Advice on setting up a home wireless [netgear wireless router] [wireless print server]
Best Answer: This may be a fault on the router. All four lan lights should never be on for any length of time unless they are connected. If it is only for a short time while it tries to connect, this is normal. Start by unplugging the modem power, is you just switch it off this does not work. Then connect the router to it. power the modem and wait for it to sync. Then switch on the router. Connect a cable to it to configure using the web interface method. Then change the ssid and channel, sometimes a nearby similar router will mask yours. Once you have a working connection test the wireless again without encryption. If this works set encryption and you should be on line.
Re:Oh, another thing. When I setup say a 3 disk RAID 5 array, they have to be empty disks, right? Then transfer all the media in from the HD they are currently on.
Sorry about that. I now realize how stupid that question was.:disgust:
Re:Yes you need to start with empty hard drives for all raid arrays.
Re:super108 is (in my experience) more of a gimmick. I VERY seriously doubt you would get 40Mb/s sustained throughput on one of those. I doubt you could get 25 tbh.
Re:Originally posted by: guy
Substitute any of: child, clueless user, drunk user, dog, ferret, emu, llama, or iguana for cat in my above post.
All adapters would have to 108 for any of them to be 108.
Thanks. I was afraid of that. Kinda defeats the purpose/convenience of having built in WiFi, though.
Oh, another thing. When I setup say a 3 disk RAID 5 array, they have to be empty disks, right? Then transfer all the media in from the HD they are currently on.
Re:Substitute any of: child, clueless user, drunk user, dog, ferret, emu, llama, or iguana for cat in my above post.
All adapters would have to 108 for any of them to be 108.
Re:These are both helpful answers. I have and like the Netgear WGT624, their 108mbps Super G wireless router, which I was planning to use.
If I want it to operate at 108, every adapter has to be 108, correct? I would have to deactivate the 3 laptops' internal 54G adapters and plug in Netgear's own 108 USB dongles, plus use the 108 dongles in the towers. Otherwise, the router will throttle back all wireless to 54G due to the laptops working on internal 54g circuitry. If I did all this, doubling the throughput to 40Mb/s best case, that would be adequate for HD streaming, right?
On the RAID question, I hear you saying use inexpensive discs for a RAID5 setup, and backup off-site weekly in some fashion, maybe using one of those internet backup services. I guess I was not allowing for mischief or stupidity; I have only been hit with HD failures in the past. No cat in the house.
Re:Originally posted by: guy
Is not RAID 5 a backup of its own files? (in the event one drive goes down, you can rebuild the missing data)
RAID 5 doesn't help when the cat deletes babys_first_steps.avi. 
Backup to DVD too.
And can't I rely on 54G being fast enough to play an AVI file or ISO file using Win Media Player or PowerDVD off the server drives? (especially since those progs buffer?)
It'll work, but with multiple users playing AVI files at the same time it probably won't work well.
Re:Originally posted by: guy
Is not RAID 5 a backup of its own files? (in the event one drive goes down, you can rebuild the missing data)
And can't I rely on 54G being fast enough to play an AVI file or ISO file using Win Media Player or PowerDVD off the server drives? (especially since those progs buffer?)
54G relates to about 20Mb/s in best of scnerios. It depends on the AVI file. You cannot reliably stream HD video (12Mb/s video) across a normal G link. You might look at some of the preN stuff, as it DOES work (but you run a big risk of it being incompatible once they finalize the standards). I was able to stream a 12Mb/s video through a metal wall ~ 60' without issues, 120' with a minimal amount of problems.
Raid5 is a reduency to reduce downtime in the event of physical drive failure, it is not a backup. A backup is something that (ideally)
1. Is/can be physically offsite. Backup helps after fires, raid5 does not
2. Can help to recover from malicious users/software. Virus formats your hard drive? Backup helps, Raid5 does not.
3. Can recover older versions of files for various reasons.
Re:Is not RAID 5 a backup of its own files? (in the event one drive goes down, you can rebuild the missing data)
And can't I rely on 54G being fast enough to play an AVI file or ISO file using Win Media Player or PowerDVD off the server drives? (especially since those progs buffer?)
Re:Really, what I was planning on backing up was the server media directories to a second drive for redundancy. The individual machines are not as much of a concern compared to the family photo archive, movie collection, etc.
Re:remember, raid5 is not a backup….
tbh, you are going to be shoving too much over wireless…it's not half wired speed, because it says 54Mb/s. Doing multiple backups across wireless is going to crawl. At a minimum, I would hook the server wired to the router. I would still probably plug in before backing up.
Re:So I would need minimum of 3 x 320 or 400? Certainly, I have seen under $100 AR prices for these on occasion, but 500s and 750s have remained pricey per GB. I have not setup a RAID5 before. Can it be done in either software under W2k or hardware as in a plug-in RAID PCI card?
Would RAID5 also eliminate the use of a backup program and biweekly runs?
Anyone have any experience with Slingbox Pro?
Thanks for the feedback.
Re:I'd def recommend doing a Raid 5 of smaller drives (320 or 400gb are the sweet sport price wise). Must more cost effective.
Re:Wouldn't you be better off setting up some smaller hard drives and do raid 5?
Do use usb wireless adapters on the desktop machines. This will allow optimal placement for the wireless network instead of being shoved behind some desk.
Most everything else looks good.
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Tags: netgear wireless router, wireless print server