Wi-Fi lappy / Wired pc / airtel broadband / how to?

[painkiller]

hi guyz,

im using airtel bb for my internet needs for the last 3-4 yrs. i got a beetel 220bxi adsl2 modem. recently i bought a Dell lappy and want to go wi-fi now. but i have a few issues.

1) i want to access internet wirelessly on the lappy while still maintaining the current wired internet connection to pc as i dont want to buy a wireless card for my pc.

2) my house in on 2nd and 3rd floor of the building so i need a wi-fi router that offers good signal strength across concrete floors. so far i have short-listed two Linksys routers but dont know which one to pick:
a) linksys wrt54gl (speed: 200mhz, ram: 16mb, flash: 8mb)
2) linksys wrt54l2 (speed: 240mhz, ram: 8mb, flash: 4mb)

Questions:
1) which router should i buy so that i can access internet across 2 concrete floors.
2) how should i set it up so that i can access internet wirelessly on lappy while still maintaining the wired connection to pc.

Please note that wi-fi will ONLY BE USED for lappy (across 2 floors) and pc will ALWAYS use wired connection.

if u have any other suggestions. plz share them

TIA.

Edit: in case u r wonder which lappy i bought, its inspiron 15 (h t t p ://configure.ap.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?c=in&cs=indhs1&kc=&l=en&oc=S540216IN8&s=dhs)
it has Dell Wireless 1397 802.11b/g Half Mini Card which supports Internal 10/100 Fast Ethernet

 

[waterloo_sunset]

The specs of the Linksys wrt54gl look better, so go for that. As regards ur setup, it shouldn't be a problem. Install the Linksys adjacent to the PC and use one of its 4 ethernet ports to connect the two. The laptop will ofcourse be connected via wifi. Coverage across two floors shouldn't be a problem.

 

[essbebe]

Ask Airtel CC to give you Beetel 450BX1 modem+wifi router.May have to pay additional non refundable deposit Rs 500 extra.No rent. No outright purchase. Ask as a loan for a day or two.If OK . retain it.and return 220BXSince It is modem+WIFIrouter WAN/Internet PORT will be missing. ( Not sure)

 

[superprash2003]

all wifi routers have wired LAN ports , so dont worry , you can have wired +wireless on a wifi router . Most routers should work for 2 floors

 

[essbebe]

@superprash2003Of course you are right . in this unit there will be 4 LAN ports.Point I was making wasThis is adslModem+wifi router and so no need for a WAN ( internet port) ( Not sure !)We normally have it in WIFI routers.

 

[painkiller]

@all thank u so much guyz for clearing my doubts. i will call airtel cc to find out the price of their wifi router. if its too high, i will buy it myself.@essbebei m not sure what u mean by "WAN/Internet PORT will b missing"? can u plz b more elaborate.

 

[essbebe]

Normally a "stand alone " wifi router like Netgear WGR614V6 will have 5 ports. One port called WAN ( internet port) and 4 more ports called LAN1,2,3,4.We connect the RJ45 from the modem ( say ut300r2u)to the WAN port and connect 4 computers.IN wifi any number of /laptops/computers ( with wireless Lan card ) can be used in range.In the case of 3 -in One ADSL modem +router + Wi fi ( sl2-141 450BX1, dna211-I etc ) since the modem is built in . ( connection made internally )( No need for a wan port.??? ) ONLY LAN1,2,3,4 may be available.This difficulty was reported when trying to connect a Cable BB service to a 3-in-one model.That is what I meant.

 

[Sushubh]

airtel charges 1500 bucks i think for their crappy wi-fi router.

 

[essbebe]

equivalent models from BSNL for Rs 1600/= ! ( 3 in One )Now some good reports about Sem India DNA211-I model after FW update from their site. Airtel charges a NON refundable deposit of Rs 1000/=. for WI-FI. No monthly rent. No purchase. Upgrade if needed any time with a complaint.

 

[painkiller]

Normally a "stand alone " wifi router like Netgear WGR614V6
will have 5 ports.
One port called WAN ( internet port) and 4 more ports called LAN1,2,3,4.
We connect the RJ45 from the modem ( say ut300r2u)
to the WAN port and connect 4 computers.
IN wifi any number of /laptops/computers
( with wireless Lan card ) can be used in range.

In the case of 3 -in One ADSL modem +router + Wi fi ( sl2-141 450BX1, dna211-I etc )
since the modem is built in . ( connection made internally )
( No need for a wan port.??? ) ONLY LAN1,2,3,4 may be available.

This difficulty was reported when trying to connect a Cable BB service
to a 3-in-one model.

That is what I meant.
thanx for elaborating it so nicely. i think i will go for normal wi-fi router as compared to 3 in 1 router as later will b more expensive.