wireless novice

moaninmick

I want to set up a wireless connection between my pc and laptop. Any suggestions for the best equipment and standard? Someone suggested Linksys WKPC54G. Any thoughts?

Thanks

tigermatt

I'm going to recommend Netgear kit becuase I've never had any problems with it. Your best option is, if you have ADSL Broadband, to get a Netgear DG834G. It's a router and wireless access point combined, so it takes over the internet and the wireless.

If you don't have broadband then you could just get a wireless access point (Netgear WG602) - that just does the wireless and not the internet, but if you do have broadband then get the DG834G.

Then for each computer you need a device to communicate with the wireless (e.g. the wireless antenna in the DG834G or the WG602) the easiest to install are USB ones becuase you just plug them into the back of your PC and setup the software. Netgear WG111 is a good Wireless USB Adapter for your computer, although if you are happy with installing a PCI card (inside your computer) then you could probably get one of those cheaper. (Obviously you can't do PCI cards in a laptop, easiest is for the USB Adapter)

Take a look at http://www.ebuyer.co.uk/ to purchase your kit - it's cheap but the same as what you would purchase from well known high street retailers. I wouldn't recommend you go for the new 108Mbps Netgear kit either because from what I've heard it's not as reliable and the 108Mbps won't work at a distance anyway. The kit I've recommended above is 54Mbps equipment which is an adequate speed for internet/file transfer.

Don't forget that some laptops have built-in wireless receivers so you may not need to buy the second adapter if your laptop already has one.

Hope this helps

Tongue

There is only ONE OPTION for wireless >>>>>Netgear DG834G end of!

salthepal

I've just bought and "set up" the Netgear DG834 which I had problems with but only because my isp was down for a couple of hours - the only time that had happened to my knowledge since I signed up!
It is a fabulous piece of equipment - on offer at the moment at PC World which I think is a bit cheaper than ebuyer.
It came with the WG111 as a freebie but I don't know what I'm supposed to do with it because my desktop and laptop Gateway 6640b work perfectly well without it????
Please help.
Thanks.
Sally
While I was in the store another customer was asking how to set up a wireless network and was told to refer the Five's Gadget show advice http://gadgetshow.five.tv/jsp/5gsmain.jsp?lnk=401&featureid=96&show=s4e7&section=How%20To...

Chippy_Minton

salthepal wrote:

It came with the WG111 as a freebie but I don't know what I'm supposed to do with it because my desktop and laptop Gateway 6640b work perfectly well without it

The WG111 is a USB wireless adapter. Plug it into a USB slot and it allows the computer to communicate wirelessly with a wireless router.

moaninmick

Thanks to tigermatt and Tongue for their advice.