networking from a wireless dongle

[Tannin]

I want to cancel a landline connection and replace it with a wireless gadget. It can connect up to 10 devices wirelessly. The thing is, I also need to connect desktop computers to it from time to time, so I need an actusl wired connection. i
Is there an easy way to connect an ordinary router (5 port wired and wireless, say, coz I have one or two of those lying around) to the wireless-only dongle?

 

[Chewy509]

If the router supports being used as an AP only, then yes it's not hard to do at all. (Simple setup the router to work as an AP, and have it connect to the other wireless device).

I assume you're looking at one of these to use as the gateway device?
http://www.netgear.com.au/home/products/mobile-broadband/hotspots/AC810S.aspx

Alternatively just get some USB WLAN adapters for the desktops...

 

[ddrueding]

Wireless AC can actually give higher speeds than gigabit ethernet. I'd recommend some USB3 wireless AC adapters for max performance. (Also much easier to troubleshoot than an intermediary device).

 

[Stereodude]

Why didn't you get a 4G cellular USB adapter instead of a wifi based one? Then you could plug it into the router and use it just like a wired connection.

 

[Howell]

Is your ISP necessarily 802.11 or GSM based?

Routers can be made to use a usb cell modem with custom firmware, and some manufacturers sell their hardware ready to go. Take a look at ddwrt and openwrt if your current router has a USB port. If not, you can search "cell modem ethernet bridge". You may find that upgrading your router is better and cheaper overall.

 

[Mercutio]

Wireless AC can actually give higher speeds than gigabit ethernet. I'd recommend some USB3 wireless AC adapters for max performance. (Also much easier to troubleshoot than an intermediary device).

That still doesn't appear to be true, at least not for a 2x2 antenna on both client and AP-side and a network with no contention for access by a single device. Protocol overhead is a real thing and the rule of thumb that you'll get somewhere between 1/2 and 1/3 rated speed appears to hold just as true on .ac as it did for .n or .g. I'm not going to argue that it can be faster than 100Mbit but I haven't seen anything faster than maybe 20Mbit of real-world (SMB or FTP) data transfer from .ac, either.

 

[Stereodude]

My wireless N network gives me about 10MB/sec copying files using 5gHz.

 

[Tannin]

Wow, so many helpful answers!
Stereodude first: because I didn't know there was such a thing. Also because my main use for the dongle is to provide portable connectivity shen I'm away on trips. I'm moving out of the shop and am switching the phone and ADSL connection off there. But I'll still need the odd bit of conectivity there in the meantime. Anything that needs lots of data (e.g., 1492 Windows updates on a new installl) I'll just do at home.

 

[Tannin]

Chewy, I'll look into that. I have ... er ... three spare routers, maybe four, so with any luck one of them will do the job.

Failing that, a USB LAN connector might be OK.

 

[Tannin]

Howell, where I am I can get ADSL, HFC cable, optical fibre NBN, and cellular network. (Spoiled for choice.) But seeing as I want to transfer the phone number to my home connection (fibre NBN) and (for complicated technical reasons to do with restrictions on number porting which is readiliy available to anyone in Australia except anyone who actually needs it) have to cancel my existing ADSL connection, I have to either set up a new fixed connection (NBN, ADSL, cable, whatever I like) or else make do on the cellular thing I use for travelling. Because it's only for a short time, that seems like the easiest.

I didn't entirely follow the details of your post (have to ask Tea to explain it to me) but that's OK, I'll start by looking ay my motley collection of routers and see if I can just do as Chewy suggests. Anything for an easy life!

 

[Tannin]

By the way, regular readers of these pages will be astonished to discovrr that I just switched to Telstra!

None of the smaller, better quality ISPs were able to port my number. Apparently it can be difficult where, as in my case, the copper connection goes via a shared exchange facility which has both Optus and Telstra equipment in it. I had to go to a major telco. Primus said they could do it but only by (a) changing my Internode ADSL/voice connection over to Primus, keeping the number, and then (b) transferring it to Primus NBN. Internode couldn't do it at all. Iinet apparently could but I didn't especially like their deals and ever since Netfix came along, Iinet has had huge performance problems fromlate afternon and into the evening. (The once-excellent Internode is now an Iinet subsiduary, same applies.) And bloody TPG has bought them out now, so service standards will go down, down, down infuture.
Westconnect couldn't do it at all. Ditto Skymesh.
I only called Telstra because I couldn't understand their 16-zillion different offers page well enough to cross them off as too expensive! But the salesgirl had the sense to hand me over to someone in tech and he said it would be no problem at all. I actuslly believe him and expect a good result. (Yes, from Telstra! They really aren't the ssme company they were in Sol's day. Thank god!)
So I wound up paying $90 for 400MB including phone, with all local, national, and mobile calls free. That's about $10 more than I wanted to pay, but nothing like the 80% extra you usually expect with Telstra. So I went with it.

