Got a laptop with wireless - what route should I take now?

[jsingh7]

Hi,

I just got my laptop and it has a wireless card installed already.

Now I am wondering what route to go down in order to give it an internet connection?

I am on ntl Broadband. I share one printer and do find myself transferring files from PC to PC from time to time... or listening to music on one computer's hard drive on another.

I currently have two desktop PCs which connect to the internet and each other through a wired router?

Should I go for a totally wireless connection - which means buying a new router and making my current setup obsolete?

Or do some kind of ad hoc connection with one of the PCs and laptop?

If I go for a totally wireless connection, what router should I go for? And then I will need network cards for the other two PCs right? Or is there a router which does wired and wireless?

If I opt for the other method, I am guessing I just need a PCI wireless network card or a USB wireless stick.

What are all the speeds about when it comes to wireless?

Will I need to pair up with the speed the network card on my laptop is? How do I find this out?

Thanks in advance,

jsingh7

[jsingh7]

Read up and found I can use my existing set up if I just attach a wireless access point to my current router.

What are all these numbers 802.11a or 802.11b or 54g?

Then 11 Mbps or 22Mbps or 54Mbps, etc.

My laptop has the following network card: Winbond W89C33 mPCI 802.11 Wireless LAN Adapter.

Having this card, will it mean a 54g WAP will offer me no additional benefit?

Thanks again.

[jsingh7]

Gone for this one:

http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/index.html?action=c2VsZWN0X3Byb2R1Y3Rfb3ZlcnZpZXc=&product_uid=52629

What do you reckon? Is the security enough?

Advantages over having a WAP added to current wired router is save space and one less plug socket used..

Since WAP and Wireless Routers cost similar prices, whats the advantage on using a WAP with my current router?

The current wired router was a budget one on ebuyer so not like I am losing a expensive router - though it never let me down! Maybe put it on eBay.

Thanks.

jsingh7

[ScotBlok]

@jsingh7 - contact me on MSN mate - I can sort out all the wireless questions you have. It's a piece of cake if you get a little help.

Cheers Mike

[chimpuk]

keep everything the same m8 and just buy a wireless access point that would plug into ur wired router

even if you did buy a wireless router they still have 4 wired ports so you wouldnt need any additional wireless equipment