wireless internet help

[muddeprived]

my sister has a 2006 or so dell laptop. I'm not sure which model but I know it's a Dell. She wants to give it wireless internet so she can move it around the house. She has comcast high speed internet. I want to give her a wireless setup for xmas and thinking about this:

Amazon.com: Belkin Wireless G 4-Port Router: Electronics

Will that work? Do I need something for the laptop to connect to that wireless router? I know some laptops have a built in wireless receiver or something but I have no idea if hers does or not and i asked her and she said "dunno". :laugh: If I have to have some type of wireless card then I will buy one and return it if she dont need it.

Thanks

[4.3LXJ]

The question is whether or not her lap top is WiFi enabled. If so, there are several solutions out there. She may need a card to plug into the side

[Melissa]

I don't know anything about wireless muddeprived, but I bought this one from Belkin, downloaded the software, and It's been picking up lots of signals since, works great!
http://www.amazon.com/Belkin-F5D8053-Wireless-USB-Adapter/dp/B000RMRU5Y/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1260734892&sr=1-14

[BlueXJ]

I use my cellphone company as a provider and they use a small device that plugs into a USB port and you can then use your laptop anywhere you can get cellphone reception.

[4.3LXJ]

I use my cellphone company as a provider and they use a small device that plugs into a USB port and you can then use your laptop anywhere you can get cellphone reception.

I have two of those. one for my desktop, since I live out in the boonies, and one for my lap top when I travel. If you go that route, Verizon is the best and broadest coverage.

[BlueXJ]

I have two of those. one for my desktop, since I live out in the boonies, and one for my lap top when I travel. If you go that route, Verizon is the best and broadest coverage.


Mine is Sprint and I have used it along side the highway in the middle of nowhere and it worked fine. Most places the cellphone reception is great anymore since so many use them the towers have multiplied.

[4.3LXJ]

Sprint tried to lure me to them. Offered a great price, but when I checked their coverage on their map, at one mile out of town I was right on the edge of the fast down load rates. A few more feet out of town and it was dial up. It is not as flat here, maybe that was the difference. Same thing where my son lives in the foothills.

[BlueXJ]

When on trips to both east coast and to Arizona I have never gotten poor reception with Sprint. Their map seems to cover anywhere I would consider traveling.
I was confident enough to get a large inverter for the Jeep to use with the laptop. I have never tried to use it in Ca, so I can't address that states coverage area.

[Mudderoy]

What model dell is it? Or do you already know it has wireless built in?

[BlueXJ]

I have one of each a Inspiron and a Studio.
Typing on the Studio right now.

[muddeprived]

Thanks for the suggestions and advice.


It's a dell....that's all I know and probably made around 2006. I found a netgear wireless router at best buy on sale for $40 so I got that. it should work....i hope. If the laptop ain't wireless then I'll get her one of those usb wireless transmitters.