Getting parents online

814man

So my mum wants to get on line and having seen and played with a computer and an iPad she has decided that an iPad would suit her best.
She is going to take up the current BT broadband offer which includes a Home Hub to start with wifi.
Will she also need a computer to configure the router?
I only know from my own home set up where I got computer then set up wifi and added devices including iPad since then. With just the iPad how can the system be set up?

macman

All you need to access the router's set up utility is a web browser. However, you may need an ethernet connection initially to set up the wi-fi on the router. If so, use a laptop to achieve that stage. Then connect the iPad using it's wi-fi.

George_Michael

Getting parents online

I've heard of many people finding wives online, and Madonna allegedly obtained one or two of her kids that way, but this must be a first!

Lifeforms

To be honest, if it's advertised as with wifi, get the engineer to ensure that the wifi section is working (with a key!) when/if he installs it all.

If you have a laptop, or a friend does and the wifi isn't working then just get that or them to come and connect via ethernet (wire) to set it up.

RealGem

George_Michael wrote: »

I've heard of many people finding wives online, and Madonna allegedly obtained one or two of her kids that way, but this must be a first!

Me too!

For a split seconds I also thought of this as an adoption service!

I was about to say "Check the reviews first"!

macman

Lifeforms wrote: »

To be honest, if it's advertised as with wifi, get the engineer to ensure that the wifi section is working (with a key!) when/if he installs it all.

If you have a laptop, or a friend does and the wifi isn't working then just get that or them to come and connect via ethernet (wire) to set it up.

There is no engineer install with any form of ADSL broadband. And if there was, I doubt that it would include wi-fi connection.

814man

Thanks for the advice, and the jokes, I walked right into that one.
Looks like I'll need to visit with laptop for initial visit then.

mathsmaster

When my parents got broadband a few months ago, I had to set it all up for them. I just plugged in the router, turned on their new laptop that they bought from Tescos and it detected the Wi-Fi. There was absolutely no setting up or configuring required. All you need is the password, which was on a sticker on the top of the router.
Similar thing when I was given an iPad at work. Just brought it home and had to type on the password on the router and away you go.

Weird_Nev

Current BT homehubs come with a little plastic "tab" that slides into the back of them. it has stickers on with the network name (SSID) and encryption key (passowrd) on it. they give you dditional stickers, so you can stick them in the phone book or somewhere safe for reference, or even take one with you so you can troubleshoot over the phone.
Turn the hub on, then type the Wifi name and default key into the ipad. It's unique to that router, so only people with physical access to the router can see it.

famous last words - it really should be that simple!

814man

Thanks Weird Nev, is that the Home Hub 3 or 4. Done some more checking and it looks like Mum will get HH3 with her basic BT Broadband package which talks about easy set up whilst the HH4 seems to be even easier with no CD or software as you describe above. May need to ask if she can upgrade from 3 to 4.

Weird_Nev

That was my experience with a HH3 which I got about 18 months ago, just as they became the standard Bt hub, I think.
I didn't use the CD or install any software on my laptop or any other equipment to set it up.
Plug in, turn on, connect to wifi.