need wireless connection advice..

Hi, I'm planning to buy my 1st notebook in a week or so. I'm kinda confused about getting connected on the road. Will I need to sign up for broadband service? If I do, what if I can't find a hotspot in my area? Is a router needed in order to connect from someplace rather than at home?

Like I know that the library at my college has wireless access, so in tihs case I wouldn't need any additional accessories, would I? Sorry, this is all really new to me. Thanks, Greg

 

Most newer laptops will have some type of intergrated, minipci, or miniPCIe wireless card installed in A, B, G, or draft-n format. This will allow you to connect to most hotspot anywhere on the planet. Since you college library has a wifi hotspot, a A/B/G wireless card should suffice. This will cover almost 90% of you wireless needs.

A router is not necessary because the wifi hotspots are already access points which are really routers. You wireless card interacts with the access point which then interacts with the internet. The only reason you would need a router is if you want to share your internet connection with your roomates, but this is not necessary because if they do have laptops, they should also have wireless cards installed already.

The broadband service (EVDO, CMDA) you are talking about is not necessary unless you live in a place where there is no wifi or if you travel a lot and need to be connected all the time to the internet. This many come in handy if, lets say, the internet at your college goes out and you need to go online and finish a project due tomorrow.

In summary, try to find a laptop with A/B/G specifications. Intel's 3945ABG should suffice. (Also try not to get one with Intel's 2xxx series as they have many problems) A router is not necessary, and broadband service is only if you travel a lot and need to be connected to the internet all the time.

I hope this helped.

 

I understand what you're saying basically. But I will still need to have an Intermet Service provider, right? If not broadband, will I need to get DSL or high-speed internet service?

In other words, I can't use regular internet service when I go on the road right? Don't I need a special kind of ISP for using laptop away from home? Thanks, Greg

 

The college should already have its own ISP so you don't need to find an ISP when in school or at home. It is best to talk with your college's admin to verify this.

If you mean not at home or not at college when you state "on the road," then yes you may need a special ISP such as Verizon's Broadband Access. However, if you are able to find a Starbucks or Barnes and Nobel, they should already have an access point meaning you do not need a special ISP as thoes access points are already connected to the internet.

 

there are two ways to connect when away from home...

1. you know how at home you have a router connected to your ISP? that's all a "hotspot" is. for example, at your library, it's just a wifi router sitting in a room somewhere that you connect to. same with starbucks or anywhere else where you can get a wifi connection. there is no mystery to it.

2. you can sign up for EV-DO type of service. this is a PC Card that is basically a broadband modem. you put the card into your notebook and connect. there is a monthly fee for this, around 60 to 80 bux a month.