[TRAJIK]

So, when you have a laptop (say, in house) how do you connect to internet? Without wires involved, what do I need? Thanks

[mphenterprises]

Hi Trajik. You need an internet connection, whether dialup or broadband (preferably broadband) and you need a wireless router. Once you get the wireless router, there are step by step instructions to get an internet connection with your laptop established. Here are some links to help you:http://www.microsoft.com/athome/moredone/wirelesssetup.mspxhttp://www.tiec.org/tiep/wireless_tasks.htm

[TRAJIK]

So, I have to connect a modem to a wireless router then? Do i need to buy wires in order to be connected between wireless router and modem? I'm guessing that wireless router will include the wires to connect to modem.....Thanks mphenterprises.edit -Also let you know, I have come across this, too.What you need.First, you'll need a high speed cable or ADSL modem from your Internet Service Provider (ISP). Then you'll need a wireless router, which acts as the central point of your network. Most wireless routers allow you to share a high-speed Internet connection between your computers, while providing network ports for wired connections as well. The Next step to set up a wireless network is to ensure that each computer has a wireless adapter. There are several kinds of wireless adapters: PCI cards for desktop computers, PC Cards (formerly known as PCMCIA cards) for laptops, and USB adapters that are suitable for both desktops and laptops. Tasty Wi-Fi flavours.The current popular standard for Wi-Fi is 802.11g, which attains speeds of up to 54Mbps while still being backward compatible with the slower standard, 802.11b. Some manufacturers also offer proprietary technologies, going by names such like 'Super G' or 'G+', which can increase the speed up to 108Mbps. If you go for a speed enhancer, make sure you choose a router and wireless adapters that support the same type of speed boost. Another Wi-Fi standard is 802.11a, which uses the 5GHz spectrum (compared to B/G's 2.4GHz) and also offers up to 54Mbps. Because 802.11a has a short range, and is not compatible with B/G, it is most commonly used in business settings or for specialty applications like streaming video. However, it is becoming common for wireless adapters to support A in addition to B/G. Lock the front door.After you've installed your hardware (and any necessary software), it's very important to secure your wireless network using its built-in data encryption: WEP, or the more secure WPA or WPA2. Simply setting a password goes a long way to protecting your wireless network from unauthorized access. For extra protection, set your wireless router to not broadcast your network SSID. Once your network is set up, there won't be any more fighting about who gets to go online first. You'll also be able to share files between computers easily, making life at home a bit more harmonious.

[mphenterprises]

Yes, all the wires and software come with the router. You should be good to go in about an hour from the time you start. :-)

[TRAJIK]

OK cool.

[TRAJIK]

Um, which brand would you recommend?

[mphenterprises]

Well personally, I have never gone wrong with Linksys. However, Netgear is very good as well. Look for a router that is 802.11g.

[jbking]

I'll second the Linksys recommendation. I have a DI-524 router at home that has worked for me for the past year without too many problems.