> 1. I can't find a simple wireless link. I just want a wireless link
> between the two nets. Everything I've found is designed so that each
> computer in the other room needs to have it's own wireless card. That's
> expensive and unnecessary in my setup. Does anyone make a simple,
> inexpensive wireless link that will connect two ethernets a short
> distance apart?
AFAIK, an ordinary wireless router or bridge should be able to do this. It just
isn't the most common application. One example is the Netgear WGR614
http://www.netgear.com/Products/RoutersandGateways/GWirelessRouters/WGR614.aspx
If the device you get doesn't have enough ports, you'll need to add a hub or
switch. But most of them (including the unit above) have an integral 4-port
switch, which sounds like it might be enough.
> 2. Powerline. Both rooms share a common wiring, so I'm looking at a the
> powerline ethernet option. Anyone want to share their findings on using
> the powerlines as ethernet?
It was a long time ago, so perhaps modern units are better. But we didn't have
very good luck with powerline Enet.
> 3. Phone. Both rooms are also wired for phone with 6-pair wiring. How do
> I tell if it is the right kind of phone wire to support ethernet?
If it's 6 pairs, then almost certainly it's not Ethernet standard. You might be
able to "get away" with running 10 Mbit ethernet over it anyway, though, for
short distances.
Without some fairly sophisticated instruments, physical inspection is about the
only way to tell the difference. Cat 3 (10 Mbit) Ethernet will have a twist at
least every 6 inches or so; Cat 5 has a twist every 1/2 inch or so. Phone grade
wiring has a lot fewer twists.
Randall
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