[Phat Phreddy]

I have always been running only a wireless network at home but now need to add additional wired machines... Luckily XP can enable bridging (from the wireless side) so I just need a cheap router but....


My cable ISP is rigged to only allow access from a computer with a crytpic name (eg CP-W982AF9) and this has always been my gateway machine with 2 NIC's and internet sharing...


If I get a router will I be able to configure 'computer name' as a variable.. The simple router I put into my office setup was just plug cables and go but then I had an IP config setup that was simple... I dont remember being able to assign a computer name to the router...


I dont want to stay with the 2 NIC system as the only machine with spare PCI's will be a HTPC and I dont like the idea of having my HTPC doing back end duty like this....

 

[MichaelZ]

Most routers allow names and even spoof mac addresses. I would never use my computer for a bridge when routers are so cheap. You can even get a wireless router. I currently have two d-links 704 routers plus one HP wireless router that I use and they work great.

 

[Phat Phreddy]

I have some old tech wireless NIC's and dont want to scour ebay for a access point... I just use all cards peer to peer but that makes 2 seperate networks without bridging...


I understand I can get a brouter (bridging router) but fail to work out how this would help without an access point (eg I still need to have one machine with both a NIC and wireless NIC) and any shop I ask at gets that glazed look when I ask about this...


I want the bridging as I still have plans for the 510 interface (come on stan ) and dont want to have proxy or bridge on the HTPC so I need to bridge somewhere else in the network to get TCP/IP passed from 510 via another bridge to the wired HTPC...