Wireless Network and New Laptop

[John Weber]

I’ve got the green light to get Kim a new computer, mostly for work, but my computer knowledge continues to decline, I was a guru in the DOS days. Anyway, here is what I’m looking for:

1. Good Laptop, no need for latest, greatest, but would like convenient features, and a good screen. Applications are mostly office related. Would like to be able to use a DVD player for movies occasionally. Someday, I would like a system with a DVD recorder to start transferring home movies (I think this might be best to wait for my desktop upgrade in a couple years). We have a Dell desktop at home (PIII, Windows XP), and it’s fine. I’ve touch a Sony, HP, Compaq, and Panasonic. I don’t have a brand preference, other then good quality and decent value. No games, but I’ve always felt a good display is very important.

2. Office based wireless internet. Kim will take her laptop to work and need internet access, unfortunately unless we go with satellite, it will likely be a dial-up account. Access may be possibly shared with 2 desktops (PII or PIII and Windows 95). The building is out in the boonies, so I don’t think security is a big issue, plus it will be only used for internet research and retrieving email.

3. Home based wireless internet. We have a cable modem and would like to have internet access on the laptop at home. Users would include my desktop, and possibly our daughter’s computer, although it’s old and slow as a snail.

I would like to one stop shop, and have a budget of about $2000 for everything (laptop, cards, hardware, etc…)

Sorry to ask for so much help, but I’ve really been left behind in the computer market. Specifics are very helpful.

Thank you - John

[Scott Greaves]

Hi John,

I just went through the same thing. We ordered a Dell Inspiron 5100. We got it configured with an internal wireless card, DVD player and 15" screen for about $1100 after rebate. It works great!

We had an existing wireless router (802.11b), and the new laptop set itself up just fine, and worked great! Then on New Years Day we had a lightening storm, and it fried the wireless router. So I bought a D-Link 802.11g router, which is much faster, and has better range! I can now get 54mps connection everywhere in the house. And it is fully compatible with the 802.11b standard, as I still run my pocketPC on it's old wireless card. The router cost me like $79.

You can order everything from Dell, but will get a better price if you order the router from someplace else. Look at ableshoppers.com for good deals on all this stuff, including deals at Dell. They had a deal the other day for a Dell 8200 with Centrino (which is wireless optimized) for about $1200, which is good.

I would definitely keep everything at least to the 802.11g standard now, even the old slow computer. You may update it someday, and could just switch the card to the newer computer!

I hope this helps! Ask any questions!

Scott.

[Rob Littleton]

I’ve got the green light to get Kim a new computer, mostly for work, but my computer knowledge continues to decline, I was a guru in the DOS days. Anyway, here is what I’m looking for:

1. Good Laptop, no need for latest, greatest, but would like convenient features, and a good screen. Applications are mostly office related. Would like to be able to use a DVD player for movies occasionally. Someday, I would like a system with a DVD recorder to start transferring home movies (I think this might be best to wait for my desktop upgrade in a couple years). We have a Dell desktop at home (PIII, Windows XP), and it’s fine. I’ve touch a Sony, HP, Compaq, and Panasonic. I don’t have a brand preference, other then good quality and decent value. No games, but I’ve always felt a good display is very important.

2. Office based wireless internet. Kim will take her laptop to work and need internet access, unfortunately unless we go with satellite, it will likely be a dial-up account. Access may be possibly shared with 2 desktops (PII or PIII and Windows 95). The building is out in the boonies, so I don’t think security is a big issue, plus it will be only used for internet research and retrieving email.

3. Home based wireless internet. We have a cable modem and would like to have internet access on the laptop at home. Users would include my desktop, and possibly our daughter’s computer, although it’s old and slow as a snail.

I would like to one stop shop, and have a budget of about $2000 for everything (laptop, cards, hardware, etc…)

Sorry to ask for so much help, but I’ve really been left behind in the computer market. Specifics are very helpful.

Thank you - John

Dont listen to the Becker man if he tells you to get anything but Linksys home networking gear. That stuff is so simple to install.

