Ipad/PC wireless?

[Eric Clements]

Since my Volvo Naughty IPad arrived it would be good to make it work around the house...

Not knowing enough to ask intelligent questions, teach me about wireless routers/wifi generator whatevers. Mari also has a laptop (Dell latitude D620) that would be nice to make work without wires.

[Mako Koiwai]

At Streets of Willow today ... a friend of a Porsche driver was using an iPad to keep track of the driver ... who apparently was "broadcasting" via his iPhone in his GT3 ... using this App:

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/harrys-l ... 88598?mt=8

The iPad was showing a schematic of the track with track position and times, etc.

The iPhone must have been hooked up via that AT&T extra service, I think $30/month that allows one to Tether the iPhone to other devices?

[Mako Koiwai]

I believe there might be two versions on the iPad ... one with added connectivity. Do you know which model you have?

[Kurt Rahn]

I think what he's asking is how to set up a wireless router in his house, which is something both versions of the iPad can use. Eric, if you want to give me a call I can help you. 626 eight 1 eight one 8 seven 4.

[Tom Tanquary]

Go to Fry's and ask them. Seriously. If you have an internet connection already it's just a matter of putting a box on that line. You just need a wireless router hub. You must have a hub already to be on the internet. I'm surprised it's not already wireless. My last 3 from the cable companies were, so I didn't have to do a thing. You just need the code key or password as Apple calls it which is on the box itself, usually. The IPad comes in either a regular WiFi mode or the 3G mode + WiFi. The 3G works on the cell system and down loads data like any smart phone. But that can cost you big time if you use it a lot. And you need an account for it.


Smarter people please take over....

t

[Bob Beamesderfer]

To clarify what Tom T. said, the password/key code will be on the wireless router box.

[Eric Clements]

The ipad is just wifi (hey, it was free!)

I'll have to check the charter cable tv/phone/internet box in the garage. The computers in the office are hardwired and I don't recall seeing any antennas...

[Steve Ekstrand]

On the iPad, select the settings icon.
tap on wi-fi
turn wi-fi on

Anything show up under the "Choose a Network..."

[Max Hayter]

1. Buy Wireless Router.
2. Follow simple step by step instructions to install.
3. Connect Ipad and download Angry Birds.
4. ???
5. Profit!

[Robert Puertas]

For those of you still annoyed with me for getting you hooked on Angry Birds...
whatever you do, don't download Cut the Rope.

[John Stimson]

Eric, as people have already told you, what you need is either a wireless broadband router (which probably includes redundant features if you already have multiple computers hooked up to the internet) or a wireless access point. My current favorite manufacturer is Netgear, I think D-Link is crap and I know that plenty of people have had trouble with Linksys. http://www.newegg.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; is a good place to shop, and if you're in a hurry you can pick something out on Newegg and then head over to Fry's and hope they have one.

[Richard Jung]

For those of you still annoyed with me for getting you hooked on Angry Birds...
whatever you do, don't download Cut the Rope.

Is Angry Birds Halloween version any good?

[Michael Palero]

As best as you can, describe your current home network. Provide model numbers & brands of your equipment if possible.

I'd like to know what I'm working with before giving a recommendation.
Eric might not need an access point or wireless router if he has a combination modem/switch/router/WAP from his ISP.
I've seen a few where the owners turn off the wireless to use their own equipment.

Edit at 9:02 AM PST for the curious.

[Bob Beamesderfer]

I have a 2Wire gateway and there's no external antenna.

[Eric Clements]

We have the Charter bundle (cable TV, phone, internet). In the garage is a box for the phone. In the office is a Motorola Surfboard 5100 cable modem and a D-Link DI 604 ethernet broadband router.

I originally asked because I was told Apple and PC's wouldn't work with the same wireless router and the whole a b g n + million plus rotuer options. Turns out that the teacher in the class Jon is TA'ing is going to give him a router. If it doesn't work I'll be back to narrowing down what to buy.

Steve, I drove down to the shopping center and had no problem getting online (thanks supercuts!)

I'm begining to think routers are like tires, if you know about them it's simple to pick which is best for you. If you don't, they all look round and black!

Randy told me to get angry birds. Apparently he wasn't joking?

[Michael Palero]

Turns out that the teacher in the class Jon is TA'ing is going to give him a router. If it doesn't work I'll be back to narrowing down what to buy.

If that doesn't work out, I'll be needing your address.

