wireless

hello I am ordering a new pc. Is it relatively safe and a good idea to get a machine that will work wirelessly with my router which is now connected to an ethernet port or is cable a better idea? My current router says it works with pcs that have internal wireless. Also, will my RCA modem work wirelessly with this new machine or do I need a special wireless one? Thank you

If your current router has built-in wireless support, then this new machine should be able to connect that way and get out to the Internet via the modem just like your other computers. That said, wireless is omni-directional which means it is exposed and can be detected and therefore can never be as secure as connecting via Ethernet cable.

I do not have a gateway or modem with wireless capabilities. I think I connect an ethernet cable from the modem to the router and as my router says, it will then comunicate with my internal wireless in the pc. I wish I had gone the cable route but I have made the deal. I can send it back but do not know how much of a vulnerability i have created. Perhaps the cable going to the router before it goes wireless will offer some protection.

I do not have a gateway or modem with wireless capabilities.
it will then comunicate with my internal wireless in the pc.

I am afraid those are conflicting statements.

It is normal for the router to connect via cable to the modem. But then your PCs must connect to the router. This is typically done via Ethernet or wireless. Most (if not all) wireless routers have a 4-port Ethernet switch built in so you can connect either way, depending on the type adapter in the PCs. A wireless capable PC cannot use wireless if you don't have a WAP (wireless access point) on your network. And the WAP is typically built in to the router (although a WAP can be a stand-alone network device that attaches to the router).

Note that wireless networks can still be secured, sorry if I led you to believe otherwise. But it takes more effort on the part of the user to secure the wireless access, and to keep it secure. And since wireless uses radio waves which go every where, a bad guy can sit in a car down the street and point a directional antenna at the house and see that you have a wireless network. Or a nosy neighbor can see it too. That does NOT mean they can access it, but they know you have one. If all Ethernet, there is no way someone outside your home can tell if you have a network.

Now an experienced badguy can hack into a wireless network pretty easy. But he has to know it is there, and someone sitting out in the street pointing an antenna at your house would be pretty obvious. If you live in an apartment, someone upstairs or the next door apartment could see your wireless network. If you have named it "Peters Network", your nosy neighbor will know it is you. If you do not change the default password (which are widely posted on the Internet, or even the router maker's site) they can easily gain access and use your network to gain Internet access - perhaps for nefarious deeds.

Hello Sorry to send conflicting statements but I am new to this. I used to use all cables but we got a laptop so I got a wireless router which connected to the pc with an ethernet cable. I was still broadcasting, I would think. This new pc has internal wireless capabilities but the modem does not. I will connect the modem to the router with an ethernet cable then the router and pc will communicate wirelessly. Let me know if this makes sense. I have the access point you talk about and have a password to gain access tothe router and a 20 charscter passphrase to protect it with WAP. There are other letters I can recall like PSTSK etc. IT has paket writing and NAT translation and is encrypted. WAP 2 causes my printer not to work so i use WAP.

I will connect the modem to the router with an ethernet cable then the router and pc will communicate wirelessly.

yes that makes sense, so both the laptop and pc now connect wireless.

Thank you for the confirmation;I guess I just have to log into the router with the new desktop so all will be recognized.

Once you connect the new desktop to your network, the router should assign it a new IP and you should be good to go.

Thank you;let's hope it all works ok.

I started this thread so I wanted to correct an error. I called Dell after a pc friend of mine said he found it hard to believe a pc would come through without an Ethernet port. The supervisor said the sales person made an error in insisting that the wireless pc had no Ethernet port or card. I can use the Ethernet port so will continue to do as I have been, using cables to the pc then communicating to my laptop(WAP) with the router. I also made an error in using the term Broadcasting when I meant using wifi. I do broadcast the ssid but communicate with the router.

Well, you don't need to broadcast the SSID. Many consider doing so a security risk because it announces to everyone you have a network. But that is all it does. It does not mean your network is more easliy accessed. The idea to disable SSID Broadcasting is simply to keep nosy neighbor kids from seeing it, and trying to hack in using your dog's name or the like for a password. Also note the WAP (wireless access point) is inside your router. Your laptop connects to your network via the laptop's wireless adapter via the WAP.

My wish is to be a quinquagenarian once again but i had my turn. I think I am all set with all the help until the new pc arrives then it will be back for more.

My wish is to be a quinquagenarian once again but i had my turn.

Well, my turn is almost over!

Every deacde brings some good and some not so good but it is an exciting ride. I am working on the new pc and so far so good. i5 Intel processor, 1T hard drive and 6 gigs of ram for starters. It is a bit quicker than the 8 year old and I hopewe both last as long.