I'm going to buy a laptop soon and want to know what basic items i need
to use the internet. .I usually visit my parents once a month and want
to be able to access the net there if i need to. Do i need only a
wireless card or do i also need to use a router and a DSL hookup?
Thanks

First, you need an ISP to provide your internet service. Unless it's
dialup, the ISP will provide you with some type of modem (cable modem or
DSL modem). Normally, this modem will have an Ethernet RJ45 network
interface socket. But you will have to contact an ISP, set up an
account and install the appropriate modem.

For a wired connection, you could connect your laptop directly to the
RJ45 socket on the modem. However, for security reasons, I personally
recommend that everyone always operate behind a router. The router also
provides the ability to share the single port of the modem with multiple
computers. Typically, routers have one WAN port (connects to the ISP's
modem) and 3, 4, 5 or 8 wired ports for connecting computers with
Ethernet cables.

If you get a wireless router, it will still have the wired ports, but
will also have a wireless antenna that can connect to [potentially]
dozens to hundreds of computers [like your laptop] wirelessly, without
cables. To do that, the computer[s] will each need a wireless network
card (most laptops today have this built-in ... in addition to having a
port for a wired connection and a dialup telephone modem as well). If
the computer doesn't have a built-in wireless network adapter, you can
buy a PC Card or USB external wireless adapter. There are 4 standards
for these adapters, 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g and [still preliminary]
802.11n. If you have to buy any of this stuff (either a wireless router
or the network adapter for the laptop), it's a near certainty that you
want an 802.11g model. There are also some higher priced "super G"
models, but frankly you don't need those, the standard 54Mbps "G" models
are fine.

It is critically important that if you get a wireless router, that you
either disable the wireless function or turn on "encryption" and
establish encryption keys. There are two main types of encryption, WEP
and WPA. Use WPA if you have a choice, it's far more secure. But WEP
is probably adequate unless you really are dealing with extremely
confidential material. While WEP can be hacked (with significant
effort), it still takes a very knowledgeable hacker, and it takes enough
effort that normally no attempt would be made to do so in the absence of
a specific target and motive.



shareyourknowledge********.com wrote:
> I'm going to buy a laptop soon and want to know what basic items i need
> to use the internet. .I usually visit my parents once a month and want
> to be able to access the net there if i need to. Do i need only a
> wireless card or do i also need to use a router and a DSL hookup?
> Thanks
>

shareyourknowledge********.com wrote:
> I'm going to buy a laptop soon and want to know what basic items i need
> to use the internet. .I usually visit my parents once a month and want
> to be able to access the net there if i need to. Do i need only a
> wireless card or do i also need to use a router and a DSL hookup?
> Thanks

Barry gave a lot of info but left out the "parent" thing. If you take
your laptop there, and they do not already have internet access, you'll
have to revert to using dial up. So make sure that your laptop have a
modem in it. Using dial up means that you have to access to an
internet service provider, e.g., AOL charged 10 bucks a month for
ocassional dial-up usage. There used to be free dial-up ISP like
netzero, I don't know if they still exists. In my case, I just go to
starbuck with my wireless capable laptop, get a cuppa, then use their
free wireless while enjoying a good strong caffeine source. OR, if
you're not troubled and somewhere near your parents home there someone
with UN-SECURED wireless network, connect to it and take a free ride.
Just don't hog it. I think most people don't even know that someone is
using their bandwidth.

cmdrdata wrote:

> starbuck with my wireless capable laptop, get a cuppa, then use their
> free wireless while enjoying a good strong caffeine source. OR, if

Ahem. Free? Starbucks stores offer wireless Internet access provided by
T-Mobile. Money is required.

Re: "OR, if you're not troubled and somewhere near your parents home
there someone with UN-SECURED wireless network, connect to it and take a
free ride."

Be careful; in some states that is a felony, and people have actually
been sent to prison for it.


cmdrdata wrote:
> shareyourknowledge********.com wrote:
>> I'm going to buy a laptop soon and want to know what basic items i need
>> to use the internet. .I usually visit my parents once a month and want
>> to be able to access the net there if i need to. Do i need only a
>> wireless card or do i also need to use a router and a DSL hookup?
>> Thanks
>
> Barry gave a lot of info but left out the "parent" thing. If you take
> your laptop there, and they do not already have internet access, you'll
> have to revert to using dial up. So make sure that your laptop have a
> modem in it. Using dial up means that you have to access to an
> internet service provider, e.g., AOL charged 10 bucks a month for
> ocassional dial-up usage. There used to be free dial-up ISP like
> netzero, I don't know if they still exists. In my case, I just go to
> starbuck with my wireless capable laptop, get a cuppa, then use their
> free wireless while enjoying a good strong caffeine source. OR, if
> you're not troubled and somewhere near your parents home there someone
> with UN-SECURED wireless network, connect to it and take a free ride.
> Just don't hog it. I think most people don't even know that someone is
> using their bandwidth.
>