Think about broadband

Hi,
I'm thinking about broadband, but know nothing about it. The main
problem is that I have a <2 year old Sat A30 Toshiba Laptop with an
EMPTY wirless slot. What I'm not sure about is if I should buy a card
for it or buy a "router"; something like a
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...egolegolego-21

I have a xbox also, and I'm not sure if the router will interface with
it... I expect I will need more kit if it does. Also, do all ISP's
support the xbox?

Lastly, are Ethernet wireless routers available?

Best wishes

SA

(E-Mail Removed) wrote:
> Hi,
> I'm thinking about broadband, but know nothing about it. The main
> problem is that I have a <2 year old Sat A30 Toshiba Laptop with an
> EMPTY wirless slot. What I'm not sure about is if I should buy a card
> for it or buy a "router"; something like a
> http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...egolegolego-21

It's ok. There are other similar models available.

This particular one has a built in ADSL modem. This assumes that you
are looking at ADSL broadband, which is what you'll get on a BT line.
If you have an NTL line, you probably want a router without a modem, and
use the supplied cable modem from your cable company in conjunction with
it. (Generally, anything described as 'Cable/DSL router' does NOT have
any sort of modem in it, and requires some other device to actually
'talk' on the line)

By 'Empty wireless slot', what sort of slot do you mean?

A PCMCIA slot is a slot for cards approximately 3.5" long and 2" wide,
and about 7mm thick (whacks self mercilessly for mixing units..).
Alternatively, you may have a built-in antenna, and a space to put a
Mini-PCI wireless card. This is usually under a screwed on panel and is
a rectangular socket with a row of finely spaced pins down one side.
When closed, nothing is accessible from outside.

Finally, there are CompactFlash slot wireless adapters, mainly for
PDA's, so probably not the sort of slot you are talking about.

Chances are your laptop also has an RJ45 slot (a square socket about
1/2" wide with eight pins in it, similar to the smaller socket with two
or four pins that your modem lead plugs into). This is a wired ethernet
port, and you could use that to connect to the above router.

> I have a xbox also, and I'm not sure if the router will interface with
> it... I expect I will need more kit if it does. Also, do all ISP's
> support the xbox?

I don't know exactly how the xbox connects, and what ports, if any, it
requries left open for incoming connections. No doubt someone will be
along shortly.
Assuming it has any sort of ethernet connection, it is just a matter of
connecting it to the router once the router has been properly set up.


> Lastly, are Ethernet wireless routers available?

Yes, you were looking at one.

(unless you meant something else... please elaborate..)

Hmm. It looks like I know less than I thought. More Q's below...


Jim Howes wrote:
> (E-Mail Removed) wrote:
> > Hi,
> > I'm thinking about broadband, but know nothing about it. The main
> > problem is that I have a <2 year old Sat A30 Toshiba Laptop with an
> > EMPTY wirless slot. What I'm not sure about is if I should buy a card
> > for it or buy a "router"; something like a
> > http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...egolegolego-21
>
> It's ok. There are other similar models available.
>
> This particular one has a built in ADSL modem. This assumes that you
> are looking at ADSL broadband, which is what you'll get on a BT line.

OK. This is what I have.


> By 'Empty wireless slot', what sort of slot do you mean?
>
> A PCMCIA slot is a slot for cards approximately 3.5" long and 2" wide,
> and about 7mm thick (whacks self mercilessly for mixing units..).
> Alternatively, you may have a built-in antenna, and a space to put a
> Mini-PCI wireless card. This is usually under a screwed on panel and is
> a rectangular socket with a row of finely spaced pins down one side.
> When closed, nothing is accessible from outside.

I have not looked inside it, but I think this is what I have (I also
have the PCMCIA thing).

>
> Chances are your laptop also has an RJ45 slot (a square socket about
> 1/2" wide with eight pins in it, similar to the smaller socket with two
> or four pins that your modem lead plugs into). This is a wired ethernet
> port, and you could use that to connect to the above router.

Wirelessly? I thought it used a USB port???

I shall have to go to PC-world and have a look at one of these things.

Scott A


>
> > I have a xbox also, and I'm not sure if the router will interface with
> > it... I expect I will need more kit if it does. Also, do all ISP's
> > support the xbox?
>
> I don't know exactly how the xbox connects, and what ports, if any, it
> requries left open for incoming connections. No doubt someone will be
> along shortly.
> Assuming it has any sort of ethernet connection, it is just a matter of
> connecting it to the router once the router has been properly set up.
>
>
> > Lastly, are Ethernet wireless routers available?
>
> Yes, you were looking at one.
>
> (unless you meant something else... please elaborate..)

