Set up a wireless network

Tgr141291

Tgr141291

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Tom
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I'm a bit clueless when it comes to wireless networks so any help is appreciated.

My uni halls each have a wall socket (Ethernet) where you connect to the internet via a wired connection. Is it possible to get a device that I can plug the Ethernet cable from the socket into that will enable me to create a wireless network.

I've been looking at old modems/routers at home. But I am under the impression that these need a ADSL/DSL line in to the modem/router???

I take it that it won't work by just plugging the Ethernet from the wall into the modem/router won't work?

Thanks
 
If your router has the capability for "access point mode", it might work. Depends on the router really. What you basically need is an access point.
 
Not the cheapest option but the Apple Airport Express boxes do this (amongst other things). You plug ethernet cable into the wall socket and into the Airport Express, join the APPLE XXXXXX network that it transmits by default. Then fire up Airport Utility on the PC/Mac and walk through the install process.

I'm sure you can get a cheaper option, but the apple is rock solid and you can even plug a printer and speakers into it and stream music from laptop/iphone/ipad to it.
 
Kasalic said:
Not the cheapest option but the Apple Airport Express boxes do this (amongst other things). You plug ethernet cable into the wall socket and into the Airport Express, join the APPLE XXXXXX network that it transmits by default. Then fire up Airport Utility on the PC/Mac and walk through the install process.

I'm sure you can get a cheaper option, but the apple is rock solid and you can even plug a printer and speakers into it and stream music from laptop/iphone/ipad to it.
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Damn!

Used to have one of those and sold it a few years ago.

Looks the easiest way
 
Tgr141291 said:
Thanks for the help.

What is the problem with DHCP?

Tom
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If you're adding a router with dhcp to a public network such as a uni campus that already has one then your router will start issuing ip addresses to other students machines and/or conflicting with official uni dhcp servers potentially breaking something and/or stopping everyone's Internet access.
 
neil_g said:
an old router will work, just disable DHCP before you connect it otherwise you might not be too popular..
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This is exactly how I have set mine up.

You will need to connect from the wall socket to a LAN port.

You have two options - probably the best one is to set all the wireless and the router up first before you connect to the uni network, as otherwise you may have issues with the LAN side ip address of the router.

This is what the LAN side config of mine looks like:

router.jpg


However, you probably wont be able to do that unless your UNI assigns you an ip address for the router (unlikely).

Also, have you checked their security policy. You may find that this will break their policy and could result in you losing your internet access. I know if someone did this on my network I would not be a happy bunny.
 
barneyrubble said:
However, you probably wont be able to do that unless your UNI assigns you an ip address for the router (unlikely).
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My router has the ability to get it's IP address from DHCP....
 
barneyrubble said:
This is exactly how I have set mine up.

You will need to connect from the wall socket to a LAN port.

You have two options - probably the best one is to set all the wireless and the router up first before you connect to the uni network, as otherwise you may have issues with the LAN side ip address of the router.

This is what the LAN side config of mine looks like:

router.jpg


However, you probably wont be able to do that unless your UNI assigns you an ip address for the router (unlikely).

Also, have you checked their security policy. You may find that this will break their policy and could result in you losing your internet access. I know if someone did this on my network I would not be a happy bunny.
Click to expand...

It's not actually a Uni residence - its private accomodation. So I don't forsee any issues over T&C's
 
To solve it, you need to know a bit about the network it will connect to. All routers (that I know of - even access points) have their own IP address so you can configure them. When you add these into a network, it is possible that you will get a conflict with another device out there.

The simplest way I can think of doing this is to get a wireless router (NOT ADSL router but one that has an ethernet port as the uplink) and connect this uplink to the ethernet in the wall. Set it to get it's IP address by DHCP.

You will need to know what subnet it gets allocated. For example, it may be in the range 192.168.1.1-254. What you then need to do is configure the router to be on a different non-conflicting subnet e.g. 192.168.2.xx. Depending on the size of the network you are connecting to, the "internal" network may use a range of numbers (e.g. it may use 192.168.1.xx-192.168.3.xx). The router then manages the internal subnet (and you'll need to switch DHCP on for that subnet) and routes all requests for anything that isn't on the rooms subnet out the upstream port.

At least I think that should work....
 
That's very garbled as I'm a bit rushed, but basically you treat the hole in the wall as your ISP and configure the router to connect to it via the best method and also manage the local network (in the room) as if it is the main router in the system. You have to avoid IP conflicts between the in-room devices and the bigger network (i.e. what the in-room ethernet connection connects to).
 
Like you said at the start more needs to be known about the network before an assessment can be made.
 
I still think the first thing is permission. And it all depends on what type of residence it is - which is still unclear. If i found an unauthorised Wireless access point on my network the first thing that would happen would be for it to become "unpatched" from my network.

The next thing would be to find out who had put it there and have a "quiet word".

You may find yourself disconnected completely if you dont ask for permission from whoever owns the network, perhaps never to be connected again.

Thats obviously the worst case scenario, best case is that no-one minds at all, but asking first off would be the best way to go about it - at least then you find out if there is a policy in place.
 
not theirs, but I would almost guarnatee they have their own.

Just to cover yourself ask them. At least then when they say no problem you know you have no issues.

If they do have a policy and they find you doing it without permission then they will almost certainly disconnect you.
 
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