sky broadband question

[deasy100]

hi folks, i'm getting sky broadband tomorrow and i recieved my router today. i've just read through the installation process and have come across a problem that i will have.

the problem is that i only have two phone sockets in the house, both of which are downstairs. my computer room is upstairs.

the instructions say that i need to have the ethernet cable connected to both the router and my computer and to also have the router connected to the phone line. i cant think of a way around this problem

any advice would be great, thanks

[kegnkiwi]

Sky routers are wireless so connection via a wireless dongle, or use homeplugs, or put another telephone line extension upstairs or use an extra long ethernet cable. Plenty of options.

[deasy100]

ok so i can just forget the ethernet cable and connect wirelessly with my laptop or desktop?

thanks for your help

[unadkat]

Sky give you a netgear router and its a wireless one.

Simplest way to solve this issue is that you would need to first intially connect it via a ethernet cable as you would need to access the GUI / web interface of the router in order to configure your Network key and also changing the password. If you dont change the password of the router then any old tom, dick and Harry will be able to gain access to the router page as they long as they have are connected to your LAN.

Secondly if you want to connect wireless then you would initally need to plug the router to the Phone socket anyway. Now depending on the size of your house you should keep to the nearest Phone socket, otherwise you will have signal problems with your desktop machine, espcially if its located in one of the bedrooms. However this is entirely down to how many walls you have in between and door in your house. I say this because I lose signal but my Netgear DGN 2000 wireless N router when I go into my Living room or even the kitchen.

In order for the wireless to work you would need a Wirless card in each machine.

So as an example if your desktop doesnt have a wifi card then you would need to buy either an internal PCI card or a Wireless USB dongle. And same with your laptop... if it has Wifi built in then your sorted other wise would need to get a wifi USB dongle or a PCMCIA card.. That is if your laptop has a PCMCIA slot of course.

To get the maximum speed it is adviceable that you should plug the router into your master socket.


An alternative would be that you can always put an extra BT extension socket yourself mate as they are very very easy to do.

[madrat]

Most reliable way would be to connect the router to the master phone socket and then run a ethernet cable to the computer room. You can buy cable, sockets and plugs or pre made cables from screw fix, or any computer shop.

[AceB]

Unless you live on top of the exchange many houses can benefit from replacing the NTE5 master phone socket for one that splits the voice and ADSL signals. For some perculiar reason ours is in the loft so when I rewired I ran all the LAN cables back to it and fitted the router there. The results are an extra 1meg of sync speed and no microfilters needed on the phone points around the house.

As a radio ham as well as a satellite enthusiast I do ask people to consider technology other than home plug, PLT devices are destroying the SW bands and due to their flawed technology are causing many people to have to give up their hobby.

[madrat]

Originally Posted by AceB

Unless you live on top of the exchange many houses can benefit from replacing the NTE5 master phone socket for one that splits the voice and ADSL signals. For some perculiar reason ours is in the loft so when I rewired I ran all the LAN cables back to it and fitted the router there. The results are an extra 1meg of sync speed and no microfilters needed on the phone points around the house.

As a radio ham as well as a satellite enthusiast I do ask people to consider technology other than home plug, PLT devices are destroying the SW bands and due to their flawed technology are causing many people to have to give up their hobby.

I agree with everything you say there mate, but why on earth is your master socket in the loft

[AceB]

It was one of the many interesting 'features' we inherited when we bought this place