Re: Some question on mulltiple home computers accessing Internet...

* Chuck Lewis <clewis@iquest.net> [2002-02-04 12:38 -0500]:
> What he is wanting to know is how he can allow all of these computer (3)
> to access the Internet at the same time. We talked about some stuff and
> I told him I thought he would need a router or at least a hub and Cat5
> cabling. He said that he would rather stay away from wiring because it
> would be hard to do in a house. He was wondering about wireless.

A number of people I know have been enjoying SMC's Barricade product.
It's a wireless access point, hub, DHCP server, and NATting firewall all
in one, and seems to range in price from about $180 to $230.  The
configuration is all done with an integrated web server and is easy enough
that people with relatively little networking experience can set it up.

> Additionally he was wondering what can be attached to the USB port to
> aide this because the PC's do not have ethernet cards.

I've seen wireless PCI cards and 10/100BaseT USB adapters, but I don't
know about wireless USB devices.  I'd recommend the wireless PCI cards.
It's not _that_ hard to open a case and install a card.

> AND if not wireless, he was wondering about using the existing power
> outlets and those adapters or whatever it is you get for that. I know
> years ago they were touting this but wasn't sure where it stood...

I also haven't looked at this for a while, but from what I remember of the
pricing, I think it'd be cheaper to just go with wireless.