Combining several PC's - linking to one Wifi network

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lmartinefc

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Hi all...I am a bit lost on this once, have reached the limit of my networking knowledge. There are two real questions :

1. How many ways are there to interconnect 2 computers - the most popular method I have seen is to share a drive then connect them both to a router/switch. You can then access the shared machine using it's IP. Any other main methods - how else could I create a small home LAN?

2. I have a PC connected to a Wifi service that only allows 1 device. How could I connect my other PC's to this one device, and share the internet connection. I have a Western Digital Live personal cloud drive, a Windows 7 gaming desktop, an XP development machine and a laptop. Can I turn the PC connected via wifi into a hotspot, by installing another wifi card - or a better single card, multi aerial etc?

(I have an HP ProLiant N40L sat there with an SSD and data drives - wanted to use this as a home server to store everything, with remote access to files when i'm away - also potentially bolt in my WD Live)

Just a bit lost with options - any help appreciated. All PC's connected, with IP or direct access to the hard drives of each PC, all sharing an internet connection through the one with the Wifi link to the provider - along with remote access to the main (or potentially all).
 
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RealBeast
You don't need Home Server or any other server software to accomplish what you want to do.

What is the wifi device/service? Does the desktop also have an Ethernet port in addition to its wireless Internet adapter (I would assume yes)?

If you plan to leave the desktop machine on 24/7, you could simply buy an inexpensive wireless router, which would connect to the desktop Ethernet adapter. Then you can open the advanced adapter properties in the network control panel and highlight both adapters -- then right click and select bridge connections. Now the wireless Internet will be shared with the entire LAN.

You don't have to map all the drives, you just need to set the sharing and security to allow all other network machines to access...
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RealBeast

RealBeast

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Not sure what you current use -- a switch or router to connect multiple multiple machines? What type of wireless Internet, via a specific adapter device?

Yes, you can use the connected PC to share its Internet connection with a network that has a router using a software bridge.

You could either use the Ethernet adapter you have in the desktop or add a USB wireless adapter to connect to the LAN and bridge the two adapters in the network control panel. While Windows 7 has the ability to setup a virtual wifi miniport as a wireless AP, I don't know (but doubt) that you can bridge the virtual to physical adapter.

There are also some gaming routers that allow sharing of some types of wireless Internet devices.

You can use a number of software options to get remote access to your network.
 
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lmartinefc

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I have nothing at the moment. Just a bunch of PC's, one of which is connected to Wifi.

Just want to be able to connect them all together and access all drives all machines, from any machine. So map them all?

Set up a single machine as a main server - the one with the main wifi link, then connect them all with ethernet?

Any help/advice/direction appreciated...

I was considering buying Windows Home Server? Or an old version of NT?
 
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RealBeast

RealBeast

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You don't need Home Server or any other server software to accomplish what you want to do.

What is the wifi device/service? Does the desktop also have an Ethernet port in addition to its wireless Internet adapter (I would assume yes)?

If you plan to leave the desktop machine on 24/7, you could simply buy an inexpensive wireless router, which would connect to the desktop Ethernet adapter. Then you can open the advanced adapter properties in the network control panel and highlight both adapters -- then right click and select bridge connections. Now the wireless Internet will be shared with the entire LAN.

You don't have to map all the drives, you just need to set the sharing and security to allow all other network machines to access them.
 
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lmartinefc

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Thanks great info. Could you select a router that would be suitable. Surely there is a solution with only a single ethernet designed for this?

I was going to use the following on the node machines, to connect to the main desktop -
http://www.amazon.co.uk/High-Gain-Long-Rang-Alfa-9dBi-Mount/dp/B0038Q4AIG

If I used this on the main, it would only allow one connection to another device as it is not a router/multi connection wifi device?
 
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RealBeast

RealBeast

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That would work for a wireless adapter, although if your space is not too large it may be overkill and something like THIS would work well at a lower cost. You probably want a router for the local network -- I often use THIS ONE as a router or AP for home networks and I've been very happy with it.

I'm still not clear on what devices you already use -- does the desktop have an Ethernet adapter that you can use to make a wired link to a router? If so, all you really need is a router.
 
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lmartinefc

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I was thinking of something a bit smaller. All of the machines are in the same room.

I could use the Alfa USB WIFI modem (good for air cracking and playing around) as my main connection, and use the following (plugged in via ethernet to my desktop) as the router?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-in-1-Mini-Wireless-Router-HAME-A15-3G-WiFi-150Mbps-3G-Hotspot-USB-Black-/330962070272?pt=UK_Computing_Wireless_Routers&hash=item4d0ee06b00

OR

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-NEXX-WT1520-double-portable-mini-Micro-wireless-router-AP-wifi-802-11b-g-n-/231014757179?pt=UK_BOI_Office_Equipment_Supplies_Office_Equipment_ET&var=&hash=item35c98d733b
 
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RealBeast

RealBeast

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Those would probably work although I don't know what features they support and they do not also include a 4 port switch like a real modem. If I was choosing between the two, I would go with the New-NEXX as it has more ports and is probably more flexible.
 
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lmartinefc

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Ok scrap that. I am going to buy either an Asus or Linksys router. Probably the latter as they are very robust and can be customised (OpenWRT etc).

Just deciding on my config. I don't want to keep my PC on all the time. Can I set my wireless router to connect to the wifi service I use? I can then connect the ethernet sockets of my PC's directly to the router? And if this worked, could I still say (for example) connect my phone to the router through wifi, even though it is connected to the wifi service provider....or would I need to connect a second router to the first via cable to act as a personal WAP?

Many thanks
L
 
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