I think that the original suggestion to purchase a new router (with wireless) is still the best.  You will want to establish some 
form of security over the wireless portion so that people driving by cannot access your computer systems?  The integrated router 
will help you do that.  You will need at the very least to purchase some kind of contraption to plug into one of your computers or 
your router.  Why not do it right to begin with!

My D-link wireless router came with Network Magic, which made it very easy to set up and share files and printers.  Network Magic 
was a free program for a small network, but costs $50, if I recall correctly, for a larger one.  (Depends on the number of nodes.) 
The router makes it easier to set up the security over the wireless portion.  I have moved to a Windows Home Server, which is nice 
for automatic backups, but Network Magic actually gave better connections and direct file sharing.  (Of course, if you are a 
networking expert, you might be able to do all of what you want to do without any additional software.)   You can read about Network 
Magic at http://www.purenetworks.com/nmlp/home-networking.php?gclid=CMe78-zZ7ZYCFQJNagodKgaorw&src=google&kw=network+magic.  One 
thing about Network Magic that I did not like was that it frequently "called home" with information about my system.  I am probably 
just paranoid, because I doubt that D-link would offer malware with their router.

HTH

Dean Kukral


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "vernon plumlee" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, November 09, 2008 11:40 AM
Subject: Re: [PCBUILD] Wired to wireless network


I think you've got it, Richard.  But, complicated set-up...Not really.
Sub-net, sounds right. There are  three computers set up off the four port
router being fed by one modem. My desktop is one of these and none of the
computers are setup for sharing. The printer is hooked up through my XP
desktop only. One ideal would be to have the desktop running XP talk to the
notebook running Vista and allow access to the printer through the desktop.
Or, even seperately via a switch (a/b), if that's more workable.  Problem
is, I don't know the correct hardware or config to set this up. It seems to
me by putting in a wireless access point off of the remaining router port,
if that's possible, I could get the notebook to talk to my desktop and
through the desktop talk to my printer. Well, that's the ideal. What do you
think? Is that workable? And, yes, I'm trying to get away with the least
amount of dollars to make this happen. Thanks for all input ! Vernon Plumlee


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