Going Wireless in my Dorm

I'd only buy the Airport Express if you wanted to use the music streaming option to play your tunes to a stereo in the room when you were away from your desk. Otherwise, there are plenty of general 802.11b routers out there that will work fine.

Though, just so you know, the AE is actually $10 cheaper for you, since you're a higher education student. Not a huge amount, but a little savings anyway.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by NERD-1

...just be sure to make the network secured with a non-default password to access it.

And that means NOT JUST a WEP/WPA password to connect, but also be sure to change the administration name/password so that people with the know-how can't just log in and change the settings on it to, say, keep you out.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by JasonTerminator

Find out if your dorm allows wireless networks in the first place.

Mine was pretty nazi about it, since everyone had ethernet ports in their rooms, and I'm sure there were various security reasons as well.

Well, there's a pretty easy way to take care of that. First, secure your router effectively when first setting it up (changing the default login/password, and setting up wireless security like WPA), and then turn off SSID broadcasting. That way you have to actually go in and specify the name of your router to connect, other people with wireless can't just "see" it automatically. Then, if you keep it discreet, there's no way anyone will know about it unless you tell them.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Originally Posted by BlueMikey

That doesn't prevent them from seeing a wireless router in your room, though.

Like I said, keep it discreet. With a power-adapter style one like the Airport Express (or the Linksys one linked earlier) it's even easier. Just throw it behind a desk. If your RA is searching behind there, you've got OTHER problems.

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