[Mako Koiwai]

Our old D-Link DIR-615 Router that I bought I think on sale for something like $30 ... works with our two PC's and my Mac (and our two iPhones if we don't want to use 3G) ..without any issues, wireless and hardwire ... 2 Mbits/sec

[KJ Christopher]

We have the Charter bundle (cable TV, phone, internet). In the garage is a box for the phone. In the office is a Motorola Surfboard 5100 cable modem and a D-Link DI 604 ethernet broadband router.

I originally asked because I was told Apple and PC's wouldn't work with the same wireless router and the whole a b g n + million plus rotuer options. Turns out that the teacher in the class Jon is TA'ing is going to give him a router. If it doesn't work I'll be back to narrowing down what to buy.

Looks like that particular router isn't wireless. I've had good luck with both D-Link and Linksys. For what you're doing, I don't think it matters much what you buy. I'd just try what ever Jon is getting for free and see how it works. Apple and PC work just fine on the same wireless network.

[John Stimson]

The only issue in using Macs with a wireless network is that you can't use a randomly generated security key which contains special characters (ones not on the keyboard). OS-X won't let you copy & paste a wireless key, so you have to type it in. Same issue with phones and iPads, I would expect.

[Mako Koiwai]

OS-X won't let you copy & paste a wireless key, so you have to type it in

Are you talking about a one time entry? I never have to re-log in with my Mac ... it's always recognized, the moment I walk into the house, and I have a password, and firewall ... same with my iPhone, if I have the WiFi turned on.

[Tom Tanquary]

ATTENTION APPLE USERS - DON'T READ THIS

I can't resist. I have to get one more lick in. WiFi is WiFi to any computer, MAC or PC. But. When I got my first MAC and tried to use the WiFi it took a day of trying to figure it out. What Apple calls a password is not a password but a key code. They are different things but Apple thinks otherwise. This confused me to no end. Passwords are something that you alone create, key codes are access codes that a company creates. But Apple likes to keep you guessing unless you're in the club. An access code device can also have a password, which I had set up on my WiFi router. So when Apple asked for my password, I typed it in. Fail. It wanted my key code.

I know it's a small point but that's the point. Why change the name for no reason? To be hip? So when your IPad asks for a password to get WiFi, just use the access or key code on your wireless router and not your password. And your first sip of Kool-Ade is down the hatch.

}:)
;)

t

[Mako Koiwai]

I don't recall ever having this issue with any of my Macs? Our D-Link Router is password protected ... using a password that we created. Our Wifi is password protected, using our own password, but you only have to enter it once ... it obviously remembers it.

When I bought that MiFi device from VirginMobile ... now THAT was convoluted! Besides being given a VirginMobile phone number that almost never needed to be used ... but you had to know it, there was an access code on the device that THEY called a Password?! You also had to create an on-line account which involved another Password PLUS a Pin number ... which THEY suggested should be your birthday

[KJ Christopher]

What Apple calls a password is not a password but a key code. They are different things but Apple thinks otherwise. This confused me to no end. Passwords are something that you alone create, key codes are access codes that a company creates.

I see your point, but offer that every router I've had, other than the combined cable modem/wireless router provided by Verizon, required the user to create the key code when setting up the security of the wireless network. That seems to meet your definition of 'password'. }:)

[Kurt Rahn]

Our old D-Link DIR-615 Router that I bought I think on sale for something like $30 ... works with our two PC's and my Mac (and our two iPhones if we don't want to use 3G) ..without any issues, wireless and hardwire ... 2 Mbits/sec

I have a Lynksys that I can give you. Just let me know.

[John Stimson]

OS-X won't let you copy & paste a wireless key, so you have to type it in

Are you talking about a one time entry? I never have to re-log in with my Mac ... it's always recognized, the moment I walk into the house, and I have a password, and firewall ... same with my iPhone, if I have the WiFi turned on.

Yes, I am talking about a one time entry. But if it's a string that's impossible to type on a keyboard, you just can't do it on a Mac. The most secure WiFi key/password is a string of 63 or 64 randomly generated bytes. Only about half of randomly generated bytes are characters you can type on a keyboard. The easy way to deal with it on most computers is to put the key in a text file on a memory stick, load it into your computer, and copy & paste. But OS-X won't let you do that. Okay, maybe if you are a UNIX wizard and know how to hand-edit the WiFi configuration files behind the scenes, you can do it on a Mac.

I had to compromise the security of my WiFi network to allow Macs to connect. The shorter and easier a key is to remember and type, the less secure it is.