network Q

dontwannabeindebt

firstly, please forgive if this has been asked (probably has but I've done a search AND looked through all the sticky's on the techie page)

I have my pc and have been connected to internet for years, however my 2 children are each getting their own pc for the rooms for xmas. I know about networks etc, but I'm just wondering about the best way to connect,

my router/modem is available for up to 3 computers, I am just wondering what wire it is that I will need to connect the other 2 pc's to the router,
is it an "ethernet cable"? or can PC's be connect wirelessly?

I also have a wireless notebook card from when we had a laptop- I take it this is off no use for the pc's???

I have some vouchers left over for Argos so would any of the items I need be available there?

Thanks for reading

once again sorry if this is a repeated question

BillScarab

Depends on what router you have. If you have a wireless router you have a couple of options, either use ethernet cables (assuming the PC's have network cards) or use wireless. If the children are getting desktop machines they probably won't have wireless so you would need ot either buy wireless PCI cards to fit inside or wireless USB dongles.

If the card form your laptop is a PCMIA card you are correct it won't fit unless they are getting laptops. Wireless will be the neatest optin, ethernet the cheapest. Another choice is using network adapters that plug into your power sockets. You'd have one near your router connected to it via ethernet and one in each room that has a PC, again connected via ethernet. They are still fairly expensive however.

So really to advise properly we would need to know the spec of your router, and the spec of the PC's you are getting.

And there was me thinking this was a question about used Vauxhalls!

dontwannabeindebt

lol, I noticed the network Q thing when I came back to this post- nope nothing to do with vauxhalls:rotfl:

anyway, not overly up on computers, but I THINK this is the spec (this is one of the new ones)

processor speed 3.33GHz
512 KB L2 cache with 533MHz FSB
160 GB hard disk
:huh: :huh: :huh: :huh:


all 3 will be desktop comps

router is a new one from O2 (says it work for up to 3 pc's), wireless, erm, can't see anything else that it says.:embarasse there is room in the back for 3 ethernet cables.

Oh my word I'm so embarrassed, lol, (I thought I was great cos I can use it, but clearly know naff all about them)

the wires will be going up through the loft so not really bothered which option I end up with.

Can I just say thank you ever so much for reading this and any help you might offer.

(Think I need to get the manuals out to find out what on earth I am talking about):rotfl: