I have a four port broadband router which is working fine.  What I
want to do is add 1 wireless node/leg (the others are wired).
I would expect this to be possible.  
What hardware is available in the uk for this and where is it available from.
Online prefered.

caffers-ga:

Thanks for your question!

Your request is a relatively straight-forward one, with several
options. I'll outline them here for your consideration.

You mention that you have a four-port broadband router that you are
satisfied with. You have not mentioned whether you have any unused
Ethernet ports left on that router. Depending on this, there are
different approaches available:

AT LEAST ONE FREE PORT ON ROUTER
--------------------------------

If you have at least one free port on the router, then the minimum
equipment you will need to add is a wireless access point that plugs
into the router, and a wireless adapter for your computer.

The wireless access point will connect to the router using a standard
Ethernet cable. The wireless adapter will either install inside your
computer (using a PCI card for a desktop, or a PC Card for a laptop),
or will be a USB device that sits outside the computer. Depending on
the units you purchase, configuration will be relatively simple. I
highly recommend purchasing devices from the same manufacturer as your
existing broadband router, since that will make configuration the
easiest.

-----

For illustration purposes, I will point you towards some options
available from Insight UK, a leading online retailer of technology
products that is part of an international organization. I will also
use Linksys as the manufacturer for illustration purposes, but you can
also select similar solutions from any of the other brands that
Insight carries. This includes:

 3Com  
 Belkin Components  
 Buffalo Inc  
 Cisco Systems  
 D-Link  
 Linksys  
 NETGEAR  
 U.S. Robotics  
 
  as well as specialized products from other suppliers.

-----

With that explanation out of the way, here are some links to
appropriate devices for you to consider:

--
Wireless Access Point:

Linksys Wireless-G Access Point WAP54G 
http://uk.insight.com/apps/productpresentation/index.php?product_id=LNKNA03D8Q 

 - this wireless access point uses the newer, faster 802.11g standard
that is also backwards-compatible with client adapters based on the
older 802.11b standard

--
Wireless Adapter - PCI (for a desktop PC)

Linksys Wireless-G PCI Card WMP54G 
http://uk.insight.com/apps/productpresentation/index.php?product_id=LNKNA03D8O

 - this device installs in a PCI slot inside a typical desktop PC, and
operates on the 802.11g standard

--
Wireless Adapter - PC Card (for a laptop with a free PC Card slot)

Linksys Wireless-G Notebook Adapter WPC54G
http://uk.insight.com/apps/productpresentation/index.php?product_id=LNKNA03D8R

 - this adapter is intended for notebook/laptop computers that do not
have an integrated 802.11b or 802.11g adapter

--
Wireless Adapter - USB (for a desktop PC with a free USB port, can
also be used with a laptop with a free USB port)

Linksys Wireless-G USB Adapter WUSB54G
http://uk.insight.com/apps/productpresentation/index.php?product_id=LNKNA03PPQ

 - this unit connects to a PC using a USB cable

-------------------------------------

NO FREE PORTS ON ROUTER
-----------------------

If you have no free ports remaining on your router, then your options
are a bit different.

Your first option is to consider taking one of the existing PCs off of
a wired connection, and making it wireless as well. Then, you can use
a wireless access point connected to the router, along with two
wireless adapters, to connect the existing PC and the new PC to the
router. A wireless access point can support up to 253 simultaneous
connections, as long as the broadband router's DHCP server has enough
addresses available to assign. If you choose to go this route, then
the links above suffice.

If however you do not wish to do this, then you still have another
option. This second option is made possible by Windows XP, so this
will require that you have Windows XP on a desktop PC in your network.
Assuming that you do, you will need a USB 802.11g adapter (see the
WUSB54G above) to connect to the desktop PC. You will also need a
wireless adapter in the new PC; again, the links above will point you
to appropriate options.

The USB adapter, after installation in the desktop PC, will act as a
network bridge device. This device will only function while the
desktop PC is on, so this option also means that the desktop PC will
need to remain on whenever a wireless device wants to use the
network's resources.

The process of setting up a network bridge in Windows XP is described
on the following websites:

Configuring Windows XP as a Network Bridge - WindowsNetworking.com
http://www.wown.com/j_helmig/wxpbrdge.htm

Using Windows XP as a software bridge - HomeNetHelp.com
http://www.homenethelp.com/web/howto/windows-xp-bridge.asp

----------------------


My personal recommendation, as long as your budget allows for it, is
to go with a wireless access point. This way, you do not place any
additional requirements on your existing PCs. Using an existing PC as
a network bridge requires that the PC take on additional work,
potentially slowing down the PC. With a wireless access point, you are
not dependent on the health of a PC for your wireless networking
needs.

Please also note that the device I have been referring to as a
wireless access point, is NOT the same as a wireless router. While
some wireless routers are able to be configured to act as a wireless
access point, this is not a capability that can be assumed. To be
safe, only purchase a device that its manufacturer calls a wireless
access point, without the word 'router' anywhere in the name.

I hope that this information helps! Please let me know using the
Request Clarification button above if you need any part of this Answer
clarified, and best of luck with setting up your wireless network!

Regards,

aht-ga
Google Answers Researcher

Super answer just what I needed!