A network design conundrum.

[asmoeone]

Hello, I'm fairly new to networks of any kind, and struggling a bit with my early stages research, so any pointers are welcome.

 

Currently my father has a desktop, in the study, with an ethernet connection to a (wireless-enabled) broadband router.

He also has a netbook that he'd like to use wirelessly, in other downstairs rooms, but the walls in his house are too thick.

My mother wants to get a computer that she'd also use in the study.

And the lodger would like to use the internet connection from the attic.

The primary requirement is for shared use of the internet connection, but other network benefits (printer, shared files) could be a secondary benefit.

 

My thinking so far is going like this -

To enable the netbook with wireless, downstairs, I was wondering if I could use a powerline network with a wireless adapter (range extender) in each room. It sounds good to me, though Netgear and others seem to be discontinuing them.

To enable my mother's new computer, I'm considering using a direct ethernet connection to the broadband router.

To enable the lodger in the attic (which is probably on a different power circuit to downstairs) I'm wondering if I could use some kind of phoneline or (TV coax) network, so I don't have to rewire the house (HomePNA sounds promising).

All these seem like they might be possible, but I'm not sure I'm on the best track and can't quite figure out what products I'd need to connect it all together, particuarly how the phone extension in the attic would connect to the broadband router (preferably without needing to rely on going via the desktop). I'm already thinking my plan sounds expensive with all these different types of network...

 

Thanks for any advice.