USB network adaptor or wireless network card?

Big Classy

I gotta move bedrooms for the next month or so. My PC is coming with me, so no internet connection. The modem is in my current bedroom along wiht my router. I basically have never used a PC wirelessly, laptop sure.

1. Do I have to keep the router connected to a PC in order for it to work? Like if nothing is in the first slot, would it still work? (dumb probably but I really have no idea)

2. Which is the cheaper option?

3. Wireless cards plug into PCI slots and stick out the back with an aerial right?

4. I would love suggestions of stuff you've used. LINK MEEEEEEE! (I'm in the UK so some stuff might not be available here, it happens)

Cheers guys.

minor incident

I can't link you right now because I'm on my phone, but I've used a variety of USB wifi adapters and they're always great. They're under $30 (I got my last 300mbps N stick for $15).

Big Classy

Doesn't the router also need to be N?

minor incident

N is backwards compatible, so if you buy an N USB stick it'll work on your G router. Just at G speeds, of course.

corky842

There doesn't need to be anything plugged into the router. Get a USB one so you can re-use it on anything. The router has to be N to get the higher speed, but it should work on G (or *shudder* B or A).

Big Classy

Awesome. I imagine the download speeds would be severely slower than when wired?

Stormwatcher

it's still faster than internet.
G is not as good for streaming HD movies from a pc or anything.

punk

Try the Linksys AE1200. I picked up an older AE1000 for my mom and it has been pretty solid so far in the last year. The AE1200 is the same adapter, just not dual-band like the AE1000 or the AE2500.

To directly answer your other questions:

1. Nope, no wired connections to PCs are necessary for the router to work.
2. You'll see both USB and PCI adapters in the $30-60 range, depending on features.
3. Correct. Some have one or more fixed antenna right on the back of the card, some have modular antenna on the back of the card, and some actually have a stand-alone antenna that you can move around above your desk if you'd like. You could also pick up a 3rd party antenna to connect to the card, if that's your thing.
4. See above.

Good luck!

Big Classy

Dammit.
So I can't move my PC then since the router will only have the modem plugged into it. Might have to phone the isp and see if they can provide a wireless modem.

tsmvengy

Big Isy wrote:

Dammit.
So I can't move my PC then since the router will only have the modem plugged into it. Might have to phone the isp and see if they can provide a wireless modem.

Wait what? If you have a wireless router it will work fine if it's only connected to the modem and nothing else on wired.

The speeds on G are well in excess of what your internet connection speeds are, so you won't notice internet slowdown. The only thing you can't really do over wireless is stream uncompressed HD stuff from one PC to another (streaming videos on the 'net are compressed).

Big Classy

Okay. Punk seems to be saying the opposite though. Either way I'll pick up a usb adaptor tomorrow and check it out.

punk

Big Isy wrote:

Okay. Punk seems to be saying the opposite though. Either way I'll pick up a usb adaptor tomorrow and check it out.

Erm, no...I said:

1. Nope, no wired connections to PCs are necessary for the router to work.

Which means you can connect the modem and router, then have wireless connections to each PC if desired, and it will work just fine.

Big Classy

See this is what happens when browsing on a small screen with only one good eye

talking of my phone, I can access wi-fi on it, as with most androids. Could I perhaps hook it up via usb and use it as an access point? I know I can tether via 3G but my phone network provider dislikes that.

corky842

Using the phone would probably require rooting it or something so time-consuming that it would probably be easier to just get an adapter.

Before you move your pc, go into the router control panel and make sure you can access the control panel via wifi, and if not enable it. Sometimes it's disabled for security reasons, and you'll want to be able to make changes while on wifi-only, just in case.

Big Classy

My phone is already rooted though. And the PC has already been moved but I can adjust settings on the router using the laptop.

tsmvengy

Using your phone is possible but is a pain in the ass.

Seriously, USB adapters are cheap, and then you don't have to plug in your phone and fuck around with settings every time you want to use your computer.

http://www.ebuyer.com/store/Networking/cat/Wireless/subcat/Adapters---USB

http://www.novatech.co.uk/products/networking/wirelessnetworking/wirelessusbadapters/

Big Classy

jeez those are cheap. For some reason, the ones I could find werwe around the £25 mark. I told my brother to pick one up earlier from town and he told me he had a ridiculous amount of ethernet cabling, enough to connect the pc to the router. My concern is the cabling will be all over the place but I'll see the result tonight. Hopefully it'll be fine and out of the way. If not I can just get one of those cheap adaptors. Thanks guys, appreciate the help