Hi,

I've currently got one desktop PC and two laptops linked together via a wired connection. My internet connection is shared about via Windows XP internet connection sharing on my desktop PC. I currently use a USB modem to access my broadband connection.

I want to set up a wireless network but I'm not sure what to do! I know I need to purchase PCI wireless cards for the notebooks and a PCMCIA card for the desktop. I would like to have my network setup so that the internet connection is supplied through the network (so I guess I need a router, not a wireless access point?) and not a PC. Do wireless routers dial-up my ISP? If so, the number that I dial for my broadband connection is not really a number it's "P0,38". - Can I set it up to dial this?

Any advice offered would be really appreciated!

Another question I forgot to ask in original post - I currently share lots of folders from my desktop PC through Windows XP in addition to my internet connection. If I upgrade to wireless, will other people within range (I live in a block of flats) be able to access my folders and share my internet connection?

Here's a couple of sites that explain and have videos of wifi setups:

http://www.cnet.com/4520-7906_1-5110747-1.html?tag=cnetfd.dir

http://www1.us.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/solutions/en/truemobile?c=us&cs=04&l=en&s=bsd

Also go to www.linksys.com. they can explain how it works and what you need.

As for anyone else having access, when you set up your router you can WEP enable it with a encrypted password.

Here is a list of hardware you will need.

1 Wireless router
1 wireless NIC card for your desktop (I would recommend USB)
2 wireless PCMCIA cards for your laptops

I would recommend Linksys 802.11G equipment. I'm not sure what kind of dial-up you are referring to. Do you have ISDN, DSL or what??

As sparticus said, enabling WEP on the router will require each pc to put in a password just to see the router.

Setting up a network with WindowsXP and a router is a piece of cake. Make sure all of your pc's have the same name for the workgroup, then add the shares to the files or drives you want shared.

airski