Do I need a router?

I'm looking at purchasing a laptop soon and have a few questions about routers. If you could direct me or answer, I would appreciate it.
I have a desktop and a cable modem. The laptop will have a wireless card with it.
1)If I use the LT at home, is there a cord I can just plug into the modem?
2)If I need a router, I don't want to lose the cable speed I have. Do I lose speed with a router?
3)Do I need a router to use the printer?

Any help would be appreciated. I guess I am just a turn it on and go guy, but would like to know more about computers. I have been reading alot of the sticky's on this forum and some of the threads. Good job to the mods, you got me hooked.

 

Thanks Krazz for the compliment

1. What do you mean by LT?
2. You will lose speed at a certian point. If there is nothing between you and your 20ft away from the router, your speeds will be about what you would be wired. Even if there are a few walls you will get almost the same speeds wired. As you get farther from the router, the signal will decrease thus making your speeds decrease. Since you have cable, your speeds wont matter much as i have cable, and i only loose about 75-100Kbps download. But as stated, if your 100ft away from the router, your internet speeds are going to cut down.
3. You can't have a basic router and print wireless from it. If you want to hook up the printer to the router, you need a print server. Or you can get a wireless print server that plugs into the router, and plugs into the printer thus making it able to print wireless from your laptop. Or flat out you can just get a wireless printer. Its your choice.

 

Thanks Nick. I meant laptop, or notebook(NB)? lol. I won't be far from my modem, so that is good news. As for the other stuff, let me do this:
I am getting a laptop and want to use my printer and maybe share folders with my desktop. I will probably only surf when I am home and want to use my cable modem and current ISP subscription.
1) What do I need to do this?
2) Can I have 2 computers(desktop and laptop) on one modem and/or one subscription.
I don't want to purchase a second ISP and am not sure if I have to. FYI- I have comcast cable.
Thanks for the help.

 

If you want to use youre desktop and youre laptop with the cable it would be easier is you use a router with acess point.
I use the Asus WL 500 G so i have a little homenetwork and can share my printer with the desktop en laptop.
My laptop is wireless with 802.11g and mine desktop is hooked up, and works fine.

 

I have Comcast cable too, its very nice.

You don't need an access point. Just a router.
Basically, the router plugs into your current modem. And today, basically all standard routers have a four port switch so you can have 4 wired PC's and have wireless. You will be fine as you only have a desktop and a laptop.
Since you have comcast, and this goes with most ISP's, you can have multiple people hooked up online through the cable modem.
So the setup: Cable Outlet -> Modem -> Router _> 4 wired PC's and the rest wireless.

Since you will be using a router, they all share the same IP so in that case, you can have more computers hooked up. Everything hooked up to the router is like one big computer. Comcast usually lets you have 5 PC's online at once, so if your using a router, you can have 4 PC's online at a different location. So basically, you hvae nothing to worry about.

Supplies you need:
The wireless card (it will be in the laptop)
A wireless G Router (recommended)
And thats it

Hope it helps!

 

Helps a great deal, Nick. You folks here are a great help. Now if I can just get a laptop in budget I will be on my way, lol(waiting for dell to put the 6800 back in the 9300).

 

Your Welcome Krazz. Any time you need help just post