[Jason Roehl]

John,

Just curious as to what your desktop is currently. Provided it has a halfway decent processor (less than 2-3 years old), decent memory (256MB+), and preferably WinXP, you can get a DVD+/-R,+/-RW for around $150. With as fast as technology becomes obsolete now, and you said you didn't want the latest and greatest, there's really no reason to spend more than about $1200 on a laptop, and I suspect you could probably find something that suits you for under $1000. That would leave some extra $$ in your budget to mess with your DVD and wireless network. Just some thoughts.

[John Weber]

Jason,

Thanks, it's a '99 Dell PIII, 500 mhz, 384 MB. It does everything I need, but I'm afraid it doesn't have enough horses for effecient A/V transfer. In looking at laptops $1200 seemed to be a key price point. With a budget of $2000 we though we could maybe get a couple upgrades and still have enough for the two wireless systems. Since the business will offically pay for the new equipment, it might be a stretch to include a home desktop upgrade.

Any Laptop brands you like?

Thanks again - John

[John Weber]

Scott,

Thanks, I'm trying to learn, and your thoughts help.

John

[Don Abele]

John, let me start off by telling you that none of the major manufacturers of laptops really is any better than the other. Stick with a name brand. For $1200 you really can get an excellent system. Look for the features you want (DVD player, hi-res screen, memory, hard drive capacity, etc).

As for the wireless, as Scott pointed out, it comes in many flavors (listed cheapest to most expensive):

802.11b = 2.4 GHz, 11 Mbps, Range 100-150 feet
802.11g = 2.4 GHz, 54 Mbps, Range 100-150 feet
802.11a = 5.2 GHz, 54 Mbps, Range 25-75 feet

(a) and (g) are interoperable with one another, though (b) is more of a standard because it's been around longer (and dirt cheap).

(b) and (g) can be interfered with using 2.4 GHz cordless phones or microwave ovens (they emit a 2.4 GHz harmonic) - though I have never had any problems. (a) is VERY distance limited. A colleague has a setup using (a) and can not get any signal on his 2nd floor (regardless of distance).

And to confuse the matter more, there are network cards, routers, etc out there that now do all the protocols (but are expensive).

What ever you choose, everything has to be the same. Help in choosing? Here are some stats to help you in choosing (b) or (g):

Surfing the net: I have a cable modem which hits upwards of 3.5 Mbps and that's fast. I haven't heard of many people seeing faster. NO modem can download at 11 Mbps. So when surfing the net, download speed will be restricted by the modem, not the network card.

When transfering files between computers: I have ATA-133 hard drives that are capable of moving 133 Mbps, so in this case the restriction is from the network card.

So, if you are going to transfer a lot of large files between computers, go for (g), otherwise use (b). Of course, if money is an issue (and when isn't it), then (b) would be your best bet, as (g) is typically 2-3 times the cost. I personally have (b) and love it.

As for brands, I use all Linksys. I've been using then since they started making network cards and have no complaints. Netgear and D-Link are also two other popular, reliable brands.

Hope this helped more than it confused, if you need more help, please ask and let us know what you wind up with.

Be well,

Doc

[Jim Becker]

Dont listen to the Becker man if he tells you to get anything but Linksys home networking gear. That stuff is so simple to install.

I don't have any problem with LinkSys, Rob...I've been using one of their routers for about 5 years now! (Bought long before the, ah...aqusition) In fact, I consider them the leader in the home networking space for this technology. The only complaint I have is the need to reconfigure after a firmware upgrade...which can really throw things off.

But to John's original questions...sharing a dialup account is a bit more challenging than with a dedicated, always-on connection. The router really doesn't help much there in most cases. MS's "Internet Connection Sharing" might be a better choice until broadband is available in his area. Wiresless routers that can handle dialup are pretty hard to find these days...

[Dennis Peacock]

John, let me start off by telling you that none of the major manufacturers of laptops really is any better than the other. Stick with a name brand. For $1200 you really can get an excellent system. Look for the features you want (DVD player, hi-res screen, memory, hard drive capacity, etc).

Doc

Don't worry about laptop manufacturers.....there is only two true laptop manufacturers in the world. Dell, Gateway, HP and such all buy from the same manufacturer. At least that is what I understand according to the onsite HP rep here at work.