Need laptop help with setting up WiFi, can you educate me?
 

Hi-

I recently got about a 2 year old laptop on the cheap (2.6 ghz Celeron with XP) and I'd like to rig it up so that I can WiFi the thing with the PC in my home office; surf the web, update the laptop from the living room, garage, or wherever. I really don't have experience in this area and would like to do it on the cheap if possible. My first priority is to get the laptop connected and run windows updates. Can you tell me specifically what I need to do, buy, etc. for this? My laptop has an ethernet jack, 4 USB slots, some sort of card slot. I have an open USB jack on my PC, but no ethernet card.

I'd like to stay on the budget side of things, eBay buys, etc.

Kinda lost, can you steer me in the right direction?

Thanks,
BG

You'll need a wireless router/AP - I like the Linksys 54 models. And you'll need a PCMCIA wireless card for the laptop. $100 total at best buy or similar. You'll also want an ethernet card on the PC - another $20 or so. Your DSL/cable connection will go to the router, out of the router to your PC via ethernet, and to the laptop via ethernet or wireless.

you should be able to pick up an 802.11 "G" wireless router / PCMCIA card for next to nothing these days - it's a very fast standard. If you want to spend a few more dollars, you can get the "Super G" which is affordable, still current and even faster than G

At least get a G - as of brands, Linksys, is pretty easy to fiddle with, so is Netgear..

I went to Best Buy and purchased a Belkin wireless card and router in the 802.11 G variety for less than $100.00 including tax. They sell 3 to 4 different brands and run sales all the time.

And before you buy a PCMCIA wireless card (that'll fit in the "some sort of card slot"), you should see if the laptop actually comes with wireless... most made in the last 2 years do.

I just got a Sprint PCS card, looking forward to trying it out:D

Works like a cell phone:cool:

How do you currently connect to the net? DSL, Cable, dialup? If it's DSL or Cable then you just want what the guys have already mentioned. If it's DSL or cable then you probably already have the network connection plugged an ethernet port. Since you said you don't have an ethernet port that has me wondering. If you are using dialup then you'll only really need a wireless car for the PC and laptop and can just talk between the two and share your dialup on the main PC. If you have cable/DSL then you probably won't need a wireless card for the main PC, you can just plug it in to the router since most have wired and wireless ports

Let us know more about how you connect to the net for more specific info.

I have cable modem, but the modem is connected to my PC via USB. So if I understand correctly, all I need is a wireless card for the laptop which I do not believe it has, and a router thingie (with the antennas) that hooks in between my cable modem and PC. Sounds easy enough...

Get card and wireless access point (aka router sometimes) from same mfg, for slightly less chance of hassles.

Get wireless access point with a few ethernet ports, to allow wired connection (to your desktop) and wireless (to your laptop). Later you might want to network the printer too.

Since your PC has no network port (hard to believe, but maybe its old) you want a wireless access point with a USB port, or add an internal network card to your PC ($20?), or add an external USB-to-Ethernet adapter to your PC.

Get 802.11g, since "b" is becoming obsoleted.

Whole setup should cost you $100 or so, less if find deals.

Wireless is really nice to have, later you can use it to stream music to a stereo, connect TiVO box, etc.

May want to avoid placing wireless access point right next to cordless phone or microwave, but may not need to - try and see.

I had Linksys and NetGear, both were okay. Now I have Apple Airport, great if you have Macs.

Wireless card may require you to load driver software on the laptop. Not sure if your laptop has CD drive. If not, try connecting laptop to wireless access point via ethernet cable, or even directly to cable modem using USB, to download any necessary driver software.

Should be easy, just post any follow-up Qs.

Thanks guys!

Costco sells the whole kit for cheap (under $200, I think).