The advantages and disadvantages need to be weighed.  Security on
wireless is more of an issue and speed is generally slower.
Wireless hardware keeps improving, oldest standard is 802.11b is
about 11 mbps, newer standard 802.11g is around 54 mbps.  The
newest standard is 802.11 super g and is about 108 mbps.
.
Usually the computer nearest the cable modem can be connected via
cable to the wireless router.  You would need 1 wireless router
for the system.  Plus 1 wireless desktop card, wireless laptop
card or wireless USB adapter for each remote pc.  Some wireless
routers also include a print server so that one central printer
(usually wired to the router) can be shared by all pc's.  Hardware
will cost approx $75 - 200. for the 802.11g, frequent sales and
rebates are available.
Wired is as secure as your cable modem/router and firewall with
speeds on the network of 10 or 100 mbps, depending on nic (network
interface card) or RJ45 port speed often built into a computer.
Wired means you need to run wires through the walls or tacked on
the walls between your cable modem/router and each pc, which may
or may not be easy depending on your home construction.  Cat-5
cable is rather cheap, you can often buy a box of wire (250-500
feet), connectors and crimp tool to attach the connectors for
under $50.  Wires can be terminated with either crimp-on
connectors or with small boxes similar to phone connection boxes
and then connected to the pc with a short length of purchased or
made-up cat-5 cable.  You need some wiring experience to run a
wired network unless you can purchase made-up cables in the
lengths you need.  Then it's like hooking up a phone extension
with plug in connectors.
.
Some wireless systems (Netgear is one) advertise a 5-click setup.
  Once the first one is setup, you can copy needed files to a
floppy, thumb drive, etc. and install on other (usually pc's with
older operating systems) pc's if necessary.
.
  Emy wrote:

> How difficult is it to install a wireless network in my home? I have 3 computers and one will be located on the 2nd floor (less than a 150 feet between each PC. We were quoted $200 to install the wireless network and security and indicated it would take several hours if I would try to do this on my own and maybe not do it properly...Can you make a recomendation about this??
> Thanks!
> Emy
>
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