With a PC & iBook, set up wireless on PC or iBook?

[danrnw]

A friend asked me for help with the following:
He has a PC, no wireless. Uses Comcast for internet via ethernet.
He bought his daughter an iBook for Christmas.
He wants her to access Comcast wirelessly. So.....
Should I buy an Airport Extreme and set up the wireless
network from the iBook and just plug in his PC
to Airport LAN connector?
Or should I set up the network on his PC with either
the Airport Extreme or buy a Linksys or some other
alternative to Apple?
I don't know PCs very well so I was thinking the
Airport Extreme setup would be easier. But since
they are already using Comcast via ethernet on the PC
and it's set up that way, would it be easier to leave
that alone and just a wireless router?

Thanks,
Dan

 

[super_kev]

I'd get a wireless router and set it up that way. Set the PC and iBook to connect via DHCP, and you'll all set. Something like a Netgear WGR614 should do the trick.

 

[danrnw]

I went ahead and bought an Airport Extreme.
I plugged the Comcast modem into Airport WAN
connector and the Dell PC into the LAN port,
did the setup and the internet works fine on both the iBook
and the Dell. Now I want to share their printer.
I didn't know if I should try to see the printer
with the iBook by keeping the printer plugged into
the Dell or plugging the printer into the USB port
on the Airport and having both the iBook
and the Dell share it via the Airport.
I'm thinking this might not work because
then the printer has to be seen over ethernet
by the Dell. Haven't tried it yet either way.
Thoughts?

Thanks,
Dan

 

[super_kev]

If you want to share the printer, plug it into the back of the AE base station. PC's should see it fine.

 

[PCMacUser]

I went ahead and bought an Airport Extreme.
I plugged the Comcast modem into Airport WAN
connector and the Dell PC into the LAN port,
did the setup and the internet works fine on both the iBook
and the Dell. Now I want to share their printer.
I didn't know if I should try to see the printer
with the iBook by keeping the printer plugged into
the Dell or plugging the printer into the USB port
on the Airport and having both the iBook
and the Dell share it via the Airport.
I'm thinking this might not work because
then the printer has to be seen over ethernet
by the Dell. Haven't tried it yet either way.
Thoughts?

Thanks,
Dan

For the printer you can always install Bonjour for Windows on the PC. This might help, but i haven't tried it myself...