Wireless ok with partioned drive ?

[bahed]

I have read some of the posts regarding the incompatibility of, and damages caused by, using wireless network systems and Shopbots. I have a twist on in it and was wondering about insights from forum members.

I have an older system that requires me to use Windows 98 to run the control softwarer. I have my computer partioned with XP, which is where I run the design software. The question...

If I have my wireless network operating only on when I am running XP and essentially make the network inoperable while on the 98 side while pushing the router bit - do I run the risk of doing any damage ?

[doglaw]

Bret:

I personally have never heard of a wireless network causing damage - so I would be interested in what you have heard.

I'm running the shopbot control software from my XP laptop which is on a wireless network. The only problem I have had with my wireless connection is that when I would turn my dust collection on - I'd have problems accessing the network. I solved that problem by re-locating the laptop away from the the dust collection.

I have to admit I'm a newbie here - but I can't possibly see how how your scenario would cause any damage.

[patricktoomey]

Bret,

It sounds like you are dual booting so when you are running on the Win98 partition, nothing in the XP partition is going to matter at all. As long as you don't install the wireless card drivers in 98 it should not cause any trouble.

I have an older slower pc running Windows 2000. I started with a wireless card and I had some huge problems until I got rid of it and went with a hard-wired connection. The problem seems to be the extra processing time needed to run the wireless connection. The computer spends a lot more time managing the wireless connection and drivers than it does with a regular ethernet card. I have also run the ShopBot from a 2Ghz laptop running XP with no problem even though it has wireless. Because of this I suspect that it depends on the machine and if it is fast enough to do everything without having any hiccups while communicating with the ShopBot controller.

In general I think the recommendation is to disable and stop anything not absolutely needed on the machine running the ShopBot. This could include USB devices, wireless adapters, additional software like virus scanners, any scheduled software like backups, screen savers, etc. There are so many variables that I don't think anyone can guarantee what will or will not cause problems on any given machine. I started by removing everything and then adding things back in one at a time until the problem returned. In my case, it was the wireless network card.

[richards]

I'm staying completely away from wireless on my control computer after fighting random material wasting glitches for about nine-months after I installed my 3hp spindle. The problem turned out to be that the wireless card kept dropping its connection and then randomly went into its 'hunt' mode to reconnect. Everytime that happened, I got a glitch in the cut, which usually ruined the part.

There was no damage to the computer. It was doing exactly what it was supposed to do.

Since going to a wired connection, I haven't had a glitch of any kind. Just to make sure that there wasn't something else lurking in the background waiting to spring a trap, I used the checklist the Gerald D. posted a few weeks ago to remove all non-essential processes from my XP control computer.

[mossie_jim]

Wireless is an open portal to the world just asking to be hacked. It will also take in all signals on that frequency, R/C hobbies, garage door openers and other wireless cards. . . and you’ll never know till you run the file. $$$

I prefer using a Flash drive to transfer data between the design computer and the control computer. Then I go hard wired to the ShopBot control box from the control computer. This also keeps my control computer off of the net and malware free.

So far so good, Jim

[Brady Watson]

Bret,
I would definately avoid using the wireless setup. I ran CAT5 out to the shop along the same path as the phone line. It is reliable, fast and eliminates the 'snooping' that Mike points out.

If you are able to disable the card and physically remove it from the computer, then I would say that this is one possible scenario as well. Since you are running 98 and it doesn't know that the card is there (if it is pulled out and NEVER installed) then I don't see a problem. I would still consider running CAT5 out there from the office.

-Brady