I have been using a computer (always an older one, like Celeron 333) for about 3 years, and haven't seen such a problem yet. Anyway, I keep a good system backup (GHOST) on CD, and could restore it in less than an hour.
And not every computer has it. Something I would consider when choosing a bedroom computer.
BTW, when not in use for anything else, this computer displays a weather map, showing weather conditions, and high (or low) temperatures. This uses a program called "weather watcher".
Not just WEP. I've been hearing about it not being very secure any more.
Of course, it's never as secure as a wired network.
Yes, there are reasons for using XP. And a lot of *****s who think it's better because they don't know of anything else (maybe they think AOL is good too).
If that's ethernet (rather than internet) you're talking about, it's symmetrical. The speed will be the same in both directions.
You will be speed-limited on an internet connection, but that has no effect on local traffic (between nodes on your LAN).
Which has to do with why I suggested not using speed test sites (particularly with fast [over 1Mbps] or high latency [like satellite] internet connections).
All true. However if you DO want the computer working, a wired network will be more secure than a wireless one (for obvious reasons).
I use all high speed (100Mbps) cards now. It's getting harder (maybe impossible) to find 10Mbps cards in stores now. Eventually, it'll probably be all 1000Mbps.
It depends on the OS too. I posted that I often get 50Mbps (which appeared to be relatively constant during the transfer). Laptops tend to be slower (I'm not sure how much slower at this time).
BTW, the PCI bus itself would create some limit. Got any idea what that is?
Malware infection requires a program running on your computer to accept the malware. However, many of these things come in email. If you're using Outlook Express, by default it displays incoming messages, and can automatically execute code hidden in the message (HTML). This can be turned off, but the default is "on", and many people don't think to turn it off. #Windows itself can be the offender.
The one thing that helps most against malware is DON'T USE OUTLOOK EXPRESS. Better programs are available for email and news, and many are free. That includes Thunderbird
Good, but it would be even better to have no internet connection (as I just mentioned in another post).
It'd be good for those who NEED it.
Convenience in what?
OK, but will it stop next year?
That's kind of like saying there must be no murder problem since you've been here 30 years and haven't been killed even once during that time. Some things are still safer than others.
Of course it's still more likely to break, because of the considerably increased complexity, that a wire.
And even LESS problem with a wired network that's entirely within your house.
You don't need to be connected to the Internet to become infected if other machines on your LAN are already infected, as can be the case on a college campus. The perimeter is already breached.
no need to plug in an ethernet cable
True. I meant no NETWORK connection of any kind. Have the stuff you need to install on a disk, not a network share.
Normally, you do that once.
This is a also a security feature. When you want to disconnect from the network for security reasons, wired allows a simple, 100% reliable means of doing so.
Decision making is never as easy as you might want it to be. ALL of the alternatives will have some advantages. In this case wireless eliminates the need to connect a cable (often a minor thing, bigger if it's a computer that's moved often). Wired has the advantages described previously (faster, more reliable, more secure,... ).
I believe we're using LEAP. It is secure. A decent wireless implementation won't even be detected by a rogue PC. Of course most don't set up any security.
In many ways it's more secure, since everything on the network is encrypted.
;-)
I meant the speed is limited somewhere up the stream from the local Ethernet rather than in one direction or another. That is, there is a bottleneck somewhere other than the local system to switch.
I have no real need to go to another machine on my LAN. Well, I do log into the UNIX systems at work.
Why? They have nothing I want. ;-)/2
Of course, since software vendors only occasionally issue their patches on CD, that's not possible.
She may still have remnants of anything installed. The only machines I've purchased that had "any" software was in DOS 3.2 days. Any new machine(s) are "newly installed" and configured before the get plugged into a network. This includes all current service packs, etc., plus my favorite proggies...
Never had a gigabit card, didn't need it on a 100Mbps CAT5 cable.
Oren "My doctor says I have a malformed public-duty gland and a natural deficiency in moral fiber, and that I am therefore excused from saving Universes."
And drive speed, RAM, Processor, FAT16, FAT32, NTFS, yada, yada.
Yeah! 32 bit hardware running 8 bit software, written by a 2 bit outfit....
Oren "My doctor says I have a malformed public-duty gland and a natural deficiency in moral fiber, and that I am therefore excused from saving Universes."
I don't think anyone disagrees with wired networks being better, haven't seen it in this thread. My "choice" of a LAN would be fiber optics and optic cards (wanna move files at the speed of light) , but then why do I need it other than educational. The OP originally asked about a wire from access point to upstairs. Remember he didn't mention a LAN until wireless was mentioned. When he stated his existing LAN, I stated for him to add to it.
Wireless is good. I have "never" had a problem with one wireless machine with an internal PCI card. Because I moved across town, into my newer home that presently does not have a CAT5 backbone I put a USB pocket NIC in my garage machine (second wireless) temporarily. I can say I have had some problems with it...I don't like the software and the USB driver needs to load first and a user needs to log on. I've had other things keeping me busy. My next CAT5 cable will only be a foot or so long. Routers, AP, etc is being converged into one place "with" wireless to other locations in the house. I left a backbone in the other house so those people will at least "feel" more secure.
As for hardwired, it wasn't long ago that corporations were spending and losing millions because the networks were infected by that college kid in the Philippines (can't remember the virus).
"My doctor says I have a malformed public-duty gland and a natural deficiency in moral fiber, and that I am therefore excused from saving Universes."
WAP and WEP can be broken. How does your machine see the AP, just like a software sniffer that can detect them I guess. One can drive any major city and find what's called "decent wireless implementation".
The packets maybe, not the network. Your data packets can be captured across the wire and some sniffers can decode them. Getting to your network can be as simple as plugging into it or by wireless.
Oren "My doctor says I have a malformed public-duty gland and a natural deficiency in moral fiber, and that I am therefore excused from saving Universes."
The security factor I was considering was physical access to the network. With wired, that's access to the wires. With wireless, it's access to the air.
Then it would be even MORE secure, using encryption on a wired network.
It's possible when you burn your own CDs (or write some floppies for smaller stuff).
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.