Resolved Sharing a wi-fi connection between two houses

As background, my pretty-good familiarity with Windows (XP SP3) computers does not extend to wireless networking, so I ask for your kind indulgence.

My wife and I each have a desktop PC, which are located on the ground floor of our house, and both are connected to the Internet via a cable connection using our ISP's (Time-Warner RoadRunner) provided combo modem/router. Both are hard-wired and do not use wi-fi, although the modem/router is capable of producing a wireless signal. (At one point in the past one of the PCs was connected wirelessly, but I switched it to wired to improve its speed.) Right now we're happy the way things are set up and working. However,...

A new situation has now arisen: our adult daughter has purchased, and in the next month will be moving into the house next door to ours. We're all happy about that. But to complicate matters, in an effort to minimize her costs, she has asked if she could be allowed to share our Internet connection on her two PCs, one a wireless laptop PC and the other a wireless-adapted desktop.

We have tentatively agreed to doing this, but we're unsure of how to do it and are hesitant about the advisability of doing it and of any potential negative consequences.

I've heard rumors that there are dangers in connection sharing, and I get the impression that in most situations this is not advisable, but because it is our daughter and there are no "trust" concerns either way, we'd like to do anything we can to help her.

Before we commit to doing this, however, could some kind soul please field the following questions for us:
(a) would such an arrangement be advisable or inadvisable, legal or illegal,
(b) if it's OK, what steps would we need to take to set it up, make it work, and secure it, and
(c) what might be the downside(s) of it.

One downside that I can see already is that if she turns out to be a heavy user or downloader, we'd all possibly suffer from a slow connection and we could run into a "cap" or extra charges for the connection. On the other hand, we could arrange to share any extra charges, schedule our usage so we wouldn't conflict, and on the plus side the total experience might be less expensive than if we both had separate accounts. But there's the question of whether the benefits would in the long run outweigh the costs involved.

Can anyone offer some sage advice on this subject in a manner that a networking newbie like I might understand? If so, many thanks in advance.

Frank D

 

Mr Frank,

First please check if the Router/Modem provided by your ISP has wireless built or is capable to support wireless if the second then you many need to purchase a new wireless access point.

What will be distance between the two houses? This is crucial for the signal strength.

You mentioned that your desktops were earlier connected to wireless, so i assume they both have wireless network interface card! The reason why iam touching on this is because tomorrow for some reason you decide to move one of the pc to your bedroom or where ever the wireless will be of good use.

With regard to usage and charge both are directly proportional and it depends on the plan you have choosen with your ISP and i think you have the option to change your monthly plan according to your usage pattern.

Securing wireless can be achieved by putting a strong WEP wired equivalent privacy where you can have key to share the wireless and have it strong enough so that it cannot be hacked. All Accesspoint providers like netgear, buffalo, linksys... have this as built-in option.

Please revert back if you need any further information.

 

Hi Frank,
your wifi should be good enough for about 300yds/metres you can add a booster if it isn't, I run a wireless adapter in my shed computer which is further away from the modem than my neighbours house is.
Your major concern would be the usage & wheither your daughter will allow guests to connect to the modem as well, meaning by giving them the access code.
I would use a hidden SSID, and keep the password to yourself, set-up the connection yourself if possible, or use a reliable technition. This way you limit the chances of un-authorised use!
Regards Jac

 

Thanks anands, jacrabbit and TonyT.

Based on what you tell me, I think my first order of business will be to contact Time Warner and put the whole question to them so I have their blessing right from the start.

I can answer a few of your questions but not all of them. The space between our houses is only about 50 feet. My daughter's two computers have wireless cards but ours do not; however, we have no plans to move them. I'll have to look into the question of guests connecting to my daughter's modem and giving them the access code and whether there would be the potential for unauthorized use. (Things are getting complicated!) I'll look into purchasing an additional IP address. Running a cable between houses is not an option for me; if it came to that I'd say we'd need to "bite the bullet" and keep our accounts separate.

To add up all your advice, you have given me confidence that this is do-able, but that I'll need the assistance of Time Warner to set it up and make it work. The relative costs of combined vs. separate accounts will need to be determined after that point.

Thank you all! I'll report back when and if this comes to fruition.

Frank D

 

Its your Wifi, I don't understand why it's even any business of Time Warner what your doing with it unless your reselling it.

I Would not call them.

You know the old saying, dog **** doesn't stink till you step in it.

 

Scott, what you say sounds logical. I'm going to hold off doing anything until after my daughter moves in and we can put the various conditions, options and recommendations to the test with actual conditions and equipment.

I'm reminded of that old saying, "Don't cry until after you've been hit. "

Frank

 

“It’s easier to ask forgiveness than it is to get permission.â€

 

Frank,
I agree with scott, you're paying for a wireless enabled connection & unless you are charging someone to connect to the network I can't see a problem sharing the connection.
Over here I can go & park in most McDonalds resturants carpark & connect to their wifi for free, yes I go & buy something if I do it, I don't have to, but I do because of the way I was brought up.
I would take tony's advice about the encyption, you should be able to find the way to do it in the modem set-up wizard.
Regards Jac

 

Thanks, Jacrabbit, Scott, TonyT and Anands for your good advice.

Bottom line: My wireless signal, even from next door, wasn't strong enough and my daughter got her own connection with the ISP.

It was an interesting question though, and I'm sure others will benefit from this discussion.

Frank D

I'm marking this thread as solved.