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fjs08

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jun 25, 2003
1,252
0
Hi,

It seems pretty much a consensus (correct me if I'm wrong) that the current i-Book has a better wireless set up than a 15" Ti-Book. I have a Dell Wireless Basestation (DWBS) that I've never used. Does anyone have any experience or thoughts whether that might work with an i-Book wireless set up??

Actually, my cable would go into a Linksys wired router since my wife doesn't want wireless, then from the Linksys to the DWBS and that would be the link from the i-Book for a wireless setup.

The Linksys is in my study and I would have it cabled to the DWBS which would be in the kitchen in plain view of where I would be using the wireless notebook. I guess even the Ti-Book would work from there?????

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Frank
 

rainman::|:|

macrumors 603
Feb 2, 2002
5,438
2
iowa
First, iBook and TiBook are both one word. Just a technicality that would have been pointed out sooner or later :)

Secondly, I'm not familiar with the wireless access point you're using, but if it's 802.11b (or g, if you're talking about new equipment) it should all work... There can be specifics that bog people down, but for the most part it's totally multiplatform. You may have problems accessing it's web interface (if it has one), that's been a complaint among mixed-hardware...

btw, i would still set up your wife as wireless, while hard-line does have it's advantages, it's nice to have things all on the same network... She wouldn't even notice except for a little antenna sticking out of her PCI slot...

I'm leaving that last sentence alone.

In this case, both the TiBook or iBook would be sufficient. Wireless range is indeed dampened, but on such a very short range, it should not pose a noticible effect at all. But you are correct in that if you want long-range WiFi, go for iBook... or the new aluminum hardware, which has enhanced antennas.

pnw
 

visor

macrumors 6502
May 13, 2003
341
0
in bed
Re: i-Book wireless

Well, I'm sitting in a Biergarten right opposite of my flat, about 30m and 2 thick walls away from my airport extreme, and it's right the edge of the range.
 

MacBoyX

macrumors 6502
Jan 3, 2003
406
0
East Coast, USA
Originally posted by paulwhannel

...btw, i would still set up your wife as wireless, while hard-line does have it's advantages, it's nice to have things all on the same network... She wouldn't even notice except for a little antenna sticking out of her PCI slot...

pnw

I disagree, I have all my desktop computers PC and Mac wired for 2 reasons:

1. wired xfer speeds are much better (100mb/s instead of 1-2mb/s) might not be an issue for this guy...

2. and more importantly, WEP sucks between AirPort cards and NON AirPort base stations. I do NOT use my credit card or any other no secure info even at secure sites over my wireless connection. Depending on where you live you could have someone sniffing or intercepting your traffic btwn the AirPort Card and the Wireless base station

On another note, it's totally worth it. iBooks have GREAT Wireless reception no need for line of sight, mine is in the top room of my townhouse and i can walk to the corner of the block, 4 houses away and still have a signal!

Go for it!

Enjoy!

MacBoyX
 

Rower_CPU

Moderator emeritus
Oct 5, 2001
11,219
2
San Diego, CA
Originally posted by MacBoyX
1. wired xfer speeds are much better (100mb/s instead of 1-2mb/s) might not be an issue for this guy...

For intranet speeds yes, but unless your broadband connection is over 2MB/s wireless is the same as wired.

Also, there are other ways to make it harder for people to get on your network in the first place. You can close it (make it hidden) so that they need to know the network name to join. You can restrict MAC addresses, preventing random people from getting on.

I do all of the above, plus WEP and feel safe enough to send my personal info over the web at home.
 
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