Making A Wireless Home Network

[Big Mama G]

I want to set up a wireless home network, but i have a lot of questions regarding my particular specifications.

I am getting DSL in a week and I would like to share the DSL connection with a computer in another bedroom. I don't want to mess with wires, so I checked out wireless sites and it just gives me a bunch of stuff that i don't have enough time to decipher.

First of all, will I need to buy two DSL modems for each computer, or will just the one actually connected to the phone line work? I am running Windows XP on both computers.

Next, what EXACTLY do I need to purchase for a wireless connection? (if it helps, my computers are not too far apart. One is in the living room, and the other is in a bedroom, which are much less than a 100 feet apart) I know about the 802.11 and that g is better than b, but what do I need to buy for christ's sake? All that talk of routers is making my head hurt. (Also, I don't care if a card has to be installed into the computer since a friend of mine can put it in, just tell me where to install it if the package I buy won't.) If there are any all-in-one packages, mention those as well.

Finally, when I purchase everything and (hallelujah) it works, will I be able to keep my files private from the other computer? I'm sure I can since I know a little about users and stuff, but I won't have to anything overly complicated first, will I?

Any and all help will be most appreciated.

 

[bussman50]

First you should decide if you will want to add more computers to your wireless network in the future. If you will eventually want more then two computers you should go with a wireless access point with a wireless NIC installed in one computer. On the other hand if you only want the two computers you will need two wireless NICs along with the other netwok card that will be connected to the DSL.

To share an internet connection you will need to install ICS which comes with win xp, but you will probably have to install it on the computer that is connected to the DSL using add/remove programs - add/remove windows components.

Hope this helps.

 

[Nodsu]

If you have a DSL modem with an ethernet connector, then you need: a wireless router, wireless network adapters in your computers.

If you are really unlucky and you have a DSL modem with only an USB connection (and you can't get it replaced with anything decent, then you need: a wireless access point, a wireless network adapter in one computer and a wired adapter in the other.