wireless networking

[mattwhite1]

Wifey has just got a new laptop and is moaning at me because she cant use our Freeserve (speedtouch) Broadband connection on it.

I have had a look around at equipment to buy, can someone point me in the right direction.

We have an e-machines PC, and a Novatech Matrix laptop. Bigpockets are doing a deal on wireless kits at the moment, but I am confused by the whole PCI Wireless Card, and PCMCIA Wireless Card thing. Can someone have a look at the deals below and let me know what would be the best one. And on the best one, if you know of another site with a better price then please point it out to me?

Truth is that I am clueless when it comes to networking, so any help will be appreciated.

Thanks

1) Bigpockets Deal 1: http://www.bigpockets.co.uk/product.php?lang=&gad=&product=NETCOM0001&session=c89607408af74bc48f0726ccf88c6bf1

2)Bigpockets Deal 2 http://www.bigpockets.co.uk/product.php?lang=&gad=&product=NETCOM0002&session=c89607408af74bc48f0726ccf88c6bf1

3)Bigpockets Deal 3 http://www.bigpockets.co.uk/product.php?lang=&gad=&product=NETCOM0003&session=c89607408af74bc48f0726ccf88c6bf1

[DaveJP]

Is your speedtouch a USB or network attached device?

And, if your laptop is new it may have wireless built in.

Dave

[mattwhite1]

speedtouch is a usb device. I am pretty sure that the laptop doesnt have prebuilt wireless to be honest. It was only a £600 NOvatech Matrix.

[DaveJP]

In that case I don't think any of those deals will be any good!

Your cheapest option is to set the PC up as the gateway and leave that on all the time connected to the speedtouch. You will need a wireless PC card for both the laptop and the PC similar to the Deal 2. You wont need the access point though. You would need to give each card a static IP address and set the gateway as the PC address.

If you have more money available you could replace the speedtouch with a new wireless/hub/router. There are a lot of deals on at the moment that include a wireless adapter. You could then use a standard 10/100 ethernet link from the PC (assuming it has a built in adapter) or buy a cheap lan card. The laptop would be wireless and the PC wired. You could make the PC wireless too but there seems little point as it is presumably near your ADSL point anyway.

Dave

[Flyer]

I have an Asus WL500g, a Netgear WG511 network card in my laptop & an NTL cable B/band connection (No desktop system yet...lack of funds). At present I plug the cable from the NTL modem into the ASUS wireless port and my laptop card detects the ASUS & hooks up t'internet like that. The ASUS has 4 spare ports where I can hook 4 wired pcs into via RJ45 cable and the manual says I can get onto the net like this. This way, I only need to leave the modem & the ASUS (router) on rather than having a pc on all the time. If you like this route, the Netgear card was tenner (cheers bargain forums!) & the router (ASUS) was £57.99 from Microdirect (& came with a free, funky Logitech webcam too!) All the best...

[DaveJP]

Yep, but your modem isn't USB, is it?

Dave

[Flyer]

no!... :doh: :nuts: Sorry about the confusion...must learn to read ALL of the post in future. Good luck with your problem anyway... :)

edit...D'you know what? Both the modem & the ASUS DO have a USB connection on them...hmm...