RE: [OT] Best way to setup Wireless Internet Connection

["Jim" <jim@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

If your router supports port-forwarding to a named machine (instead of
IP
address), run DHCP for everything.

Not all routers do, so if you have to specify and IP address, fix the IP of
the machine that you are port forwarding to, to an address outside the DHCP
range** (i.e. no other machine can be given the address by accident).

Enable DHCP and leave the rest of your system to auto configure, using
machine names in any addressing instead of IP addresses (i.e. let the
internal DNS do it's job!!).


Fixed IP addresses, except where specifically needed, are a real annoyance
particularly if you have roaming machines like, as you do, others using
your
network temporarily.



Jim


** Most default DHCP configurations don't give the full x.x.x.2 - x.x.x.254
range, but you would need to check where upper limit is anyway (often
around
100) and change if needed.


-----Original Message-----
From: ukha_d@xxxxxxx [mailto:ukha_d@xxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
Mark Golledge
Sent: 28 October 2007 10:23
To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
Subject: [ukha_d] [OT] Best way to setup Wireless Internet Connection

Hi,

I hope you might be able to help.

I'm trying to work out the best way to setup my home network.

I have a Netgear DG834G Router, 2 wireless laptops, 1 computer (wired to
the
router which is on 24/7 due to hosting a personal website), 1 wireless
connected Xbox and then often use my mobile phone to connect wirelessly to
the internet.

Network is setup ok at the moment - all can 'see each other' which is what
I
want. I'm using WEP 128 bit encryption which is open for wireless settings
(xbox can't cope with WPA).

However, my issue is around the ADSL settings. I've recently signed up with
Vodafone at Home which use a dynamic IP address and dynamic DNS. Since I'm
hosting a website, I've setup No-IP which works fine.

On each computer should I be specifying the IP address? At the moment I've
enabled the router as a DHCP server and then limited the range of internal
IP addresses to those I'm using. I've then fixed the IP using the
properties
under the relevant network connection.

So, for example, my settings for my laptop are as follows:

IP: 192.168.0.4
Subnet: 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway: 192.168.0.1

If you fix the IP you have to specify which DNS server to use which is
strange given that Vodafone at Home tell me I need to be using a dynamic
DNS.

Also, it is a pain when we have friends over who bring a laptop since I
have
to set them up on the network and then also a pain when we go to others
since I have to change all the network settings.

Is there an easier but equally secure way of doing this? I do want to make
sure though that I don't have conflicting IP addresses (which I guess is
possible if I change settings to obtain IP automatically?

Thanks,


Mark


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