Questions about internet and laptops

[05Z400rdr]

Hey Everyone..

We are wanting something...anything**...faster than our AOL dial up. Satellite is out of the question because of the price. We don't have cable here, and we can't get broadband either. I was wondering if any of you know about AT&T, Verizon, etc. wireless internet. If so, what are the prices of that compared to AOL dial up, and how reliable and fast is it?...would you recommend it?

Also, I am looking into buying a laptop in the near future. I originally wanted something cheap just to take a long to the races so I could hook my quad up and look at my service manual, etc. Now I changed my mind and figured that I might as well do it right the first time and buy a decent, new one. There is a good chance that I will be moving to Florida for a little while to go to MMI while I am out of school, so then I would have a computer for down there, also. How does wireless internet work with laptops? Can you use it anywhere at anytime, or do you have to be like at home with it and only use it in and close to your home?

Thanks for taking the time to read this.


Landon

[Scottt89]

The Cell Phone company wireless cards are faster then Dialup but not by too much. They are pretty convenient. Usually if you have cell signal, you will have internet. I believe they run $30-60 a month.

In order to use wireless internet, you have to be near a wireless router. So basically, you would have to be on a college campus that has wireless internet throughout the buildings, or in a Starbucks. Basically anywhere that is broadcasting wireless. The laptop will pick up if it is in a wireless network.

[cdrookie]

i have the verizon wireless card. it's pretty fast if you have real good reception, and can be slow(especially overcast days) if the reception is poor. $60/month for unlimited internet. i see they have a $40/month plan available now but i'm not sure if it's unlimited or not?

i know people who have the other wireless cards and are not real happy with them...

[yzrida65]

i have a laptop, and wireless verizon and verizon sucks Dik. i wouldnot reccomend verizon for dsl. it blows. i am so unhappy with it. i have the wireless router that came with it, and it's in my basement, and we have a 2 story house, and i barely get any signal up here. i had to go buy another, better one. but, idk. im just so unhappy with verizon's dsl. it's unbelieveable. oh, and it goes out all the time, and you have to go unplug it for a few seconds, and then plug it in. 2 or 3 times a day... gets pretty old.

[05Z400rdr]

Thanks for the replies guys! That answers my questions on the wireless internet. I was looking last night and seen aircards...I'm guessing that's something completely different since it said you can use the internet anywhere..? And does anybody have an idea on what one of those costs monthly? AT&T had a few different ones, some more expensive than the others..what is the advantages of them over the others also?

Thanks so much for the help!

[cdrookie]

thats what i'm talking about. it plugs into my usb port and i get internet where ever i can get a signal, which is anywhere i get a cell phone signal. it's not DSL. i know people who have the at&t card and they say verizon is better. i travel alot and IMO the $60/month is worth it, but if you're somewhere where you can get a wireless network signal regurally i'd save the money and go with it.

[Z15]

i have the wireless router that came with it, and it's in my basement

I am not an expert on this but I also have a router (cable here) and the nerd who sold it to me told me to place it as high in the house as possible? I have it on the 2nd story and have not had any problems even 100 ft across street in my shop.

My router is Linksys Wireless G from officemax. I did have to get bigger antenna to push is the 100 ft though, the antenna that came with it were hit and miss.

[05Z400rdr]

Thanks again for the replies!

So...wireless internet is the same thing as an aircard, and you can only use it when you are close to a router..? What does the router get hooked to...do we need DSL or cable or anything because we can't get either here, just a phone line for dial up. Also, when a hotel says you can hook up your laptop to their internet, what all do you need to bring along...a phone line? Or just the wireless card? I ordered a new laptop from Dell the other night and one of the things on it is a Mini wireless card. So that is all I need to pick up signals at other places that have a router close by?

Sorry for all the questions. I don't know much at all about any of this. Thanks so much for all of the help!

[S.A.J]

you shldnt need n e thng wen you go 2 a hotel if they got internet,and if you do need a cable they'll hav the whole setup in your room but sum hotels charge you for internet though.also sumtimes thy hav wireless internet n if thts the case if you ordered a new laptop from dell it'll come wth a built in wireless 2 wear u can pick up theyre signal and connect and it'll prolly come wth bluetooth too which comes in handy alot if your a high tech guy n hav alota bluetooth stuff,its rly easy n simple 2 learn,you shldnt hav a problem...n if you decide 2 go wth satelite you cld look into hughesnet,we pay bout 70 a month n thy hav one for 60,70,and80 i believe depending on how fast you want it n its pretty fast and just as reliable as n e other,but yeah just a thought.

[quad2xtreme]

Landon,

Check you PMs.

Do you know if you have Verizon cell service from your house today?

/Jon