Setting up a wireless network

I've decided to set up a wireless home network, and I think I have the router I want. It's a D-Link Wireless 108MBPS Gaming Router - 802.11g With 4 Port Gigabit Switch. From all the reviews i've read it's an amazing, probably the best, router for PC, Xbox and PS2.

I don't know what PCI network cards to go for. I imagine I would need something very good, because I'll be playing a lot of games, and heavy internet usage. The type of game I'll be playing are: BF2, Halo 2, Counter-Strike, UT2004 and others - basically games that are very demanding, so I don't want crappy networking hardware that's going to increase my ping. I'll be networking 2 computers, maybe adding another 1-2 computers a little later on. 2 of them will be playing a lot of games, often at the same time. So what should I get?

Thanks.

 

Just get any old wireless G PCI Nic. There isn't really diffrent types of wireless G nic's. In most places you can only buy G NIC's and maybe some B NIC's which are slower. As a rule all wireless G nic's are the same. Essentially the speed is what makes it a G.

It is worth noting though, that wireless is MUCH slower then a wired network. For standard gaming and stuff wireless is typically OK, but just so you're aware wireless G's max speed is 54Mbps where as gigabit (which is the standard for wired networks now) is 1000Mbps. So as you can see wireless max speed is about 5% of a wired networks max speed. Although just so you are aware a standard high speed internet connection is either 5 or 10Mbps. So as I said above, usually 54Mbps isn't an issue as it's still roughly 5 times faster then you're internet connection.

Faster wireless does exsist, but it's VERY expensive and odds are you arn't goign to find any computer stores in your area carrying wireless HW that's faster then G.

 

Well with the router I picked you can have both wireless and wired. The phone socket that my modem is connected to is in my room, so if I connection my pc in my room to the router via a wire, and a wireless connection to the other pc, will that be better for the PC I use?

 

If you want to take advantage of the 108Mb/sec. you need a D-Link matching card.

As for type of card: http://www.ezlan.net/faq#wcard

 

I highly recommend against online gaming over a wireless network. Unless you get very good signal strength with no interference, you tend to get packet loss and inconsistent latency.

 

There will only be a thin wall seperating the two PCs. They're both fairly close to each other, but I'd prefer wireless because I don't want cables going around the hall.