Upgrading to Wireless from BT Voyager Router

TallGirl

Hi there
I hope you can help me last time I asked you help me fix my TV for which I am forever grateful.

I am currently with BT Business Broadband (paid for by my company - not billed to me) and use a BT Voyager 220V ADSL Voice Router which works lovely with my PC. I have now been given a fantastic new Laptop with built in wireless connection so I would love to upgrade my router to wireless however I am clueless as to how difficult it will be. My questions are
What shall I buy and where?
Can my PC continue to be plugged in so to speak as it is not wireless?
Do I need to tell BT or change my broadband subscription?
Is it difficult to install?
Will it affect my PC's speed in accessing the internet?

My PC is 1 1/2 years old with large RAM etc and the Laptop is brand new. We live in a bog standard small detached house and i just want to log on downstairs as the office is upstairs. I have the latest Norton Antivirus etc. I have also been given a Orange 3G card for the laptop but as it is dial up I would prefer to have wireless at home.

Hope you can help me many thanks in advance.

joshm_2

Since you have a business b/band account it might be best to leave the current equipment in situ - if there is ever a problem BT will moan that you've messed with their setup. The most straightforward option is therefore to buy a wireless router (NOT a modem router, you don't need another modem). You can then connect the 220V to this new piece of equipment with an ethernet cable and you're away - wireless capability! Wireless routers are cheap these days - make sure you get a 802.11g compatibile one if you want 54mbps speed instead of 11mbps (although remember that your brodband connection is only a fraction of this speed so if you're not interested in gettng your laptop to talk to your desktop it doesn't matter!).

What shall I buy and where?
maybe check ebay for cheap used wireless routers - i sold one for about £15-20 a while ago
Can my PC continue to be plugged in so to speak as it is not wireless?
yes
Do I need to tell BT or change my broadband subscription?
no
Is it difficult to install?
not really, it might be a bit fiddly at first but once you're done you're done
Will it affect my PC's speed in accessing the internet?
if both computers are accessing the internet simultaneously for bandwidth intensive tasks (e.g. downloading music) then yes it will take longer. But for normal email/browsing, no it shouldn't be noticeable if you have a decent connection.

TallGirl

Thanks Joshm that does make sense however the BT router only has one ehternet cable so does that mean that the old modem is plugged into the new wireless router and then there is another ehternet cable to go into the PC from the new router. It does have the other blue USB one. Sorry to be so dim.

The rest makes perfect sense so thanks for that - do you have the name of a wireless router i should look for does it have to be a BT ones. We live near a Novatech and looking at their website they all seem to come with modems so that has confused me.

Thanks again

albertross_2

Are you using the voice ports? If not,

http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/specpage.html?NGR-871160

TallGirl

Not sure what a voice port is so dont think I am using it. THe wireless one looks good will have a look tomorrow properly. Thanks for all your help.