Homepack Twin Pack Instead of a Wireless Router

[saysun]

A very helpful person on here recently suggested that instead of buying a wireless DSL router to enable me to use my wireless laptop, I should buy a Homepack. Well, I did some research and am so glad that he suggested it. I mean, what could be better than setting up a network via the electrical plugs in your house and not have to worry about dropped signals or bad relays from the router. However, my question is this: Some of the product information I've been reading on Homepacks (like the Devolo Microlink dlan Network Adaptor, or the Netcomm NP285 Turbo Homepack Twinpack) state that a router is in fact needed in order for the supposedly router-less system to work. What is that about? I thought the purpose of the Homepack was to skip the router altogether, plug the two Homepack thingys into the electrical sockets, and presto! Internet connection throughout the house. What gives?

[Ethel]

I don't know.

I do know that in over two years I have never had a dropped signal from my router, and it works perfectly well all over the house and down the garden.

[HWKE]

What the homepack would do is to give intranet access throughout the house i.e. a closed network consisting of whatever computers you have in the house. This is a local area network. A router or modem would give you access to the world wide web. This is called a Wide Area Network and is necessary if you want to communicate via computer with anyone else.

[ACtheTROLL]

HWKE is correct -
The device popularly known as a router is actually a number of seperate devices and protocols in one box.
(on a large business network these devices would all be connected seperately)

The bit that connects to the internet is a dsl modem
this single (wan) connedtion is then distrobuted throughout the internal (lan) network
the router is the device that decides where to send (route) requests for information ....
pc to pc is kept "in house" on the lan
pc to microsoft or google etc is sent out on the wan.

the main problem with wireless is that neighbours wireless, microwaves, thick walls, heavy rain, blah blah blah CAN cause problems ... (not will).
The best network connection is dedicated wire (cat5)
the next best is to use yout electrical wiring ... both are currently capable of higher speeds than wireless.
(cat 5 1000Mb/s, wireless 54Mb/s)

[saysun]

Oh, I think I get it. Semantics is the problem, I think. Is a modem (the one that comes with my Telewest Broadband) the same thing as a router? If it is, then the problem is solved. I can buy the Homepack Twinpack and use my existing modem as a router, right?

[ACtheTROLL]

This is getting complicated
Not sure what telewest actually use ...
Perhaps a call to their hepldesk - before you spend any cash - would be sensible.

A modem requires a pc to make it work and will plug into the PC with a USB connector generally speaking a modem will only allow 1 pc to connect directly to the internet

A router connects to the internet without a pc - More than one PC can connect to the lan and either connect to other PCs on the lan ... or to the internet via the router
telewest say
Should have Network Interface Cards
If you don't have a free USB port, you may need a NIC (Network Interface Card). NIC is needed to connect the cable modem to your PC.

so I my guess is that you do get a router and not a modem.

if it is a router it will have a few (depends on model) ethernet rj45 connectors
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ADSL_modem/router

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RJ45
note 8PINS
Not to be confused with rj11 4PINS
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RJ11

The Homepack extends a part (segment) of your lan to wherever you want it
you can mix wire (the best) wireless and homepack together on the same network ... depending on accessibility.

the router is still required in all cases ... to connect to the internet,













...... Semantics just sell virus protection ;-)

[saysun]

Yikes! Now I really am confused! I already have a modem for my Telewest Broadband connection, so I get the internet. My laptop is wireless so that means that I don't want to unplug my modem from my PC each time I want to use my wireless laptop. Until I either get a wireless router or Homepack (which I'm now led to believe needs it's own router too?) I'm stuck with a wireless laptop that doesn't function as wireless. Perhaps I should forget the whole idea altogether. (Telewest doesn't recommend the Homepack. They claim it won't work with their modem, which I think is rubbish. I think they just want to push their choice of wireless routers on me: Netgear and Dynamode.)

[ACtheTROLL]

An alternative would be to enable ICS (internet connection sharing) - open Help & Support and search on ICS.

This would use your desktop in the same way as a router ... and you could attach either a WAP or Homepack adapter (via a network card) to the desktop.

You could then use the old lappy at the same time as the desktop to surf to your heart's content.

The only real downside is that to use the lappy .... you have to have the desktop switched on.

It's quite simple to setup .... and even if to have to buy a NIC for the desktop ... at �3.99 it's not a huge investment.

One last thing ... are you sure that you can't con your ISP into a router
Many if asked will provide a router as a replacement for a "faulty" modem for free!