I would like to purchase two Windows laptops and have them both use a
wireless router (using 802.11n). One of the laptops may need to contact the
wireless router through three concrete walls. I also would like to be able
to have one external disk (which is either attached to the wireless router
via USB/FireWire/Ethernet or is itself wireless, if such a beast exists).
And I would like to have one central printer which, like the external disk,
is either attached to the wireless router or is itself wireless).


Laptop 1 Central Printer

Wireless Router

Laptop 2 Central External Disk


Can someone point me in the right direction for this kind of setup? Many
wireless routers do not support attaching devices. Model recommendations
would be appreciated.

"barcaroller" wrote in message
news:%23MnhITHPJHA.4776@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>I would like to purchase two Windows laptops and have them both use a
> wireless router (using 802.11n). One of the laptops may need to contact
> the
> wireless router through three concrete walls.

It will either have to go through the concrete walls or you will have to run
a cable up to a location near it and attach a Wireless Access Point (not a
"router"). The Laptop would use the WAP instead of the "router". The WAP
would use the cable to plug into the "router" exactly the same as a "wired"
PC would do,..no difference

> I also would like to be able to have one external disk (which is either
> attached to the wireless router via USB/FireWire/Ethernet or is itself
> wireless, if such a beast exists).

They either don't exist or they *barely* exist,...for home use anyway. A
commercial grade NAS cost about 1/3rd of what you paid for your car and they
would be "wired",...not "wireless". That technology has not "matured" for
home use yet. Whatever you find will probably cost more than you want to pay
or not work dependably or work in a very inconvenient way such as having to
install "cluncky" vendor specific utilities on each PC to be able to use the
drive,...there is no "universal" standard like there is with USB Drives or
USB Thumb Drives.

> And I would like to have one central printer which, like the external
> disk,
> is either attached to the wireless router or is itself wireless).

There are a lot of home-user printers around now that work with wireless
networks. You want Ethernet wireless,..not Bluetooth wireless. You
probably cannot walk through an electronics store and *not* find one by now.


--
Phillip Windell
www.wandtv.com

The views expressed, are my own and not those of my employer, or Microsoft,
or anyone else associated with me, including my cats.
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Hi
There is No magic solution that solve every condition that need to employ
Wireless.
You would have to try since others here are not familiar with your
environment.
The general approach that I take for Coverage issues is the following.
The best way is to lay few CAT6 cables to central locations in the house,
install Access Points, or Cable/DSL Routers configured as an Access Points
( Using a Wireless Cable/DSL Router as a Switch with an Access Point ), and
connect them to the Main Router.
You do not want/can not/hate/your client hate to lay Cables.
Buy a Pair of Wireless Routers that can do WDS (Zexel, SMC, Belkin have
models that do WDS as is out of the Box.
Linksys WRT54GL can do WDS when flashed with DD-WRT firmware.
Using a Laptop loaded with Netstumbler, do a Wireless survey in the house,
http://www.netstumbler.com/downloads/
According to the Netstumbler's signal strength reading, identify spots that
have strong signal. and spot with weak, or No signal.
Evaluate how you can cover the space and start placing WDS units.
Additional Wireless Routers in WDS Mode (Wireless Network - Configuration
Modes) has to be placed in spots were the signal is good about Half way to
the dead spots.
How many WDS units are needed? It depends on your specific environment (that
is a good the reason to buying WDS units one at the time, try it, and decide
on the Next step).
Otherwise.
Extending Distance - http://www.ezlan.net/Distance.html
Wireless Router as an AP - http://www.ezlan.net/router_AP.html
Wireless Modes - http://www.ezlan.net/Wireless_Modes.html
Wireless Bridging - http://www.ezlan.net/bridging.html
Hi Gain Antenna - http://www.ezlan.net/antennae.html
As for NAS. I do not know what is it that you want to do with Central
Storage, but Wireless NAS is a Bad idea, it is too slow and unstable.
There are varieties of NAS’ that have Ethernet interface and can be plugged
to the Router with a Wire.
Personally I do not like the Entry Level NAS’ since they are slow ()even the
ones that are rated giga) and do Not employ Windows NTFS.
I prefer the Windows Home Server solution for central Storage.
http://www.ezlan.net/WHS.html
Jack (MS, MVP-Networking)

"barcaroller" wrote in message
news:%23MnhITHPJHA.4776@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>I would like to purchase two Windows laptops and have them both use a
> wireless router (using 802.11n). One of the laptops may need to contact
> the
> wireless router through three concrete walls. I also would like to be
> able
> to have one external disk (which is either attached to the wireless router
> via USB/FireWire/Ethernet or is itself wireless, if such a beast exists).
> And I would like to have one central printer which, like the external
> disk,
> is either attached to the wireless router or is itself wireless).
>
>
> Laptop 1 Central Printer
>
> Wireless Router
>
> Laptop 2 Central External Disk
>
>
> Can someone point me in the right direction for this kind of setup? Many
> wireless routers do not support attaching devices. Model recommendations
> would be appreciated.
>
>
>
>