Stupid network questions

Our computer setup consists of 3 desktops (one rarely used) and laptop all on a wireless network. My partner and I work together on the same huge L-shaped desk. His computer is directly connected to the wireless router and mine is wirelessly connected through ethernet. Would my DSL connection be faster if I just directly connected to the router? Btw, my router is a Linksys Wireless-G.

The other question/problem that I have... all of our content is on 2 external USB/Firewire Maxtor drives. Currently the drives are connected to my partners computer. So in order for me to access those drives, his computer must be booted up with both drives on before my networked computer can detect those drives. Is there some kind of hub that the drives can be connected to rather than being connected to one computer?

What would be the ultimate in speed and versatility for a multiple computer setup?

Btw, I may not have used the correct terminolgy in describing the above. I really don't know that much about the technical end of this stuff. I'm lucky that I managed to get all of this working together... thanks to the intelligence of Windows XP.

For the drive issues, check out liksys for their network drive hub, we have 5 external HD's connected on our network and that works really well for getting access to files easily no matter which of the machines we're on :)

Regards,

Lee

Oh cool! Thanks Lee, that's exactly what I was looking for but I didn't know what it's called.

Um Lee... I'm just looking at the Lynksys site and now I'm even more confused. Do you have a model number that I can use as a referrence?

Yeah model # is NSLU2 - Network Storage Link for USB 2.0 Disk Drives.

Regards,

Lee

That doesn't look like it's going to work. According to the reviews I read, the networked drives need to reformatted in a proprietary format. I don't really want to do that.

As for networking, a wired connection is always faster than a wireless one. The advertised wireless speeds are largely theoretical.

If you're near the router already (same room) I would use a cable, unless it would get in the way somehow.

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Originally Posted by HotMaleVideos

As for networking, a wired connection is always faster than a wireless one. The advertised wireless speeds are largely theoretical.

If you're near the router already (same room) I would use a cable, unless it would get in the way somehow.

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Thanks! I'll do that. I just became use to working on my laptop and the wireless connection was very convenient. But now with the new desktop, I'm only 4 feet from the router so i might as well hook-up to it.

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Originally Posted by Xstr8guy

That doesn't look like it's going to work. According to the reviews I read, the networked drives need to reformatted in a proprietary format. I don't really want to do that.

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We've not had to change anything on any of our drives, literally just plug and play.

You might want to go in to office depot or somewhere like that and get one of the sales guys to tell you itll work with you drive/drives that way, if it doesnt you can take it back ;)

Regards,

Lee

Just to add a thought, when working with files (say moving a bunch of movies from your external drives to your local drives) you will definitly be better off with a wired connection as others have stated. If you are just surfing the internet or accessing a word document then wireless will most likely be just as fast.

It doesn't really matter if you have a 12 mbps or a 54 mbps wireless connection to your router (or a 1000mbps gig wired line directly to a router) if you are surfing the web because most likely your broadband connection is 3-5mbps at the fastest. So your bottleneck isn't on the internal network.. you can only ever go as fast as your internet connection. So if you want to surf while sitting on the throne it will be just as fast (for all practical purposes) as if you were plugged right into your broadband modem.

:)

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Originally Posted by JustBryce

So if you want to surf while sitting on the throne...

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I hate to admit it but I've done that before. Ya I know, thanks for the visual Jim. Now go eat that sandwhich.

You got the right answers so there is nothing left for me to say in this thread, but I felt I had to be a part of it anyway since I am supposed to be the resident computer geek here :D

cheers,
Luke

Just a thought ... but you mentioned that you have 3 desktops and only 2 people. Why not set up the third desktop as a sort of server, hook up the two external drives to it, any printers you might have, and even use it as a backup drive (copy your data there every once in a while). Just leave it on all the time and the drives will always be available, instead of buying the extra hardware from Linksys ... just a thought ....