What do I need for a wireless connection on Iberbanda, will the UK ones work, if not where can I buy a router here & approx cost???
Thanks Paul

[quote author = PaulH link = 1251451576 / 0 # 0 date = 1251451576] What do I need for a wireless connection on Iberbanda, the UK ones will work, if not where can I buy a router here & approx cost???
Thanks Paul [/ quote]
I Have a spare alvarionIDUUniversal IndoorAC power Adaptor with connections that are Labelled Radio and ethernet if you are interested give me a bell on 977059254

The difference is with a 'conventional' internet connection, i.e connecting to a hard wired telephone (landline) the signal appears on a telephone lead which then plugs into a 'router' which is called an ADSL router. There are various types, ones that just convert the ADSL signal to an ethernet connection for a hard wired connection, and another that provides the signal as a wireless connection.

Iberbanda, on the other hand, provide an ethernet connection - the same as you would get on the ADSL box mentioned above.  There is no wireless connection so you need to add a wireless access point, which is different from an ADSL wireless router in as much as you can't plug it in to a conventional telephone line.  The entry for the internet to the access point is an ethernet connection rather than a telephone line.

Unfortunately the terms for the various things you plug an ethernet connection into are becoming a bit muddled these days.  There are hubs, routers, ADSL routers, and wireless access access points to name but a few. Each have their own function and some have the function of more than 1 device at the same time.

Basically a router will isolate you from a public IP address and provide a local network and will contain a DHCP server.  When you get an Iberbanda connection you will get what is called a public IP address (it can change as it is not a fixed address). When you connect your computer directly to an Iberbanda box this address will be passed on to your computer.  Your computer can then connect to the internet BUT someone elsewhere on the internet can see your computer unless you use a firewall and have it configured to block anyone seeing it.

With a router in place, the IP address passed to your computer is a local address and is not visible outside of your local network so nobody can access your machine - the router acts like a block to anyone trying to get to your computer (look up NAT - Network Address Translation on Google to see how it all works).

A wireless access point is basically a router that has, as its connection to the internet, a plug that plugs into an ethernet connection rather than an ADSL broadband router, which as its connection plugs into a telephone socket.  They provide the same thing, but with different connections.  Also, in my experience, Wireless Access Points are generally cheaper than ADSL routers.

I also use a Linksys device, a WAP54G to be exact, which  is an access point, not an ADSL router.

Nigel

Yes, they are essentially the same device, as I said, the names for the different devices has become a bit muddled up in the last couple of years.

The problem is that if you don't know what you need, and go to a computer shop, and have the misfortune of being accosted by the obligatory spotty teenager, he might well think you need an ADSL wireless router rather than a wireless 'device' (router/access point or whatever they want to call it) that has an ethernet connection.

You'll then have a device that won't do what you were expecting - plugging the telephone cable into the Iberbanda telephone cable doesn't give a broadband connection.
I've been asked more than once if I have a cable, or where you can get one, that allows an ethernet cable to be plugged into the telephone connection on an ADSL router!

Nigel

As a general point with Iberbanda, make a hard copy note somewhere of your IP address, gateway and DNS servers. You will need them to configure a router anyway.

The crappy wireless router that Iberbanda provided lost its memory and I had to call them to get the settings. I have junked that router as it wouldn't get a signal through even one of my old caseta walls. A Buffalo HP is now doing the job brilliantly.

You might like to know that there are various VOIP phones available which will work on a WiFi network. I use my Nokia N95 mobile at home and at various bars with WiFi to make free calls to the UK. I also get a UK 'landline' phone number which makes it so much easier to get a call back from UK parties AND I can call 0800 and 0845 numbers very cheaply. Great when dealing with the government, NHS etc.

You get 5 x POP3 mail accounts and 50Mb webspace.  I use one of the pop3 accounts as my main email address but haven't exploited the web space yet.

Hi Paul.   When I wanted to install one I went to Carrefour Express in Tortosa, saw they had "Belkin  Wireless G Plus Routers" and Googled for opinions.  Consensus was these are one of the easiest and most reliable to install so that's what I bought.  About Euros 70.  Fool proof and good range although thick walls do impede the signal - I  have the router in the house and can easily use the PC in our garden room which is about 30 odd metres away.   See you soon.