HELP! Laptop Newbie Needs Assistance with Wireless

Hi Guys,
I’m a laptop newbie. I would like to ask for some help with my wireless connection.

Thank you to everyone that has posted on this subject, especially Nickspohn for the detailed guides to wireless and routers. Unfortunately, I’m such a newbie that it all sounded like a foreign language.

I think I need some extra help in understanding the different steps. Sorry to be so dense!

I have just purchased an HP dv5000z series laptop. It’s my first laptop and I’m so excited. It’s arriving in about 10 days. It will have wireless capability 54g 802.11 b/g WLAN.

I currently have a desktop hooked up to dial up on AOL and I have never used a wireless connection or highspeed internet. My first question is: What do I do to prepare myself for a wireless connection?

I am guessing I need to get rid of AOL! I just pulled out a digital broadband cable modem that came with the desktop I purchase about 3 years ago. It's an RCA DCM245R. It has USB and ethernet connectivity. For computers using Windows 95 or later. Because it’s three years old, do I need a new one or will this one do?

I looked online and found that my cable company, Cox Communications in California, offers broadband. Is that the next step? To get Broadband from my cable company? Verizon Wireless has DSL, but it's more expensive. I don't really know the difference between the Cable Broadband and the Highspeed DSL.


Since we have Cable TV and Telephone service through Cox Cable, they claim that they will credit us $10 month on our bill in a bundle package of all three. But, I noticed there were two choices. One choice was to simply be connected to the Internet at highspeed. Another choice was to connect to the internet and also create a network at home. They will do the connections with Lynksys equipment, but the pricetag on that option was absolutely crazy. Just about $259.95 for 2 pcs and $99.95 for a third.

How hard would it be to do this myself? As I have read on this forum, it seems like all of you have done this yourselves. If someone can explain it simply, I’ll be able to follow what is needed.

The Cox Advertisement Quotes:

Share one Cox High Speed Internet connection with up to 4 computers in your home Enjoy the freedom of wireless Internet access in every room in your home
Let a Cox professional install it all, including world-class Linksys gear. Now everyone in your family can enjoy those benefits any time they want, on any computer in your home. With Home Networking from Cox, you can share your high-speed Internet connection with multiple computers. Plus you can connect all your computers to one printer. Share files instantly. And much more.

With both wired and wireless network solutions, you can access the Internet anywhere in your home. Cox takes care of installation - Our experts will install and configure your Home Network quickly and easily. You won't need to worry about any technical details.

Cox Home Networking
With a Home network from Cox you will receive:
--IEEE-compliant home networking devices (purchase to own)
--Installation and configuration to ensure your network is up and running quickly and smoothly
--Security features configured to protect the computers and files on your network
--Cox Service Assurance Plan

The small Print:

a three-time charge on your next three bills of $86.65 ($259.95 total charge) for equipment purchase and installation will apply for the first 2 PCs, then $99.95 for any 3rd or 4th PC.


That’s $359.90 to get wireless networking. I am assuming I don’t need to do this through them. At least I’m hoping I’m not required to go through them. RIGHT? Otherwise, we can’t go wireless in our home. It’s too expensive and my husband would just say NO WAY!

Assuming I CAN do this myself….. my next question is: After I get the Broadband service only, do I purchase a router to create my own wireless connection to my computer and make it wireless? I will buy one from Nickspohn’s list.

Also, I just discovered that my son, who also has a laptop, has the wireless connection capability. He has not used it because we didn’t know what it was until recently . He has been connecting his laptop to the telephone line to get AOL. When we discovered the wireless stuff, a popup came up and said 802.11 b. Will that make a difference if my laptop has 802.11 a/g and his only has the b? It will be great if the both of us can move around the house wirelessly. My husband wants to stay on the desktop. Will there be a problem if we connect the desktop to the internet and have two wireless laptops?

Please correct me if I don't understand this correctly.
1. We Get Broadband through the cable connection (does it make a difference if we have a cable box hooked up now to watch cable tv?
2. The cable will hook up to a broadband modem.
3. The broadband modem will hook up to the router
4. The router will hook up to the desktop
5. The two laptops will then be wireless by picking up signals from the router

Oh, yea...Another question:
In order to keep spammers, computer attackers and hijackers from getting into our computers, do we purchase software like Zone Alarm Internet Security, or does the Router keep the hackers, hijackers, spammers out? My desktop and my son’s computer were attacked shortly after we got them three years ago because we didn’t know we needed software. We downloaded spy ware and a free version of zone alarm and that stopped the attacks, but our computers have never been the same. I don’t want my brand new laptop to get attacked.

Thank you to all who took the time to read my post. Any help that you are willing to give is welcome and will be very much appreciated! I’m looking forward to learning about my laptop and all its features.

Thanks!

 

Thanks for your interest in reading my guide

An overview of some of the things you asked:

Cable is a lot faster than DSL. By far almost, so i would get the Cable if possible. I would also get a new modem if needed, if this one you have works fine, then you can keep it.

You can do wireless yourself. It is very easy actually depending on what equipment you have. I would reccomend a Netgear router for you because they are very easy to install, and are user friendly. Linksys is a lot more complicated, and i would only reccomend them to previous Wireless users.

You would want WPA security, or you can have WEP. Depends on where you live. WPA is a lot more secure than WEP, but WEP is security.

If you have any more questions, just list them out like:

1)
2)
etc. If thats alright

Nick

 

Nickspohn, thank you so much for your reply.

Questions:
1. Did I get the steps to connect the router correct? Cable, then Modem, then router, then desktop. And the laptops will be then be wireless and the desktop will be connected to cable by itself?

2. The WPA security WEP Security? Is that a feature of the Router that I need to look at or some software I need to install?

You mentioned on your guide that the Netgear WPN824 is extra secure. Is that the WEP You're talking about?

3. Do I still need to get online security like Zone alarm, for when I'm out traveling with the laptop and want to connect to the internet or does a travel router do that. I'm still not sure how that works. You mentioned in your guide that Linksys and Netgear have a travel version Router. How does that work not being connected to our home cable?

4. I would like to connect to internet while I travel. Does that Travel Router find my broadband space?

Thanks!