Simple wireless

Hi,

I've got a laptop (and I'm soon gonna add another, but this time a
Mac) at home, and nothing else, so I fancy the idea of wireless
broadband to connect to the net.

Thing is, I'm not sure what to get. I've already got the silly
blue/green thing (Speedtouch USB) that BT give you when you start with
ADSL, and I get the impression I need a router. I was going to get the
Apple AirPort Extreme hub thinngy (as it has a built in modem as a
back up) but apparently there are all sorts of problems with tem in
the UK.

So, what I want to know is what's the least I can get away with
spending. I'm quite keen that the router is 54Mbps (the 'extreme'
standard) just for future proofing, but not wedded to it if that's a
bad idea. (A few of my housemates will probably connect via it as
well). I need a card for my laptop (Windows 2000) and - obviously -
the router.

Any buying advice?

"Adam Juniper" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) om...
> Hi,
>
> I've got a laptop (and I'm soon gonna add another, but this time a
> Mac) at home, and nothing else, so I fancy the idea of wireless
> broadband to connect to the net.
>
> Thing is, I'm not sure what to get. I've already got the silly
> blue/green thing (Speedtouch USB) that BT give you when you start with
> ADSL, and I get the impression I need a router. I was going to get the
> Apple AirPort Extreme hub thinngy (as it has a built in modem as a
> back up) but apparently there are all sorts of problems with tem in
> the UK.
>
> So, what I want to know is what's the least I can get away with
> spending. I'm quite keen that the router is 54Mbps (the 'extreme'
> standard) just for future proofing, but not wedded to it if that's a
> bad idea. (A few of my housemates will probably connect via it as
> well). I need a card for my laptop (Windows 2000) and - obviously -
> the router.
>
> Any buying advice?


You could try this kit, at, http://www.2wire.com/ looks pretty easy to
set-up.
does wireless or lan connection through existing wiring

happy shopping

"Adam Juniper" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) om...

> So, what I want to know is what's the least I can get away with
> spending. I'm quite keen that the router is 54Mbps (the 'extreme'
> standard) just for future proofing, but not wedded to it if that's a
> bad idea. (A few of my housemates will probably connect via it as
> well). I need a card for my laptop (Windows 2000) and - obviously -
> the router.

54mbps ?You're talking about the newish 802.11g standard ? Well I hate to
burst your bubble but that throughput isn't acheivable in the real world
with that specification kit, expect to get more like 20mbps.
There's another gotcha as well. If one of your housemates has one of the
cheaper and more commonplace 802.11b cards (11mbps throughput) then everyone
connected to your wireless hub will also drop down to 11mbps speeds.

Buying advice would be to stick with cheaper 802.11b kit ATM.