OT: new computer for eldest daughter

SpaceBadger · #1 November 10th, 2003, 10:23 PM

The time has come to get a new computer for my eldest daughter, and she wants a notebook PC with a wireless connection to our home LAN, so she can carry it around the house and not need a network cable connection. I haven't had any interest in wireless connections myself, so never have paid much attention to them, but I remember reading that people could get into your network remotely through the connection. How likely is this, and what can be done to guard against it? Also, what kind of range are we talking about - does someone have to be parked on the street outside your home to do this, or can they be a couple miles away? (We live out on a country road and random passerby looking for open wireless connections seem unlikely.)

Then once I get this worked out, I still need to figure out how to arrange her net access so that she can trade emails with friends and do research on the web, without opening her up to the vast cesspool of unrestricted internet.

Losing sleep over this. Any help/suggestions appreciated.

SpaceBadger

Phoenix-D · #2 November 10th, 2003, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SpaceBadger:
Then once I get this worked out, I still need to figure out how to arrange her net access so that she can trade emails with friends and do research on the web, without opening her up to the vast cesspool of unrestricted internet.
SpaceBadger

The first issue- check the range on the box, it should tell you. And make sure you enable the security features on any cards and ports you do buy.

The second- hah. Good luck, because the only surefire route is to watch while she's using it. Filters are worth exactly jack; they do block some things, but not others. (incidently, most block the sites mentioning that a filter isn't perfect..)

Narrew · #3 November 10th, 2003, 10:47 PM

when you set up the wireless box, you will have the option to set up who can access it, I would suggest you use MAC address authorizing. Every network card has a unique MAC address so any unknown MAC address will be denied access to your wireless network. Of course there are some TCP/IP settings you will need to do, but I am sure you have some friend that can help you through it or I would imagin that the wireless set-up system you get might have good enough instructions.

My only issue is what Phonex touched on as far as limiting her access to some sites on the net, I would have a hard time letting ANY child of mine to take a computer into their room, this is their time to want privacy so I don't envy your posistion and good luck working that out, but I think a kid with a computer in their bedroom where they can close the door is a bad thing during their developmental years, don't get me wrong, I wouldn't be a nazi parent, I just want it out in the public area of the house.

my 2 cents...

SpaceBadger · #4 November 11th, 2003, 12:42 AM

OK, I can see I need to study up on this wireless stuff, because I don't think I'm understanding what y'all are saying. I kinda thought it was some little gadget that would go in place of a regular network card, with a little radio in it to communicate to a base unit, and the base unit would have a newtwork card that I'd connect up to our LAN. If I'm understanding y'all, the wireless part is actually a little network all by itself, whcih I then connect to our LAN?

Time for more reading.

Re access control. That is a large part of what I'm worrying about, and I agree that it would be good if we could watch all the time to see what she is doing. But I also know that she is a lot like me, needing some peace and quiet to be able to concentrate on stuff like writing or programming, and that peace and quiet are hard to get in our house (she has two little brothers and a little sister). Her room is her refuge from the noise and commotion, and she'd like to be able to write or play games in there. Hmmm, since she wants a notebook computer, I wonder if I can set things up so that she can use her computer or even connect to our LAN from her room or anywhere else in the house, but will need to be plugged in someplace public to connect to the internet? Yeah, I think I could do that...

I'm also hoping to find some software that instead of filtering will just block everything except what I specifically enable. If she wants to visit a site we haven't already approved, she would have to ask me to put it on the approved list. Same thing would be good for email - if I could make a list of email addresses she could send to and receive mail from. Not so sure about that part from any commercial product, might have to try coding it myself.

I can think of a lot of temporary measures that will work now, when she is 12, but not sure how well they will continue to work as she gets older and more experienced with computers. It isn't a battle that can be won once and for all, rather a continuing series of engagements that will continue and require adaptation over the years.

SpaceBadger

DavidG · #5 November 11th, 2003, 01:03 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by SpaceBadger:
OK, I can see I need to study up on this wireless stuff, because I don't think I'm understanding what y'all are saying. I kinda thought it was some little gadget that would go in place of a regular network card, with a little radio in it to communicate to a base unit, and the base unit would have a newtwork card that I'd connect up to our LAN. If I'm understanding y'all, the wireless part is actually a little network all by itself, whcih I then connect to our LAN? Time for more reading.

I think you got it right. I believe what you need is a wireless router. This can be hooked up to your existing network. Than any PC with a wirless network card will connect to the router.

geoschmo · #6 November 11th, 2003, 01:23 AM

Assuming you already have a router for your exsisting LAN, like you would get with a DSL or cable hookup, and assuming the router has an open network jack available, what you are looking for is what's called a wireless access point. In effect it's how you described it, the access point jacks up to the LAN via standard network patch cord, and communicates directly with the wireless NIC card in your laptop. The limit is gonna be about 1000' feet under ideal conditions, less in the real world. Going through walls, etc, cuts down on the distance the signal can travel. Unless you have a neighbors house closer then that you shouldn't have any concern with squatters, but as Narrew says there are ways to eliminate any possibility of that. The software to do that will most likely come with the access point.

Geoschmo