 

[Stereodude]

In the US you can get something like this: http://www.verizonwireless.com/internet-devices/verizon-mifi-4g-lte-global-usb-modem-u620l/

Some of the routers with a USB port can use them (may require alternative firmware) for the WAN side connection.

 

[Howell]

Yes, Chewy's ability to interpret is amazing. Though, I think Chewy meant to say that the router needs to be set to bridge mode.

 

[mubs]

Wireless AC can actually give higher speeds than gigabit ethernet. I'd recommend some USB3 wireless AC adapters for max performance. (Also much easier to troubleshoot than an intermediary device).

While the speed is better, I keep reading that range is the problem - signal strength seems to drop rapidly as one moves away from the wireless device. IMHO, this is the result of using 5 GHz instead of 2.4. When cordless phones moved from 900 MHz to 2.4, there was a drop in range and a substantial drop in call quality. Likewise people say going from 2.4 GHz to 5 certainly increases speed, but the range seems limited to nearby line-of-sight.

 

[timwhit]

Higher frequencies have less propagation.

 

[Mercutio]

In a typical home, that lower propagation is basically OK since you probably don't want a signal going much beyond your balcony/deck/porch anyway/hot chicks hut anyway. Since almost everything that makes a 5GHz WLAN will make a 2.4GHz one at the same time, all you really have to do is give both SSDs the same name and your client will associate with whichever one works better. No big deal, but the reality is that unless you're within single-digit number of meters away from your AP or have been really picky about your client hardware, you're probably going to be on a 150 or 300Mbit 2.4GHz network, not the superfast 5GHz one.

 

[timwhit]

In a typical home, that lower propagation is basically OK since you probably don't want a signal going much beyond your balcony/deck/porch anyway/hot chicks hut anyway. Since almost everything that makes a 5GHz WLAN will make a 2.4GHz one at the same time, all you really have to do is give both SSDs the same name and your client will associate with whichever one works better. No big deal, but the reality is that unless you're within single-digit number of meters away from your AP or have been really picky about your client hardware, you're probably going to be on a 150 or 300Mbit 2.4GHz network, not the superfast 5GHz one.

I think a lot of this depends on the home or apartment. My new home is built from reinforced concrete and the propagation is decent with a single Ubiquiti UniFi LR AP, however, there are places upstairs that don't get a good signal.

 

[timwhit]

Seems like quite a few of my neighbors APs are propagating into my house.

 

[LunarMist]

Seems like quite a few of my neighbors APs are propagating into my house.

View attachment 1072

Can you put up metal bars or some shields to block the intruders?

 

[timwhit]

Yes, I will cover my floor to ceiling windows with tin foil.

 

[Tannin]

I could always lend you my hat.

 

[LunarMist]

Yes, I will cover my floor to ceiling windows with tin foil.

I assume you meant aluminum, but I was thinking of something more permanent and not too obtrusive.

 

[timwhit]

I assume you meant aluminum, but I was thinking of something more permanent and not too obtrusive.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tin_foil_hat

 

[mubs]

In a typical home, that lower propagation is basically OK since you probably don't want a signal going much beyond your balcony/deck/porch anyway/hot chicks hut anyway. Since almost everything that makes a 5GHz WLAN will make a 2.4GHz one at the same time, all you really have to do is give both SSDs the same name and your client will associate with whichever one works better. No big deal, but the reality is that unless you're within single-digit number of meters away from your AP or have been really picky about your client hardware, you're probably going to be on a 150 or 300Mbit 2.4GHz network, not the superfast 5GHz one.

Right, Merc, that's why I just placed an order for a 300 mbps N class 2.4GHz TP-Link Router-Wi-Fi device. My old Buffalo AP is needing resets every now and then; sometimes a couple of times a day, sometimes once every few days. It was purchased in early 2006 and has been used daily since. My ISP can't provide more than 8 mbps over DSL right now, but they may in the future or I might switch to a fiber-based ISP, and this device is quite well rated.

