Jacqueline Urick wrote: > [...] > Yeah we have the apartment all setup. We have cat5 in the walls here. So I > really don't need to have wireless in the house. I can access the (DSL) > network from any room, upstairs or downstairs. Which is fantastic. When > ricochet was still around, I used that. So I could be at the coffee shop or > on the patio or at my clients, etc and get access. I really miss that > convienence. Since its going to be a long time before Aerie networks > re-opens the market here, I wanted to get my own set up up and running and > maybe share it. Ah. Now I get it, sorry for being dense. You need two things: o An access point. This bridges packets between your ethernet and wireless clients (laptops, atc etc.) The access point acts as central hub for a wireless LAN. Examples include: o Agere RG-1100 http://www.orinocowireless.com/template.html?section=m59&page=3038&envelope=95 o Apple Airport http://www.apple.com/airport/ o Linksys WAP-11 http://www.linksys.com/Products/product.asp?grid=22&prid=157 o and many others o Wireless card in your laptop. Again lots of vendors, follow the other thread on TCWUG for discussion/recommendation. 802.11b is a standard, so you don't need to get the AP and the card from the same vendor. You'll create your own wireless network around the access point. Whether this reaches the coffee shop is something you'll have to experiment with. If there's a lot of bricks & mortar between your apartment and the store, it'll take more work. You *may* have to get as involved as putting an external antenna on the access point, and experimenting until you get the signal coverage you desire. At some level this becomes basicly a black art, so without you divulging way too many specifics, it can be hard to predict. Since you want wireless on your patio anyway, buy some stuff and start experimenting. Most vendor's client software comes with an application that shows how strong the signal is, so you can walk around and experiment (when you get paid for it, you can call it a "site survey" :-)) If you want this to be open access, you'll have to think about how you want your network setup from a security standpoint, otherwise anyone will simple have access to your ethernet. This may be OK with you, I don't know. > So what are you guys reading to get you to this point or were you all just > born with some inherent wireless knowledge?? ;) Some good resources on the net might be (in no particular order): http://www.oreillynet.com/topics/wireless/802.11 http://www.80211-planet.com http://www.practicallynetworked.com/ http://80211b.weblogger.com http://bengross.com/wireless.html http://www.personaltelco.net/ http://nocat.net/ http://www.seattlewireless.net/ http://www.bawug.org/ http://www.nycwireless.net/ There are about a zillion mailing lists you can join too, the signal to noise ratio and techncial content are variable, but if you've got the time to lurk a lot of information (and *dis*information) can flow past you. The last 5 sites listed above host assorted mailing lists. -- andyw at pobox.com Andy Warner Voice: (612) 801-8549 Fax: (208) 575-5634