main house and is about 20 feet away at the most. They currently have a Comcast cable internet connection as DSL is not available. They are willing to share it if I have the equipment, etc to do so (well, and split the monthly cost). I had originally wanted to somehow use a wired connection as I have been under the impression that would be faster and the weather wouldn't be an issue. Unfortunately, it does not appear that option is going to be acceptable to my landlords (he has been talking to someone about it that has assured him wireless would work no problem, without ever asking my opinion).

So, with that long-winded explanation, will a wireless router give a decent connection between two buildings like that? And would you recommend going with the wireless-g or wireless-n equipment? Any advice that you can offer would be greatly appreciated, thank you!!

[Alan87i]

Sure 20 feet apart , Unless there's some major interference it has to work.
I would use G because it's proven and cheaper at the moment. But either should work fine. If your connecting a desktop and need to buy a card I recommend getting an Access point and run it in client mode or a bridge adapter of sorts if you only need to hook 1 computer .

With a external device you can move it around or put in a window and cat 5 the connection to your computer. Most Important thing not to over look is security !!!
Allan
VA2CBE

[froglander]

Okay, just to make sure I understand your suggestion correctly.

I would get a wireless router to attach to the cable modem in the main house and then I would get a wireless access point that could theoretically sit in the little window closest to the main house and then use a Cat5 cable from that to my desktop computer?

Thanks again!

[Alan87i]

That's more of less it .
The pc's in the main house will have to be plugged into this router as well. If the Main house already has a router try simply plugging in the new WIFI routers wan port to the existing router. This will keep the Main network and your new network separate. Or in a router already exists at the main house you could just use to Access points in AP- client mode, or bridge mode. This will leave you on the same network as the main house.

The most AP's can be configured in client mode to connect to a router or another AP. Try to stick with the same brand.

Allan
VA2CBE

[umdivx]

If it is truely only 20 feet between where the cable modem is and where your pc will be that is more than easy to accomplish.

I am doing a Mesh/WDS network in my town home complex and I have 12 nodes and the furthest one away from my main AP is more than 300 feet away going through atleast three walls, and down one floor, and I am able to sustain a solid 8.5mbps connection to that node, so 20 feet should be no issue at all.

- Josh

[froglander]

I am afraid I am going to totally screw this up. As far as I know, they don't have anything but their one desktop PC and the cable modem which I assume is plugged directly into the computer by Cat5 cable. So, first step, I have purchased a wireless router that will go between the cable modem and their pc. It will be plugged into the router via a cable, rather than going wireless. So, second step, do I just put wireless adapters in my two computers or do I get a second wireless router that can act as an access point that I can then plug my two computers into? Or am I totally misunderstanding the suggestions? Sorry to keep asking for clarification, the only routers I have messed with have just used wired connections, not any wireless. Thank you so much for your help!

[Alan87i]

Given the distance the signal has to travel I'd say either would work . Are you using 2 desktops or a desktop and a laptop?
If you test with a laptop at the farthest location you will need to ever be from the router and the signal is good and is also good where you want the desktop to be located a card will work fine.

Another issue is to compare prices , there are Access points available with a 4 or 5 port switch built in . one of those will work fine with cables to your computers. And will allow for faster file transfer between your 2 computers, if you need to transfer a lot files from one to the other that would be a plus. And it can be located any where in the apartment for optimized signal.
No extra software to install .

Remember to stick with the same brand if at all possible.

Allan
VA2CBE

[umdivx]

What you could do is this:

Purchase this router: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833162017

well two of those routers.

you will then install DD-WRT, www.dd-wrt.com its a third party firmware that makes life much easier, on both routers, set the first router to 192.168.1.1 for its IP address then you will connect that between the cable modem and the pc in the main house.

Then you will take the second router, set it to 192.168.1.2, and put it in your area, and you can then hard wire your two pc's to that.

Then final step is you'll setup WDS between the two routers, so that it'll share, repeat, and extend the wireless signal int your area.

- Josh

[upandatthem]

Maybe I'm missing something here, but wouldn't just a regular wireless router work fine? If he has a wireless card in his computer, the signal should work over 20 feet between the two houses. It sounds like he'd just need to hook up the wireless router to the main cable connection and then search for the signal on his computer. That's what I've been doing for years. Wikipedia has a chart that shows the average distance a wireless signal will travel and 20 feet is well within the range: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_802.11

[umdivx]

yes but he has two pc's and one is wired, so WDS is great for adding a wired pc to a wireless network ;)

- Josh

[froglander]

And heck, it will be good practice.