Do i need a 'wireless router' to share ISP w/ adjacent computers?

Question

How to share my ISP connection with 2 other computers belonging to family in adjacent rooms.
Do I understand correctly that I must getting a 'Wireless router'?
Is that the onlyest &/or bestest way to do so?
And how to insure privacy of all? Do I understand correctly that a wireless router will have instructions and we should each be able to have a separate password and therefore secure separate privacy with no spying.
There's no phone lines in other rooms ( if that has anything to do with it?)
We're not hackers and not computerly sofisticats, obviously or I wouldn't to be axing this Q.
I'm now getting DSL broadband thru my home phone line in the wall hooked up by wire to my DSL modem and then to my MacMini.
I think this is a basic Q, but I've never 'networked' with other computers, and don't know nuthin bout no routers.
Would appreciate helpful direction.
Oh, and you will be thank ed.

Answer 1

You need a router, but it doesn't necessarily have to be a wireless one. You could run network cables to the other two rooms from a wired router. Most wireless routers also have wired ports, so you can mix the connection types as well. Privacy within your network depends most on if the connected computers have sharing turned on. Beyond that, a wireless network can allow others to see the information you are passing to the router, although it would take time to decode the information and some degree of skill. Some Macs are also not well equipped to perform such snooping, depending on the wireless support they have. If you wish to use wireless to do your internet connection sharing, you will also need to be sure all the systems have wireless capability.