Wireless Laptops

[Ding Dong !]

Am thinking getting rid of my desk top ( getting on a little ) and going down the route of a wireless set up and a Laptop instead of a desk top.

Are they easy to set up and do they work well ? and what experiences/problems have you encountered if you have gone down this route ?

Any advise, hints etc etc would be gratefully appreciated before I take the plunge and potentially waste my money.

 

[sully]

How much wireless ar eyou talking about?

My laptop still needs regular attachment to the mains, but everything else is (was) wireless, except the monitor if I need it.

It was all fantastic for a while, until the little sender box decided to pack up and the mouse and keyboard consequently didn't work. I haven't got round to sorting it out yet, so just use a USB optical mouse and the built in keyboard.

The wireless networking is simple to sort out (assuming you have something to connect to).

I still seem to carry a load of cables around with me, though!

 

[Ding Dong !]

How much wireless ar eyou talking about?

My laptop still needs regular attachment to the mains, but everything else is (was) wireless, except the monitor if I need it.

It was all fantastic for a while, until the little sender box decided to pack up and the mouse and keyboard consequently didn't work. I haven't got round to sorting it out yet, so just use a USB optical mouse and the built in keyboard.

The wireless networking is simple to sort out (assuming you have something to connect to).

I still seem to carry a load of cables around with me, though!

Cheers Sully.

What do you mean by: "How much Wireless " ?


What I want to do is plug the router box ( with the antenna ) into the phone socket and be able to use the laptop anywhere in the house. Is it as simple as that ? ( once of course everything has been set up etc etc )

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Make sure the wireless is built into the laptop as it covers a greater distance than say a PCMCIA card or wireless USB pen.

I like either HP or Toshiba and the wireless functions in both are very straight forward ( some HP's need their BIOS upgrading though as the wireless button doesn't work but this may well have been fixed by now ! ).

Stick to either DLink or Netgear wireless routers - both good value for money. I always choose Netgear but as with anything in IT there'll be someone who says they are crap !

 

[Rookie]

Got a Dell Laptop with built in wireless card with a Netgear wireless router all works very well and was stupidly easy to set up.
Go for it beats the desktop hands down. (Cue argument)

 

[Schrödinger's Toad]

Had repeated problems with Belkin routers, but the BT one I replaced it with works fine.

 

[clippedgull]

Make sure once you are up and running that you set the security up on it. You don't want the lad next door surfing for porn over your system do you?

 

[bhaexpress]

Make sure the wireless is built into the laptop as it covers a greater distance than say a PCMCIA card or wireless USB pen.

I like either HP or Toshiba and the wireless functions in both are very straight forward ( some HP's need their BIOS upgrading though as the wireless button doesn't work but this may well have been fixed by now ! ).

Stick to either DLink or Netgear wireless routers - both good value for money. I always choose Netgear but as with anything in IT there'll be someone who says they are crap !

I'd go with Netgear too. I have a Netgear wireless router and because my PC (and laptop) are over a 100 yards from the router I have a repeater. I have a Netgear card in my Desktop and my Laptop. Previously I had a Belkin PCMCIA card in my laptop but that just gave up the ghost and had to be completely stripped out (software wise) in I have the nerve to take it out of the laptop, even when it was powered off. Belkin I would avoid.

 

[Strike]

Currently loaning a Toshiba laptop from Haywards Heath College for the year, can get it charged up so can use it without mains for about 4 hours. Only bummer is no web access on it, but might try and research if its possible to get the internet on it.

 

[Strike]

But finding it much better than a desktop as can do homework anywhere and takes up less space in my room.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

I'd go with Netgear too. I have a Netgear wireless router and because my PC (and laptop) are over a 100 yards from the router I have a repeater. I have a Netgear card in my Desktop and my Laptop. Previously I had a Belkin PCMCIA card in my laptop but that just gave up the ghost and had to be completely stripped out (software wise) in I have the nerve to take it out of the laptop, even when it was powered off. Belkin I would avoid.

Ahhh maybe you could answer a question for me please ? I'm using a Voyger router ( yes I know I recommended Netgear !!! ) but can't get the signal to the far point of my house - what repeater do you use and does it need to be physically connected to the router ?

Thanks,

Westdene

 

[Ding Dong !]

Ahhh maybe you could answer a question for me please ? I'm using a Voyger router ( yes I know I recommended Netgear !!! ) but can't get the signal to the far point of my house - what repeater do you use and does it need to be physically connected to the router ?

Thanks,

Westdene

Would that be the BT Voyager 2091 router ? ( think it's the 2091 orsimilar ) That's the one BT sent me when I moved but not yet set up.

Is it not very good ?

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Would that be the BT Voyager 2091 router ? ( think it's the 2091 orsimilar ) That's the one BT sent me when I moved but not yet set up.

Is it not very good ?

That's the one - and it works fine. No bells and whistles - just plug it in, get your laptop to scan for wireless networks, type in the WEP key on the underside of the router and away you go.

The Voyager routers are actually quite good but I've never seen them for sale. BT have been using them for ages and mines not missed a beat.

 

[Hannibal smith]

Most of its been said.

You need to buy a Wireless router. We ran tests for a corporate Network using wireless technology and Netgear came out on top. I have one at home but the only problem with it is during thunderstorms etc. You then should encrypt it or at the very least lock it down to the MAC address of the PC you are using to stop the neighbours downloading animal porn using your IP address. My Netgear router took me about 20 minutes to set up. Even one of my fuckwit technophobe friends had it working within an hour.

You will need a wireless card in your laptop. If your buying a new one, check one is built in - It should be.

I'd highly recommend wireless - Work from home, watch the cricket in the summer, sit in the garden. The only problem in the garden is when the sun shines on your screen and you can't see anything.

 

[Cian]

The Voyager 2091 has a known issue where the wireless card inside it dies - wireless goes off, wireless settings in the manager webpage vanish, etc. Will be replaced F.O.C. if you get the right tech agent on the line, mind...

 

[bristolseagull]

Make sure once you are up and running that you set the security up on it. You don't want the lad next door surfing for porn over your system do you?

Im dead lucky, i get two unsecured connections in my room!

yay- free porn!

 

[bhaexpress]

Ahhh maybe you could answer a question for me please ? I'm using a Voyger router ( yes I know I recommended Netgear !!! ) but can't get the signal to the far point of my house - what repeater do you use and does it need to be physically connected to the router ?

Thanks,

Westdene

Yep the repeater is a Netgear WPN802 Wireless 802.11g RangeMax Access Point, not cheap but useful.

 

[sully]

Cheers Sully.

What do you mean by: "How much Wireless " ?

Precisely what I then described.

I had/have a wireless mouse and keyboard connected to it as well as just the internet conection. I was just checking if you just meant a wireless internet connection or if you wanted all the other bits too. Sorry!


Referring to what someone else said about unsecured networks, I am able to log onto someone else's network from home, but haven't had a delve around yet!

My router is a DLink and I've had no problems with it at all. I think I bought it because someone on here recommnended it, actually!

 

[Charles 'Charley' Charles]

Had repeated problems with Belkin routers, but the BT one I replaced it with works fine.

I'd agree with that, had several problems with Belkin, although to be fair they did send me new one each time. Am on BT now and had no problems at all, and seems much faster.