Basic wifi confusion

[Telemachus]

Hi, I decided that having signed up for adsl now would be a good time to set up a basic home wifi network, unfortunately I seem to have rapidly gotten over my head, any help would be much apreciated.

I have 512k capped adsl (with USB modem I got from the ISP) I have one desktop linked to this in my upstairs bedroom, I have one laptop I usually hook up to this also, finally I have a second desktop out in an office/shed in my back garden with a laser printer running off the foul dial-up.

What I want to (eventually ) accomplish is to able to access the broadband from both desktops and the laptop anywhere in the house. I'd also love to get file and print sharing going accross all the pc's wirelessly eg be able to pull a file off the upstairs PC on my laptop and print it out in the garden office and so on.

What i'm stuck on is this USB modem in part, i cant see how to integrate it into a wireless system, do i need a new modem? Also while wireless access points seem devoted to internet sharing, can I share files accross all my computers without trailing any wires accross the garden and whatnot?

I really would apreciate any help as i'm totally lost, cheers eveyone .

[Beefy]

The best idea is to scrap that USB modem. The best way to go is for a wireless router / ADSL modem in one (something like <a href="http://www.secure-server-centre.com/eurotech/datasheet.php?partno=E7438">this</a>). That way, you can leave the router/modem permanently connected to the net, it acts as an access point, and also has a 4 port switch for any devices with standard network cards. Plus being a router, it will act as a decent firewall and will make life a lot easier for people trying to connect (thanks to DHCP).

[Telemachus]

Thanks a lot for confirming that, I was beginning to think that the USB modem had to bite the dust.

Just one small wifi question which may well sound stupid; i realise that my two other pc's with wifi cards will be able to read files on the pc physicly wired to the wifi/router via ethernet cable, but will the two card enabled pc's be able to read each others drives?

[Beefy]

I don't know if this will help, but think of it this way -

You are network devices together. It doesn't matter how you achieve that physically (via cable or wireless), they are still all going to be part of a network. So anything that you could do to wireless connections you'll be able to do to cable connections as well. The computer doesn't care if it's joined to the network by a wireless connection, an Ethernet cable or a piece of string, if it's connected it's happy.