[NOS2Go4Me]

Judging by your last reply, you're set on wireless. Here's what you do.

Buy a Linksys 802.11G wireless router (WRT-54G series).

Buy matching Linksys wireless NICs for each PC.

When you log in to the new router for the first time, do it with a cabled connection. Configure the router as such:

SSID: pick something unique, such as MomSNetWork. It will still be available to determined hackers, but you don't leave your car door open when you go to bed, do you?

Encryption: Use WPA-PSK. Use TKIP for the encryption algorithm. Pick a passphrase you can easily remember but it'll be hard for someone else to figure out, IE: 2001FocusS2Chad or something along those lines.

Web Admin for router: Don't forget to change the web admin password on the router! You can even set it to the same passphrase as the wireless if this makes it easier. What you do need to know is that web admin over unsecured wireless can be sniffed for the password. Because you're configuring it for the first time over a wired connection, this threat is negated.

Once this is done, install the wireless card in each PC, lob in the CD and follow the prompts. Most new Linksys products have a wizard that lets you specify the network name (SSID), encryption type (WPA-PSK) and encryption algorithm (TKIP). You'll also be asked for the encryption key - that's the passphrase you picked earlier.

Once this is done, you should see that you have a successful connection to the wireless network.