[add_oil]

hey! so this is my problem. i'm planning on getting a dell notebook this month, but i've been stalling because i don't know how to get internet access onto it. i'm definately not going to use dial-up because my pc at home is already connected to a cable modem. at dell.com, it says the notebook comes with a network card (<--what's this???) and an optional router (<--- no clue about this one either). from what i've heard, i can supposedly get a splitter for my cable modem so i don't have to pay the extra $5 to my cable company for the wireless access and use the router with it. but i'm not too good with this wiring stuff (in this case, wireless stuff).

also my cable company says i can get their wireless internet (without the use of router) for an extra $4 monthly, plus a one-time $50 installation fee. but i'm probably not likely to get that if the router and the splitter can do it w/o paying extra.

any help will be great. but hopefully, someone can give me a detailed, but not too technical description about what to do. THANKS!!!!!! waiting for a reply...

[madcowny]

To create a wireless network, you basically connect a wireless router to your cable modem. You computers are then connected to you router, either using wires or wireless.

With Windows XP, the connection is pretty much automatic, with very little configuration.

A network card is what you use to connect to a network (!). It can be the wireless type, or a normal type (rj-45) for wired connections.

Probably best if you search the net for a networking guide. Try to understand the basics, before coming back and ask some specific questions.

[DefaultUser]

Hi!

Well, actually there are more than solutions...

If you use wire than you can put another network card on your Desktop to share the Internet connection...

Or simply buy a HUB with uplink, where you can put in your modem...
This is the easiest way to share the connection... If you get your IP trough DHCP... you have nothing to configure...

[hurricane]

I would suggest that you go and buy a wireless router. It should be too expensive nowadays... in this way, both ur pc. and ur. laptop will have wireless internet access. The connection should be like this:

CABLE MODEM
|
WIRELESS ROUTER
|
|-------------------------------------------|
Laptop's wireless network card PC wireless network card


So, in summary, you'll need
i) 1 cable modem (you already have)
ii) 1 wireless router
iii) 1 Laptop wireless network card (you can select this option when purchasing laptop)
iv) 1 PC wireless network card

If you don't need to go wireless (but I think it is much more convenient IMHO), you can replace all the wireless componet with the regular (wired) ones... Then, you need to have RJ45 (LAN network cable) connecting the wireless router to the laptop and your PC.

[add_oil]

thanks! now that you guys have simplified things for me, one more thing i have to add:

my pc is connected to the cable modem w/ wires already, so i don't really need to go wireless with that. so if i just want my laptop to go wireless, i wouldn't need the "1 PC wireless network card" (as hurricane mentioned before) right??

[ae86]

add_oil, on Dec 16 2004 5 30 PM, said:

thanks! now that you guys have simplified things for me, one more thing i have to add:

my pc is connected to the cable modem w/ wires already, so i don't really need to go wireless with that. so if i just want my laptop to go wireless, i wouldn't need the "1 PC wireless network card" (as hurricane mentioned before) right??

29173"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

How is your computer connected to the modem? Does it use ethernet or USB? Ethernet connection looks like a telephone wire with a bigger plug. USB is a rectangular or square plug that doesn't have that little tab you need to push down.

If your computer is connected through ethernet, you will not need the extra pc wireless card because the desktop can be connected to the router with the eithernet wire. You can stay on your USB connection also if desired.

However, it's better to use ethernet because it's faster and uses less cpu power compared to USB. If you don't have a ethernet port on your computer, you can get an wired ethernet card for about $10. I recommend wired network for your desktop because it's a more reliable connection than a wireless. Although wireless components are coming down in price, I think wired is still cheaper in comparison.

[add_oil]

hey, thanks everyone. i've installed the router onto my pc already. my dad got someone to install an ethernet card onto my old pc for free.
so now everything's going good except for my wireless connection because my signal sucks even if i'm way close to the router (about 6 feet away on the same floor).

if u can help, please see this topic i started below, it has more details on my problem.........
http://forum.asianfa...-talk77712.html