How do I make my laptop "wireless"?

Emuchops

Thanks again to All. Take This-I did renew my contract shortly before paying up front with TT so am with them for the foreseeable-until around Aug/Sept 2012. But I shall give them a ring and let you know how I get on.

I have had a look at the recommended modems-the Netgear one seems quite reasonable at around £20. What I would like to ask is whether I need to buy other stuff? (On Amazon - on the "customers also buy" its got stuff like wireless PC cards, adapters and network cables). Is it likely that I would need additional bits and pieces like this? (Just given up job so money a bit tight).
Also are they easy to set up once I have one?

thank you.

GunJack

Emuchops wrote: »

Thanks for your help.
I cannot find anything apart from the Attenuation speed-24db. I'm not sure if they're of any use but the Transmit Line RAte is 448kbps and the Receive Line Rate is 4832 kbps and Data rate is 0. What is LLU-I'm guessing its Landline something?

with a downstream attenuation of 24dB, using a half-decent router will get you more like 16 Meg download speed

..pester/ask TT nicely for one

MarrowFarmer

TakeThis wrote: »

Changing would get you exactly the same.

Quite, but my point is by staying with TT you will not only get support for the router you will also get to keep those lovely tiscali.co.uk e-mail addresses.

GunJack

MarrowFarmer wrote: »

Quite, but my point is by staying with TT you will not only get support for the router you will also get to keep those lovely tiscali.co.uk e-mail addresses.

another reason I'm staying put for now

JimmyTheWig

Emuchops wrote: »

What I would like to ask is whether I need to buy other stuff?

From what's been said, then no. You just need the router.

As it happens, your laptop is already wireless.
If you took it to McDonalds, say, where they have free wireless internet you could connect it up to there with no additional hardware.
So all you need is something to make your house wireless.
That's what the router does.

TalkTalk

HI EmuChops,


Just to clarify the Retentions Team may offer you a router free of charge given that you recently renewed your contract.

If you give them a call on 0870 444 1820 option 4 then option 2 you can discuss this with the retentions team directly,

Provided your laptop has a wireless card (if you check the manuafacturers handbook or Spec on the laptop) then you wont need anything else. The router is sent with wireless security already on it, so when you connect it to the phone line the wireless network should be visible on the Laptop (theres a small icon on the bottom right in the system tray which should give a "pop-up" to advise wireless networks are available, depending which operating system you have).

If the retentions team dont offer a router for free we can still send you one and the charge for the router will be applied to your account. The amount of which depends which router you are sent.

I hope this helps to clear up any confusion.

Regards

Mark
TalkTalk Online Community Department

Emuchops

Well, thankyou again to all that have bothered to reply and I'm impressed to see a TT rep helping out too.
I gave them a call before seeing the latest replies and the lady said that a wireless router will be sent out 1st Class tomorrow. Apparently I renewed my contract last month (when I paid up front for line rental), and so all she wanted in return was that I "tie in" for another 12 months, so just one month longer than I was already tied in for. She also said that I would get 3 free months over Christmas...

Thanks again for all the help as it really would not have occured to me to ask TT for one. And thanks to all who helped identify my laptop as being WIFI enabled.

No doubt I shall be back when the gubbins arrive as it will probably bamboozle me.

TakeThis

Emuchops wrote: »

Well, thankyou again to all that have bothered to reply and I'm impressed to see a TT rep helping out too.
I gave them a call before seeing the latest replies and the lady said that a wireless router will be sent out 1st Class tomorrow. Apparently I renewed my contract last month (when I paid up front for line rental), and so all she wanted in return was that I "tie in" for another 12 months, so just one month longer than I was already tied in for. She also said that I would get 3 free months over Christmas...

Thanks again for all the help as it really would not have occured to me to ask TT for one. And thanks to all who helped identify my laptop as being WIFI enabled.

No doubt I shall be back when the gubbins arrive as it will probably bamboozle me.

TT's technical department will talk you through it.

Though don't install any TT software if you can help it. Better for you to use Windows built in capability.

GunJack

^^^ plus 1 for the above post. Never use "installation disks" for routers, you simply don't need them. Just installs all sorts of carp on your pc....

spud17

GunJack wrote: »

^^^ plus 1 for the above post. Never use "installation disks" for routers, you simply don't need them. Just installs all sorts of carp on your pc....

ETA, never use installation disks for anything, unless it totally refuses to work. Always try it first, then resort to installing software.