Thread: Easiest way to go wireless?

Just wondering if anyone can answer this: I have a great desktop that I want to make wireless, as that is the hookup we have for the laptop I'm on. What is the easiest (and cheapest) way to go for this?

Wal-mart carries wireless cards for your pc. You open your pc, insert card, antenna sticks out back and voilà! Internet.

-----Added 1/11/2009 at 04:33:56 EST-----

In fact, here's the link to the Palin-mart, I mean Wal-mart page that has them.

Networking - Computers - Electronics - Wal-mart

I may be misunderstanding you here but it is nearly always best to have an independant wireless router and connect your desktop by cable with your notebook by wireless.

Having an all wireless network is usually unnessary and asking for problems. It is always best to have a router connecting to the internet (always on if broadband and hardware firewall) and between different networked items (i.e. desktop and notebook).

Netgear...it's easy if you are good at doing wireless on your own (per computer nerds) or has a fantastic support staff that will help you set it up over the phone which is what I had to do, and he had it up and running for me within 10 minutes.

The easiest way to give a desktop wireless capability is by using a USB wireless adapter (rather than one for which you'd have to open your PC to install).

Take all the chords out of your computer and put them in a box far far away and voila! Your computer is completely wireless (and for free too)!

WHY would you want to make your desktop wireless? I can't think of too many good reasons to do that.

Originally Posted by Herald

WHY would you want to make your desktop wireless? I can't think of too many good reasons to do that.

Bill makes a good point here.

Where is the desktop in relation to your router? If it is a reasonable distance for a cable, don't go wireless for it. The hardwired connection is faster than wireless and will remove it from bandwidth competition with the laptop. This won't matter much for the internet, since the modem is so much slower. But it will help with access to shared resources within your LAN.

here is the easiest and cheapest way for you to go wireless.

Walmart.com: CNet CWD-854 Wireless-G 54Mbps USB Adapter: Computers

Originally Posted by Herald

WHY would you want to make your desktop wireless? I can't think of too many good reasons to do that.

Well, if one has an 802.11n router, the wireless connection can be (theoretically) faster than even a wired Cat-5 connection.

Originally Posted by raekwon

Originally Posted by Herald

WHY would you want to make your desktop wireless? I can't think of too many good reasons to do that.

Well, if one has an 802.11n router, the wireless connection can be (theoretically) faster than even a wired Cat-5 connection.

Not if the desktop has a Gigbit card. (But then again, that's theoretical too! )

Originally Posted by fredtgreco

Originally Posted by raekwon

Originally Posted by Herald

WHY would you want to make your desktop wireless? I can't think of too many good reasons to do that.

Well, if one has an 802.11n router, the wireless connection can be (theoretically) faster than even a wired Cat-5 connection.

Not if the desktop has a Gigbit card. (But then again, that's theoretical too! )

That's why I said Cat-5. Gigabit requires a Cat-6 cable to actually transmit at gigabit speeds.

OK, some of you are going way over my head here (but that's OK, it doesn't take much!) I would have to lead out about 20' of cord to get from the modem to my computer and the installation man told me that it would not be good to go over 6' if it were hardwired. If he's wrong, I'd be thrilled. I'd prefer to just hardwire it in.

Hm. Well, there's generally some amount of attenuation (signal loss) with longer cables, but 20 ft should actually be okay (unless you're running it over fluorescent lights or something like that).

Originally Posted by kvanlaan

OK, some of you are going way over my head here (but that's OK, it doesn't take much!) I would have to lead out about 20' of cord to get from the modem to my computer and the installation man told me that it would not be good to go over 6' if it were hardwired. If he's wrong, I'd be thrilled. I'd prefer to just hardwire it in.

You'll have less loss with 20' of wire than wireless.

Netgear! Go Netgear!