My Cat5 network at home works fine, but soon I shall be entertaining a relative for several weeks, the relative has a laptop and wishes to connect to my network.
I already have two TP-Link TL-PA211KIT 200Mbps Mini Powerline Ethernet Adapters to run a PC downstairs via the mains, (Router and ADSL modem are upstairs.)
I'm thinking of buying this: TP Link TL-WPA281 AV200 Powerline Extender with Wireless N Access Point
But as none of my three PCs is wifi-enabled, I've got no way of testing whether the wireless part will work to my relative's laptop (until said relative arrives, which is too late; I want to be able to get it all up and running before then so that all relative has to do is switch laptop on and it connects).
So what would I need to spend to buy something that would test the wifi-connection to the "TP Link TL-WPA281 AV200 Powerline Extender with Wireless N Access Point"? I suppose a cheapo Notebook thingy, e.g. Acer, is about as low as it goes. I believe these all come with wifi inbuilt as standard.
You could activate the wifi and ask a neighbour to connect to it and test. But put a password on it once you've made sure it's working and for when you've got it on for any length of time.
Or.... if you don't want to spend much, just buy a crappy Wifi card or USB Wifi stick for a few quid, fit to your PC and test. Doesn't have to be "Wireless N" as long as your router supports slower devices.
Ah! You mean, convert one of my PCs to wifi. Didn't think of that, thanks. So if I bunged in a cheapo WiFi card into one of my spare PCI slots, it would just work, yes? I could disconnect the Cat5 cable from that PC and it would work via WiFi to the "TP Link TL-WPA281 AV200 Powerline Extender with Wireless N Access Point"? Is that what you mean?
Or maybe even one of these which I've just found on Amazon: TP-Link TL-WN822N 300MBPS High Gain Wireless N USB Adapter
Bit pricier, but still only just over 15 quid with supersaver delivery. Plus, I really do rate the TP-Link stuff very highly.
Most modern smartphones can connect to Wifi. Mine has a good Wifi sniffing application available, so I can even use it to check things like signal level in the room I intend to use Wifi in.
Any USB Wifi dongle will work on any Windows PC with a spare USB connection, as long as there is a driver available for the version of Windows being used. The only problem will be that speed may be limited by the USB connection, although it will be fast enough to verify the connection.
My son recently bought one of those (not that specific device, but an equally cheap one off Amazon) as a stopgap at uni, to get his desktop PC hooked up to the net; however he never managed to get it working; it wasn't straightforward and he isn't particularly techie TBH.
I would strongly second the suggestion of getting someone who already has an internet-enabled device (phone or laptop) to pop round and try it out at your gaff - they'll presumably know how to connect their own device, too.
Wifi works on one or tow FREQUENCIES split into up to 13 CHANNELS.
The setup for those is normally dine automatically, but you can override defaults to e.g. move your wifi off teh same channel your neighbour is on.
each base station can and should have an SSID setup (stands for something station ID).
you type in this inyto teh base station web page. Something like MMWIFI or so on.
Each base station can and SHOULD (for domestic use) have a password or pass phrase, and set up some form of encryption. IRC the norm is WPA/TKIP or somesuch these days. Others will know better.
each base station may, or may not, reveal its SSID to anyone in range. Its usual to set this to yes, unless you are very paranoid.
At ythis pint you should have a situation in which any PC/smartphone equipped with working wifi should be able to detect an access point - the base station - and read its SSID which should be displayed. Then, all other things being equal it will be possible to select that SSID and it will prompt for the pass phrase, and on entering that it should connect to your base station, and if all is OK acquire an internet connection through your router, and also acquire the ability to connect in various ways to other machines on your home network: assuming that the base station is connected to your network.
Which it has to be to set it upp. I am not exactly sure how you do connect toi the local network, because teh access poiint will need an IP address and yoiu wnt necessarily know what that is if its assigned automatically.
At this point I hand over to someone who has actually set one up...but you SHOULD be able to download easy start guides for the box off the internet before you buy it, which should explain more.
Its a lot easier than it used top be when the dongles sand access points didn't automatically set themselves to the standard of the other, and you had to settle on the right one to start with on both.
These days the average chav with half an O level can set one up, so its not that hard. Setting them up to be secure is, however, slightly more complex..
Buy a cheapy Samsung wifi enabled Europa phone for 20quid. Doesn't need to be unlocked if you're only using it as a wifi tester. Alternatively, ask anyone passing with a smartphone to see if your wifi is working.
Ask him to walk around and test the connection - many smartphones will give you signal strength - or there's a free app for it. I have one on my Galaxy S2 - occasionally very useful :)
Well that is one option as you already have other Powerline stuff (which= I wouldn't touch with a barge pole due to the RF crap they spray all ove= r the SW bands).
But as you have a cat5 network and presumably a spare port on your network switch all you need is a WiFi (aka wireless) Access Point. If yo= u insist on TP-Link have a look at the TL-WA701ND for just over 20 notes rather than nearer 40 for you powerline thingy.
I did find an AP for =A39.99 the other day, might have been this one:
formatting link
Easy way is mate/neighbour with Smartphone/tablet/laptop.
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