Dongle, router or what?

onejontwo

After a lot of helpful info and guidance on here (mainly Alienrik) my desktop pc has been running as sweet as a nut for some time now and I am on a decent broadband package (Virgin). Now then, my daughter is starting university shortly and requires a laptop, I will do some research on here as to the best one to buy in due course, but what else do I need with it to receive broadband from home and away, dongle (whatever that is) router (not sure what that is) or something else? Also can I use my b/b contract or do I have to set up another one as she won't be based here. Thanks in advance.

angelavdavis

Well you would have a couple of options depending on where your daughter is intending to live.

I am not aware of any provider who allows you to effectively share your existing agreement with your student daughter, although no doubt someone else will come on here and put me right!

Option 1 - Landline, router, wifi connection
If in a shared house which has a landline, the students living there could club together and get broadband on the landline. It would need to be a separate contract, billed separately, etc.

Usually, the phone company (say BT) will insist on either a deposit to be made or for someone with a credit record such as yourself to open the account. It has been a few years since I have lived in lodgings so I am guessing someone else a good deal younger will know the deal for sure now.

They will need an adsl router (which does come with some broadband packages anyway) and (although most laptops now come with an onboard wifi connector) you might need an *external wifi connector (such as a usb dongle) to save having trailing cables everywhere.

Obviously speed will depend on the local exchange and wifi signal in the house.

Option 1b - Cable
Another option would be something like Virgin cable which wouldn't need a telephone line but it is dependent on whether it is available in the area she intends to live in.

Option 2 - Mobile Broadband
Alternatively, you could get a mobile broadband dongle. This would allow her to connect to a mobile signal. Which one you choose would depend on the connectivity in the area she intends to live in. A mobile broadband dongle could prove expensive if she uses it a lot and will almost certainly be slower and less reliable than the landline option.

When she is home, she can connect to your broadband via the onboard (*or external) wifi connector if there isn't an onboard connector.

nomoreheroes

I think you will find that there will be internet access provided for the students at the university, most probably wireless on campus and wired in halls.
Provided she has a laptop with wifi she should be ok.

onejontwo

nomoreheroes wrote: »

I think you will find that there will be internet access provided for the students at the university, most probably wireless on campus and wired in halls.
Provided she has a laptop with wifi she should be ok.

If that is the case, do I have to set up a broadband contract as I have done at home on my desktop pc, or how else does she pay for the internet access, or then again is it provided free?

Darksun

onejontwo wrote: »

If that is the case, do I have to set up a broadband contract as I have done at home on my desktop pc, or how else does she pay for the internet access, or then again is it provided free?

Is she going to be staying in Halls? It does vary from uni to uni, sometimes it is included in the rent and sometimes an additional charge is placed on the service, but it'll be done through the uni/owners of the halls rather than an independent broadband provider

mikerobertson_uk

Hi my daughter is at Bristol uni and pays £80 per year that's for wired when she is in her digs & wireless when she is on campus.

onejontwo

Right now it's becoming clearer, so now to the laptop............. as mentioned above wifi would be an advantage, is this something that's built in or an accessory? Also would this be all I need?

Lokolo

onejontwo wrote: »

Right now it's becoming clearer, so now to the laptop............. as mentioned above wifi would be an advantage, is this something that's built in or an accessory? Also would this be all I need?

Both. If its not built in you can get a wireless dongle.

However the majority of laptops have wireless in built.

Bowling_4_Gold

I'd be surprised if her uni didn't have WiFi.

If it doesn't, then there is the option of Mobile Broadband. She can get a dongle to plug into the Laptop which connects to the 3G signal (check if the uni gets a good signal here - based on this result she should choose which provider to go with). She would need to pay either as Pay As You Go or on Contract (same as a mobile phone) but she would get a limit on the amount of surfing she could do.

Best option is to see if she gets WiFi on campus (my sister does who's at uni atm - set it up for her ) by calling up the uni, or physically going there with the laptop.

nomoreheroes

Re my previous reply my son is at Southampton uni and internet access is free on campus and in halls.
If living in rented accomodation is it down to the landlord to sort out a broadband supplier? I have no experience of renting myself.