Computers & Electronics

Ethernet/LAN to wireless?

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  • Sep 7th, 2010 9:49 pm
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Deal Addict
Dec 26, 2008
1262 posts
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Ethernet/LAN to wireless?

I bought a 50" Samsung C550 plasma, and it has a LAN port, for network sharing, however I am not able to run cable to that area. Is there some kind of Ethernet to wireless adapter?0
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Jan 19, 2005
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Vancity
Get another wireless router and configure it as a bridge. wirelessX->wirelessY->wired-TV. Make sure the new router you'll be getting supports bridging mode.
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Deal Addict
Sep 23, 2008
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or if you have an old wireless router "which is supported by dd-wrt" you can flash the firmware and use that!
Deal Addict
Feb 24, 2007
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If the need of getting and setting up a wireless router scare you, try getting a powerline ethernet units to connect the TV to your LAN.
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Deal Addict
Dec 26, 2008
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Any suggestions for a cheap sub $50 router? Anything over 50 and I might as well get a PBO
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Nov 18, 2007
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Corktown
Just go the bridge route with the TP-Link TL-WA701ND from Canada Computers for $39.

Or in the $60 range, go for a TrendNet TEW-654TR. It is a pocket router that can run in client mode and can be powered via USB port. Simply connect the Ethernet cable to your TV and power it from a USB port on the back of your TV. Use double-side tape to stick the pocket router to the back of the TV (assuming not wall mounted).

However, having a device with a 4-port switch, may be the better choice, so that it is easy to add other networked toys in the TV area. Again, Canada Computers for the Belkin N Router for $39 (on sale).

Any router can be used. Disable DHCP and ignore the WAN port and you have an Access Point with 4 ports for wired devices.
Deal Guru
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Mar 13, 2004
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Ontario
if you plan on streaming HD video then you probably won't want to use wireless as it's not fast enough to do full sized 720p/1080p videos. For best results I say you find a way to run a Cat6 cable... ever consider running it on the outside of your house?
Deal Guru
Dec 10, 2004
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Kanata
ncix has the WRT160N that can be flashed to DD-WRT and then used as a wireless bridge.
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Dec 12, 2009
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nick227 wrote: I bought a 50" Samsung C550 plasma, and it has a LAN port, for network sharing, however I am not able to run cable to that area. Is there some kind of Ethernet to wireless adapter?0

If you can't get wired lan to your tv area yourself, I suggest you consider hiring an alarm installer to help you fish wire. You will be surpised how good these guys are in getting wire to where it needs to go with negligible damage to finished walls. I did just that. I have cat5e cable throughout the house. It cost me about $500 of which $350 was labour. The true gigabit performance plus no security issues that affected wireless signals makes going wired well worth the effort.
Deal Addict
Dec 26, 2008
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will888 wrote: If you can't get wired lan to your tv area yourself, I suggest you consider hiring an alarm installer to help you fish wire. You will be surpised how good these guys are in getting wire to where it needs to go with negligible damage to finished walls. I did just that. I have cat5e cable throughout the house. It cost me about $500 of which $350 was labour. The true gigabit performance plus no security issues that affected wireless signals makes going wired well worth the effort.

Yeah I will consider that, but right now do not want to spend the money on it. For the time being I will use wireless then later on I will have the Ethernet run

EDIT: Just read the manual, and it said that for wireless you MUST use the Samsung Wireless LAn adapter. IS this true or not?
Deal Fanatic
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Jul 26, 2006
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Scarborough
Hide wires in the crown / base moulding.

It's not hard, you can buy 'pre made' stuff, but if you're ok with tools, just buy some thicker moulding, put a 1/4" dato into it, and run the wire behind that.
Deal Addict
Sep 9, 2003
1313 posts
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Toronto
fastlayne wrote: Just go the bridge route with the TP-Link TL-WA701ND from Canada Computers for $39.

Or in the $60 range, go for a TrendNet TEW-654TR. It is a pocket router that can run in client mode and can be powered via USB port. Simply connect the Ethernet cable to your TV and power it from a USB port on the back of your TV. Use double-side tape to stick the pocket router to the back of the TV (assuming not wall mounted).

However, having a device with a 4-port switch, may be the better choice, so that it is easy to add other networked toys in the TV area. Again, Canada Computers for the Belkin N Router for $39 (on sale).

Any router can be used. Disable DHCP and ignore the WAN port and you have an Access Point with 4 ports for wired devices.

+1 on the pocket router! I haven't used TrendNet but they work great otherwise. I have one of the ol' La Fonera access points too and they work great with DD-WRT.
Deal Addict
Dec 26, 2008
1262 posts
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Would I be better off usig a Linksys bridge as my router is linksys? Also anyone know if I do need to use the samsung adapter or not?
Deal Guru
Dec 10, 2004
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Kanata
nick227 wrote: Would I be better off usig a Linksys bridge as my router is linksys? Also anyone know if I do need to use the samsung adapter or not?

You should not, you set up the wireless bridge and the TV should not need to know anything else. I set up my wrt160N has a bridge for the WDTV. Ethernet cable goes to the bridge, and the bridge handles the negotiation between the wireless devices. The TV should not be able to tell it is not connected directly using wire to the router.
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Nov 18, 2007
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Corktown
nick227 wrote: Yeah I will consider that, but right now do not want to spend the money on it. For the time being I will use wireless then later on I will have the Ethernet run

EDIT: Just read the manual, and it said that for wireless you MUST use the Samsung Wireless LAn adapter. IS this true or not?

That disclaimer in the manual only applies to the W-LAN adapter that connects via the USB port.

If your TV has an ethernet port, which is the premise under which we are giving advice, then all comments regarding ethernet-Wifi bridges are correct.

And just to emphasize, the Linksys bridge is not necessary for a Linksys router.
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Aug 17, 2004
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Edmonton
As others have said, by using a wireless bridge, your TV actually thinks it's on a wired network.

Also, if the idea of a wireless bridge is too intimidating, you can also consider ethernet over powerlines. i.e. Linksys PLK300.

(disclaimer: I've never used ethernet over powerlines, and I've read that the performance of this solution can be highly variable.)

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