Seems like quite a few of my neighbors APs are propagating into my house.

View attachment 1072

Tim, you live in an independent home and this is the intrusion you get??? I live in an apartment, and I see a lot less of these, that too most with fairly weak signals. Just what kind of APs are they using, I wonder.

 

[timwhit]

Tim, you live in an independent home and this is the intrusion you get??? I live in an apartment, and I see a lot less of these, that too most with fairly weak signals. Just what kind of APs are they using, I wonder.

Technically, it's a townhouse with one shared wall. There's a 20 story condo building about 50 feet from where I'm sitting. I'm guessing a lot of these signals are coming from there, e.g. apt912 is probably on the 9th floor. My neighborhood is fairly dense as well, especially where we live; about 1.5 blocks from Lake Shore Drive.

 

[ddrueding]

Years ago I used very early Ubiquiti equipment in the 2.4Ghz range to fire a point-to-point right down main street, about 5 miles. A site survey showed hundreds of APs, dozens without any security at all. Some clever coding and more radios and I could have harvested all the internet bandwidth I wanted.

Sidenote: Just signed up for gigabit fiber at work; $4400/mo. So stoked.

 

[Mercutio]

Meanwhile, here in Indiana, a T1 is still $450 a month.

 

[Handruin]

Seems like quite a few of my neighbors APs are propagating into my house.

View attachment 1072

Admit it, yours is The Goddess! :dwarf:

 

[timwhit]

Admit it, yours is The Goddess! :dwarf:

You caught me.

 

[Howell]

Our gig is $500/ month. The gig geographically diverse ring is much more. Maybe 3k.

 

[Mercutio]

The Nanostation 2 WLAN I've been playing with between my apartment and a building across the road from my place is called "OMG Ponies."

 

[ddrueding]

Meanwhile, here in Indiana, a T1 is still $450 a month.

T1 lines here are also $450 a month. Even now the internet connection at my office is 14 T1 lines at $450 a month. This is why I'm so stoked.

Currently: $6300 for 21mbps
Soon: $4400 for 1000mbps

If I could get a gig for $500/mo I'd have one at home.

 

[Stereodude]

Yes, I will cover my floor to ceiling windows with tin foil.

I was going to suggest nuking it from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.

By they way guys. Thanks for the laughs.

 

[Howell]

T1 lines here are also $450 a month. Even now the internet connection at my office is 14 T1 lines at $450 a month. This is why I'm so stoked.

Currently: $6300 for 21mbps
Soon: $4400 for 1000mbps

If I could get a gig for $500/mo I'd have one at home.

That's a nice change. I have had some trouble getting a good connection to our site in Pomona but that will be changing soon.

Btw, residential gig is ~300 here. ;p

 

[Howell]

Anybody know if the TV spectrum reallocation will affect home wireless?

 

[timwhit]

I just threatened Comcast and now I'll get a 75Mbps internet connection, Xfinity TV with 220 channels, and phone service I don't want for $110/month + a ton of taxes and fees.

All in we were paying ~$180/month for 25Mbps and basically the same channel lineup before. It would be pretty nice if we could get some real competition here. I could get RCN, but I'm not sure they're any better.

 

[ddrueding]

Comcast has such a lock around here that anytime I've threatened them they've just let me go. They know all the other options (DSL or wireless) suck.

 

[timwhit]

RCN is a real competitor in the city of Chicago. I could have probably gotten a better deal with them, but it would have been a bigger hassle.

 

[timwhit]

I just threatened Comcast and now I'll get a 75Mbps internet connection, Xfinity TV with 220 channels, and phone service I don't want for $110/month + a ton of taxes and fees.

All in we were paying ~$180/month for 25Mbps and basically the same channel lineup before. It would be pretty nice if we could get some real competition here. I could get RCN, but I'm not sure they're any better.

Download looks good, upload could definitely use some work.

 

[sechs]

Comcast has such a lock around here that anytime I've threatened them they've just let me go. They know all the other options (DSL or wireless) suck.

Nah. Comcast sucks all of the time.

Back when I lived in an area served by Uverse, they took no steps to stop me from switching (AT&T cares, and always gave a retention offer). When I lived in an area also served by the cable company Astound, they took no steps to stop me from switching. In both situations, I called them and told them straight up what I planned on doing; nada.