X over WiFi G

Hi All,

Ethernet cable routing at home is becoming a problem as we have
lodgers who want broadband access in their rooms. At the moment, they
just run cables to their rooms up the stairs and it's driving my
wife & I nuts.

Moving to a 54Mbit WiFi lan looks like a good solution... it
certainly looks cheaper to set up an access point with DCHP/DMZ/ADSL
capabilities than having builders come in and run ethernet cables
from the garage, up 2 sets of stairs and through the rest of the house. It
also means that those who have laptops could connect from anywhere in the
house.

Obviously WiFi will be a bit slower than the existing lan, and I was
wondering how noticable this would be on my own PCs which run X over the
lan? Has anyone tried using X over the new WiFi G standard? I only use
normal office type applications - I won't be editing huge bitmaps with the
GIMP regularly...

Also, I was probably going to locate the access point in the garage where
the servers are kept, as it is a 2-hour fire rated construction and this
way I won't have any cables in the house at all. Does WiFi work
acceptably well through 100mm blockwork?

Finally, what's the current state of security on WiFi networks? Assuming I
implement 128bit encryption, is that enough of a deterrent to prevent
casual crackers in my street from getting in?

Thanks for any feedback,

Sam.

2trax <2trax@salterprojects.com> wrote:
> Hi All,
>
> Ethernet cable routing at home is becoming a problem as we have
> lodgers who want broadband access in their rooms. At the moment, they
> just run cables to their rooms up the stairs and it's driving my
> wife & I nuts.
>
> Moving to a 54Mbit WiFi lan looks like a good solution... it
> certainly looks cheaper to set up an access point with DCHP/DMZ/ADSL
> capabilities than having builders come in and run ethernet cables
> from the garage, up 2 sets of stairs and through the rest of the house. It
> also means that those who have laptops could connect from anywhere in the
> house.

For permanent installations, I would really recommend a wired network,
possibly with an AP in communal areas.

You could purchase some plastic capping to route the cables through if
you don't want to run the cables through the walls etc, although there
may be building or fire regulations in your area which may say that such
works must be done by certified contractors.

I'd still recommend having a wired backbone at least. Noone ever
regretted having a reliable network.

You could go over to www.apple.com and have a look at some of the design
guides available on the Airport part of their website.

> Obviously WiFi will be a bit slower than the existing lan, and I was
> wondering how noticable this would be on my own PCs which run X over the
> lan? Has anyone tried using X over the new WiFi G standard?

I would _only_ think about recommending that if you can guarantee a
consistently high signal quality, otherwise, you'll really notice
dropped packets (much as you do with SSH).

> Also, I was probably going to locate the access point in the garage where
> the servers are kept, as it is a 2-hour fire rated construction and this
> way I won't have any cables in the house at all.

This is a very bad idea, you want to put the AP in the middle of the
coverage zone if possible. In your scenario you may need two, so get
something that does wireless distribution well. You'll want to connect
the APs with cable to the garage though.

> Does WiFi work
> acceptably well through 100mm blockwork?

No, and even worse through steel constructions.

> Finally, what's the current state of security on WiFi networks?

Moderately poor.

> Assuming I
> implement 128bit encryption, is that enough of a deterrent to prevent
> casual crackers in my street from getting in?

It will deter casual misuse of your network, but it won't deter the
more determined offenders. 128bit is just as strong as 48bit anyway, due
to a temporal flaw found recently.

>
> Thanks for any feedback,
>
> Sam.
>

--
Cameron Kerr
cameron.kerr@paradise.net.nz : http://nzgeeks.org/cameron/
Empowered by Perl!

On Sun, 01 Feb 2004 13:36:39 +1300, Cameron Kerr wrote:

> 2trax <2trax@salterprojects.com> wrote:
>> Hi All,
>>
>> Ethernet cable routing at home is becoming a problem as we have lodgers
>> who want broadband access in their rooms. At the moment, they just run
>> cables to their rooms up the stairs and it's driving my wife & I nuts.
>>
>> Moving to a 54Mbit WiFi lan looks like a good solution... it certainly
>> looks cheaper to set up an access point with DCHP/DMZ/ADSL capabilities
>> than having builders come in and run ethernet cables from the garage,
>> up 2 sets of stairs and through the rest of the house. It also means
>> that those who have laptops could connect from anywhere in the house.
>
> For permanent installations, I would really recommend a wired network,
> possibly with an AP in communal areas.
>
> You could purchase some plastic capping to route the cables through if
> you don't want to run the cables through the walls etc, although there
> may be building or fire regulations in your area which may say that such
> works must be done by certified contractors.

I don't think plastic capping (we call it trunking here) will be
acceptable to my wife on aesthetic grounds... to be honest, I don't like
the look of it either.

The options for laying cat 5 cables seem to be: (1) chasing out channels
in the walls, which will require plastering and repainting, or (2)
drilling holes in the beams under the floorboards to run the cables
through. Option 2 will requires bits of floor and stairs to be taken up
through the house.

> I'd still recommend having a wired backbone at least. Noone ever
> regretted having a reliable network.

I think I can manage cable between the servers and the AP. That should
help.


> You could go over to www.apple.com and have a look at some of the design
> guides available on the Airport part of their website.
>
>> Obviously WiFi will be a bit slower than the existing lan, and I was
>> wondering how noticable this would be on my own PCs which run X over
>> the lan? Has anyone tried using X over the new WiFi G standard?
>
> I would _only_ think about recommending that if you can guarantee a
> consistently high signal quality, otherwise, you'll really notice
> dropped packets (much as you do with SSH).

The laptop that I use for this will be about 10' from the access point,
the other side of a lightweight party wall (not masonry). If I can't get a
strong signal ten foot from the router, I will take it back and get the
workmen in to lay ethernet cable.

>> Also, I was probably going to locate the access point in the garage
>> where the servers are kept, as it is a 2-hour fire rated construction
>> and this way I won't have any cables in the house at all.
>
> This is a very bad idea, you want to put the AP in the middle of the
> coverage zone if possible. In your scenario you may need two, so get
> something that does wireless distribution well. You'll want to connect
> the APs with cable to the garage though.

That would be possible. There is an existing penetration in the garage
wall for the house alarm system and there should be enough space to get
ethernet cable through it too.

>> Does WiFi work
>> acceptably well through 100mm blockwork?
>
> No, and even worse through steel constructions.
>
>> Finally, what's the current state of security on WiFi networks?
>
> Moderately poor.
>
>> Assuming I
>> implement 128bit encryption, is that enough of a deterrent to prevent
>> casual crackers in my street from getting in?
>
> It will deter casual misuse of your network, but it won't deter the more
> determined offenders. 128bit is just as strong as 48bit anyway, due to a
> temporal flaw found recently.

I haven't been following WiFi news and didn't know about this flaw...

Thanks for you help,

Sam.

2trax wrote:
> I won't be editing huge bitmaps with the GIMP regularly...

LOL is The Gimp another one of your lodgers ? ;-)