Connecting laptop to DSL network w/ phone line

[ostrich]

My DSL network at home is wired using phone lines. I want to be able to connect my laptop to the DSL network. What are my options? Just something like this?

http://www.dealtree.net/cart/select_item.cfm?cont=18431

$100 seems pretty steep so I was hoping there are alternatives

Thanks

so your laptop doesnt have a phone jack on it?

do you have any other computers in the house to connect to the internet?

[vass0922]

The only other options I can think of...

1. Use a PC with a HomePNA card, and a normal network card to do Internet Connection Sharing

2. Connect a wireless access point to the router -- Expensive route because you'd have to buy a WAP and a wireless PCMCIA card so not really a cheaper alternative.

---- Edit ----
Note: Just because your DSL comes in through the phone does NOT mean your whole house will be wired for internet through the phone lines
You'll need a DSL Modem to connect to the phone line, and then a HomePNA router to wire the house through phone lines
Don't take offense if this is what you've done, just being caution to make sure people understand what's happening

[Messiah89]

How do they connect through phone lines, why aren't you using network cables?

[bailey]

a router with a built in switch would be a much better way to go, also are you sure its phone lines and not cat-5 cable, they can look simular.

[ostrich]

yes i'm sure it's through phone lines. we decided to get DSL about a year ago, and at that time, instead of installing new cable through the house, SBC told us they would just use the existing phone lines. so there's a splitter at each jack where a PC is connected to connect both the phone and DSL cords. there's also a filter at each one to prevent interference between the phone and DSL

as to the other question, yes my laptop has a phone jack, but that jack is for a 56k modem...i can't use that to connect to DSL

my laptop has a network cable port. can i run a cable from that to my PC's network card, which will somehow connect me to the DSL network?

[yeadon563]

Is your dsl modem internal or external? Even if your dsl comes through the phoneline you still have to have a router or modem for it. The solution depends on which one you have.

Yeadon563

[ostrich]

external

[yeadon563]

Okay. Maybe you might want to get a wireless router that has 4 or more ports. You might also want that router to be able to bridge. So your wireless network can connect to your wired machine. if you only want internet connection sharing you can skip the bridging option.


Does your external modem have any ethernet ports on it? You will need at least one free port to connect to the wireless router.
Finally you will need a card for your laptop. I think they are called pmica cards. You don't want a pci card for your laptop



Make sure all your stuff can work together ie:wireless router and pc card. B and G can work together but not B and A nor G and A.
And from what I have read A does not go as far as G or B.

If there is any wrong infomation here please do correct it.


Yeadon563