On 5 Aug 2005, (E-Mail Removed) wrote:

>> By 'Empty wireless slot', what sort of slot do you mean?
>>
>> A PCMCIA slot is a slot for cards approximately 3.5" long and 2" wide,
>> and about 7mm thick (whacks self mercilessly for mixing units..).
>> Alternatively, you may have a built-in antenna, and a space to put a
>> Mini-PCI wireless card. This is usually under a screwed on panel and is
>> a rectangular socket with a row of finely spaced pins down one side.
>> When closed, nothing is accessible from outside.
>
>I have not looked inside it, but I think this is what I have (I also
>have the PCMCIA thing).

I think it safe to assume the slot(s) in the side, but unless you've seen
mention of an internal space for a wireless card, would suggest not taking
it apart just to check inside :-)

>> Chances are your laptop also has an RJ45 slot (a square socket about
>> 1/2" wide with eight pins in it, similar to the smaller socket with two
>> or four pins that your modem lead plugs into). This is a wired ethernet
>> port, and you could use that to connect to the above router.
>
>Wirelessly? I thought it used a USB port???

No, this would be a wired solution and works well. Wireless is often more
'hit and miss' and indeed, the recommendation for anyone setting up any unit
for wireless operation is to also have a cable available, else you could find
a simple toggle of some setting blocks you from accessing the wireless router
and you will then definitely need a cable to alter settings on it. Peter M.

--

UK ADSL <http://tinyurl.com/5jpa4> - Happy to save cash with Plus.Net!!

On 5 Aug, in article
<(E-Mail Removed) .com>
(E-Mail Removed) wrote:

> Hmm. It looks like I know less than I thought. More Q's below...
>
>
> Jim Howes wrote:
> > (E-Mail Removed) wrote:
> > > Hi,
> > > I'm thinking about broadband, but know nothing about it. The main
> > > problem is that I have a <2 year old Sat A30 Toshiba Laptop with an
> > > EMPTY wirless slot. What I'm not sure about is if I should buy a card
> > > for it or buy a "router"; something like a
> > > http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...egolegolego-21
> >
> > It's ok. There are other similar models available.
> >
> > This particular one has a built in ADSL modem. This assumes that you
> > are looking at ADSL broadband, which is what you'll get on a BT line.
>
> OK. This is what I have.
>
>
> > By 'Empty wireless slot', what sort of slot do you mean?
> >
> > A PCMCIA slot is a slot for cards approximately 3.5" long and 2" wide,
> > and about 7mm thick (whacks self mercilessly for mixing units..).
> > Alternatively, you may have a built-in antenna, and a space to put a
> > Mini-PCI wireless card. This is usually under a screwed on panel and is
> > a rectangular socket with a row of finely spaced pins down one side.
> > When closed, nothing is accessible from outside.
>
> I have not looked inside it, but I think this is what I have (I also
> have the PCMCIA thing).
>
> >
> > Chances are your laptop also has an RJ45 slot (a square socket about
> > 1/2" wide with eight pins in it, similar to the smaller socket with two
> > or four pins that your modem lead plugs into). This is a wired ethernet
> > port, and you could use that to connect to the above router.
>
> Wirelessly? I thought it used a USB port???
>
> I shall have to go to PC-world and have a look at one of these things.

If the stuff I found on Google is reliable, you have both an internal
modem and ethernet, as well as a couple of USB ports. RJ11 for the
modem. RJ45 for the ethernet, and two USB.

Routers generally don't use USB for anything.





--
David G. Bell -- SF Fan, Filker, and Punslinger.

"I am Number Two," said Penfold. "You are Number Six."

On Sat, 06 Aug 2005 09:28:45 +0100 (BST), (E-Mail Removed)
("David G. Bell") wrote:

>Routers generally don't use USB for anything.

a modest number offer USB connections for PCs - ethernet over USB.

Phil
--
Tiscali - dialup speeds at Broadband prices, see
http://bbs.adslguide.org.uk/postlist...&Board=tiscali

AOL - the unlimited ISP of choice for heavy downloaders.

Is this true??? Is wireless so bad? My move to broadband is partly to
get away from cables!

Scott A

On 8 Aug 2005 11:54:18 -0700, (E-Mail Removed) wrote:

>My move to broadband is partly to
>get away from cables!

you can use wireless with dialup :-)

Phil
--
Tiscali - dialup speeds at Broadband prices, see
http://bbs.adslguide.org.uk/postlist...&Board=tiscali

AOL - the unlimited ISP of choice for heavy downloaders.

On 8 Aug 2005 11:54:18 -0700, in uk.telecom.broadband ,
(E-Mail Removed) wrote:

>Is this true???

is what true? If you must post via Google, please learn how to quote
some context!

> Is wireless so bad? My move to broadband is partly to
>get away from cables!

I used wireless successfully on a Demon dialup acct for several years
before I got Broadband.
--
Mark McIntyre
CLC FAQ <http://www.eskimo.com/~scs/C-faq/top.html>
CLC readme: <http://www.ungerhu.com/jxh/clc.welcome.txt>

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