I need help and advice with my cable internet

[The empressof all]

After about 10 hours I finally managed to hook up my new cable internet. (OK I gave up after 9 1/2 and my 14 year old took over).

I was told I could hook up to 6 computers to this system with a router. (Told by cable company)

I really don't want to go to a computer store and go Duhhhhhh -Could one of you folks tell me in plain simple three year old language what it is that I want and how it works.

I want to hook up 3 or 4 computers and maybe a laptop (optional). Do I have to run wires through my house? I have a really big house so that would be a real pain.

I am really confused-Please be gentle with me.

[mike1963]

1. Check out this site

http://www.tigerdirect.com

You can get a wireless router & ethernet cards pretty reasonably and I can recommend this company, bought a LOT of puter stuff from them. Good luck!

[HysteryDiagnosis]

2. I am really confused-Please be gentle with me.

Cheap way.... buy a cable router...run network cable throughout your house, but then you will need a network card for each machine... some pooters come with them preinstalled today... 10 - 20 dollars each.... Router maybe 40 dollars... or Euros if you prefer.

Expensive way... buy a wireless cable router... wireless cards for each machine will run between 50 - 80 dollars.... ouch. If you have a really big house... perhaps $$ isn't an issue. The wireless route is pretty much plug and play in windows... with online directions.. (on your computer screen) and so forth.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/Category/category_tlc.asp?CatId=16

[footinmouth]

3. I'm no expert

but I'd recommend a wireless setup. It's working fine for me. I bought the Microsoft Wireless router and everything just connects through there. I have my main PC connected to the cable modem and a wireless card for my laptop. I can take it way back in the yard without losing a signal. It's great.

When one of my sons came to visit, I had an extra connector for him but we couldn't get it set up. I was able to run the cable wire to the router and he was able to access the internet from his machine.

You will need to purchase one router and each machine will need some sort of connector. Either the card for a laptop or a USB connector for the others. That's enough to get everyone connected to the modem and probably a printer. File sharing is a little harder. That took a long time to set up. Good luck.

[JPJones]

4. Wireless works great, until all the number get wireless

Now it drops the connection about every 30 min.

[yellowjacket]

5. Wireless is the ONLY way to go.

If you want to connect 4 PCs, and they're not in the same room, wireless is far superior. Sure, wireless equipment is more expensive, but you'll more than recover that saving by not having to buy hundreds of feet of network cable, which isn't cheap either. I recommend D-Link brand wireless networking equipment, but any of them will work fine, as long as you get all components of the same brand. If you don't know how to install hardware and don't want to pay someone else to do it, I recommend just buying USB wireless network adapters, which you just plug and play pretty much. No opening the computer case required. You can get the router for around $60-80 and USB adapters for $40 apiece. If you have sensitive data on your computers, it may be wise to pay someone to set your network up securely, because it can be quite confusing.