My internet is currently connected to both the household computers using landline phone cables.

I would like to connect the kids' ancient computer upstairs via a wireless connection though, but still keeping the cable for the downstairs one.

Now I've never thought about buying a wireless connector before as there is no power point any where near the point where the phone line comes into the house (standard BT line here) hence still using cabling to both computers.

Wife wants to tidy things up a bit though and it would be handy if I could have a wireless connection upstairs in the kids bedroom running from the downstairs computer's connection to the landline.

Hope you can make sense of my hopeless description there and suggest the best place to buy the stuff without breaking the bank (Diesel Skoda owners are meant to be tightarses right??!!! )

Thanks

Wife wants to tidy things up a bit though and it would be handy if I could have a wireless connection upstairs in the kids bedroom running from the downstairs computer's connection to the landline.

You're going to need to set up a LAN...if I was doing it as cheaply as possible, would purchase a wireless router, and connect that to the computer nearest the phone socket using a network cable. In all the other computers, I'd then install a wireless PCI card to connect to this wireless router.

On the one PC connected to the phone line, you'd then need to allow the dial-up connection to be shared and set the other machines up to use this dial-up connection also...though to work, would require the computer connected to the landline to be on whenever anyone else was connecting.

To get round this, you could find a router with a built-in dialup modem that would handle the connection to the internet, but these generally tend to be quite pricey (usually designed to offer connection redundancy - ie. if broadband fails it can connect via dial-up).

The other alternative would be to get broadband, as the wireless router you'd buy to set up the LAN would more than likely be able to connect to this directly anyway...

Depending on which option you go for, equipment and where you get it from would vary!

Rob.

Thanks Rob,

Forgot to mention it's a Broadband connection.....

USB dongles can be had for £15 and up and seem to work OK. I've got 2 PCs in my room here connected to the Wanadoo livebox downstairs. Semi reliable - only seem to have trouble with getting DHCP assigned I.P address sometimes,but is easily solved when it does happen

I you have a BT line you couldn't go far rong then going to Carphone Warehouse signing up to thier Talk Talk stuf Broadband is free (Yes FREE) for ever (shame I haven't got BT line anymore)

Then go to the likes of Maplins they regularly have wireless kits for about

Don't rule out PC World either. When I bought my Netgear setup they were £20 cheaper than Broadbandbuyer, Ebuyer and Novatech.

IIRC they have a deal on Linksys stuff at the moment.

Classic Example -

http://www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk/Shop/ShopDetail.asp?ProductID=2293

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/product/seo/574371

I got that Linksys speedbooster router from PC Wolrd a couple of months ago, it was only

Sorry to drag this up again guys'n'gals but I'm still dragging my feet here as I've got myself even more confused by going into PCWorld and looking at the stuff in boxes. Complete computer ignoramous here I'm afraid.

What bits will I actually need to get the thing up and running? I have an ADSL modem on my downstairs computer (BT Line) and only want the upstairs computer to run off wireless as I could do without issues of bad connection for the main computer. Do I need a seperate modem for upstairs or just the ariel connector thingamyjig? And does the wireless transmitter thingy that I assume will be downstairs plugged into my BT line allow me to run my downstairs computer straight through my landline (thus keeping a fairly good connection for the main household computer) via the existing modem or does the wireless transmitter need the modem? Apologies for my ignorance but if it doesn't have four wheels and big horsepower then I don't have much interest for it!

What you need is the following:

Downstairs: a wireless ADSL Router...has a built in modem. You can connect via ethernet cable to the pc downstiars or if you have a wireless PCI card in it, wirelessy.

Upstairs: get a wirelss PCI cad for your upstairs pc and connect wirelessly to the ADSL Router downstairs.

Example ADLS Routers with wireless connectivity:

Netgear DG834GT

D-Link DSL-G624M

SMC SMCWBRA7804

Or you could use a wireless acccess point for the PCs or a USB 802.11 adapter.

Obviously using wireless you will have to set-up encryption...i.e. security...to stop other people from using your connection. However not to worry about this now...get everything else sorted first then we can talk about setting that up.

HTH

Thanks Adrian, starting to get through my thick skull! Trying to explain computer stuff to me is like me trying to explain the benefits of gas flowing and porting a cyliner head to my Missus whilst she's watching Corrie!!!!

I think the mental block appears when money gets mentioned! Don't mind spending it on the car, but the computer: :thumbdwn:

BTW would I still need encryption if I just used the upstairs (wireless) one for browsing forums and ebay, and the downstairs one connected via wire for online ordering etc????