I'm setting up a new system downstairs strictly for trading. If I can avoid drilling holes to ran the wires from my upstairs PC so much the better. The only way is use a wireless router. Am I asking for trouble if I do this?? I've tried surfing the web down in the basement with my wireless laptop and the connection seems to be very good to excellent all the time.
Hi, I trade every day using a laptop with a wireless card, both at home and in hotspots. It has always worked fine for me. Thanks Damian
If you use a wireless, be VERY SURE that you set up the WEP password on your router!! An unsecured line can be hacked by anyone driving by, and if anyone managed to sneak a backdoor on your computer via email or a website script (I catch an attempt on my system at least once a week if not more often, you are especially vulnerable if you cruise a lot of investor information sites), you leave yourself wide open for loss of data/info also. Every time I turn on my laptop, sitting in my family room, I can pick up on up to 10 different wireless networks in my neighborhood, most of them open (because lots of people now use the long range N1 routers, the network pollution is even greater). If they are set up for file sharing, I could log on and possibly see their shared files on their computers!!! Most people don't even bother changing their router default passwords! Someone could log in, change their passwords and lock them out of their own network permanently! So if you go this route... read your documentation, it's probably the most important thing you will ever do for your network is to change the default password and set up a WEP encoded network password. ESPECIALLY if you are planning to use it to access financial data on.
I use wireless too. I get about 54 MBS, with Charter cable company..so much better than DSL!!. I use a D-link wireless adapter and an SRX 200 Cisco router. Only problem is online gaming is a bit choppy. cm69
You're fine using wireless. And as someone suggested, use WEP or WPA encryption. I'd also recommend having a dial up account backup in case the power goes out at an inopportune time. Phone lines stay up when th epower goes out. Cable internet with a wifi router doesn't even if you use an UPS. But DSL will stay up if you plug the Wifi router and DSL modem into an UPS. Also, DSL has lower latency than Cable. I'd recommend DSL for daytraders and scalpers. It's not mission critical. But DSL can have significantly lower latency times. Like a poster already alluded to, cable internet is choppy with online games because of "lag" or latency. It can be as high as 150ms to as low as 15ms. DSL can typcally be 5-25ms. You can test your connection latency here: http://www.pcpitstop.com/internet/pinger.asp I'm on cable averaging 40-70ms ping times. My D/L speeds average 12mbs. My backup DSL averages 5 - 25ms ping times with D/L speeds of 3mbs.
Use a wireless Laptop for day session and never had a problem ..... BTW I use Charter as well .... 54Mbps as well so a solid connection .... when it works....
Thanks for the response. I will definitely get a secured one. The dial up backup suggestion is also a good idea. You can get those things for almost nothing. Happy trading and good luck to all
Anyone know if it works to sheild a wireless router so it is directed where you want it and not to the neighbours or road?I am thinking site the router in a metal box with the open end towards the place where you want to recieve the signal?In the case mentioned on this thread,could the signal be directed downwards with all other directions blocked?