Buying a used Laptop. PC Gurus offer any input?

[OCDP]

I am getting pretty tired of using my home PC , and I'd really like a laptop for myself (wireless). A friend has a used one and I was just going to get some PC guru's input on the following. For the price of 375$ here is what I can walk away with (general specs, I'll know more later). Please advise and offer any input ...

Toshiba Satellite Notebook (don't know model # right now)
15" Screen
Intel Celeron, 1.8g processor (Are Celerons any good?)
512mb ram
80gig hardrive
Comes with a WAN Card
Windows XP Home


Also has the carrying case and a mouse. All this for 375$ , loaded with applications apparantley (although I may reformat it for myself)

Input?? For the price, it seems hard to pass up...

The computer will be used mainly (at this point in time) for personal use. Ie: music, movies, burning, games ..

Also, it contains a WAN card but I don't know if I want satellite internet ( I don't know the pricing ) .. but I woud like a wireless router at least... any input on good wireless routers [with a nice price tag?]

It contains the same stuff in my home PC if not a bit better.. so I am intrigued.

If ya can offer any input or whatever please do. Thanks.

[BMW Rider]

Seems to me like a good deal, but I'm no expert either. As far as I know, the Celeron processors are good. I do know the Toshibas are very well rated notebooks.

I think that the newer wireless routers are a bit better to configure and set up. I have an older US Robotics that works well, but was a bit of a PITA to get properly set up. The manual was quite vague, at least for a non-techno-geek. I finally figured it out with help from some web sites I found on wireless networking. The newer units also have better security encription as well to keep out the hackers and free loaders. If the computer all ready has the card, then you should be able to get a router for under $100.

[OCDP]

Originally Posted by BMW Rider

Seems to me like a good deal, but I'm no expert either. As far as I know, the Celeron processors are good. I do know the Toshibas are very well rated notebooks.

I think that the newer wireless routers are a bit better to configure and set up. I have an older US Robotics that works well, but was a bit of a PITA to get properly set up. The manual was quite vague, at least for a non-techno-geek. I finally figured it out with help from some web sites I found on wireless networking. The newer units also have better security encription as well to keep out the hackers and free loaders. If the computer all ready has the card, then you should be able to get a router for under $100.

Man , I can't wait 'til I'm in school for computers, I used to know quite a bit about PC's, but over the past couple years my main focus has been reefs Thanks for your reply Ed. I sent you a PM BTW regarding those clones you have (or had?)

I am pretty sure for what I will be using this PC for, a Celeron with 1.8g processor should be just fine. Good to know that Toshibas are well rated too.

As for wireless routers, I am at a loss as to what kind to get ... I don't know enough about this stuff like I used to. It makes me mad because I swear I used to have great computer knowledge a couple years back... but it's all slipping away hahah..

I know it has the WAN card in it, so would a WAN card work for a wireless router? Or do I need a LAN card for that, or some other card?

Thanks again for the reply though... the price is great and I will be able to look at the PC myself this evening, if it runs smooth and everything checks out good, I'll most likely take it. I'll let you all know either way, but please do post any input on wireless routers and what not.. appreciate it. Thanks.

Scott

[andrewsk]

WAN means Wireless Access Network so you are good there. Get a standard Linksys wireless router and you will be good to go.

As for the Celerons they are OK but it really depends on what you want to do. (Just like Salt Water )

Are you going to play games like Half Life of Doom 3 or just do work (Word/Excel). If it just work, then the celeron is fine and you should get the laptop as it sound pretty good.


Keith

Originally Posted by OCDP

Man , I can't wait 'til I'm in school for computers, I used to know quite a bit about PC's, but over the past couple years my main focus has been reefs Thanks for your reply Ed. I sent you a PM BTW regarding those clones you have (or had?)

I am pretty sure for what I will be using this PC for, a Celeron with 1.8g processor should be just fine. Good to know that Toshibas are well rated too.

As for wireless routers, I am at a loss as to what kind to get ... I don't know enough about this stuff like I used to. It makes me mad because I swear I used to have great computer knowledge a couple years back... but it's all slipping away hahah..

I know it has the WAN card in it, so would a WAN card work for a wireless router? Or do I need a LAN card for that, or some other card?

Thanks again for the reply though... the price is great and I will be able to look at the PC myself this evening, if it runs smooth and everything checks out good, I'll most likely take it. I'll let you all know either way, but please do post any input on wireless routers and what not.. appreciate it. Thanks.

Scott

[OCDP]

Originally Posted by andrewsk

WAN means Wireless Access Network so you are good there. Get a standard Linksys wireless router and you will be good to go.

As for the Celerons they are OK but it really depends on what you want to do. (Just like Salt Water )

Are you going to play games like Half Life of Doom 3 or just do work (Word/Excel). If it just work, then the celeron is fine and you should get the laptop as it sound pretty good.


Keith

Thanks Keith. With the WAN card, I can either go with the wireless router, or can I go satellite internet? How does that work?? Is the pricing pretty brutal?? WAN sounds great, but I don't think I can afford it. If not, then I'll go for the linksys, they are pretty popular .

In all honesty, I like games.. but I don't usually play them. If I do, it's games like Half Life or Counter-Strike .. but in short, no I am not a gamer.

It's main use will be for , MSN Messenger, mp3's , movies, pictures, all that kinda stuff. And yes, also for school.

I just don't really know how Celeron's are, I mean 1.8g processor sounds nice. Right now I have an AMD 1.7, and it's decent.

Anyways, thanks for the post.. helps me out a bit

Scott

[Canadbis]

I would find out if the wireless card is a linksys or Dlink and try to stick with the brand for a wireless router, not a huge concern but it does stop some of the newbie problems. when you get it and are hooking it up be sure to use some kind of WEP incription on the router to keep the loosers at bay. WEP will be built in and the manual will help with setting up
or PM ME
as already stated if it is for work related material then that laptop should do the job for you.

[Midknight]

Ok...
WAN - Wide Area Network.
LAN - Local Area Network.
Wireless just means that you don't have a cable connected to the server/router.
With a wireless you suffer slower speed & possibility of having someone "borrow" you internet connection.
You just need to make sure that you secure your connection (lots of sites on line)
To bad your in Calgary, I don’t charge a too high FPH rate (frags per hour)

Dan

[OCDP]

When you say you suffer lower speeds, is there ways of reducing that ?? I have noticed this on my friends PC which he uses a wireless router for.. his download speed is cut in half if not more now.

How does one go about securing their connection? (Feel like a PC newb all over) Are you talking like anti-virus/firewall protection?

[OCDP]

Originally Posted by Canadbis

I would find out if the wireless card is a linksys or Dlink and try to stick with the brand for a wireless router, not a huge concern but it does stop some of the newbie problems. when you get it and are hooking it up be sure to use some kind of WEP incription on the router to keep the loosers at bay. WEP will be built in and the manual will help with setting up
or PM ME
as already stated if it is for work related material then that laptop should do the job for you.

How can I find out if my card is linksys or dlink? Can that be found through the device manager? I am not sure what WEP is but I am sure I'll know what it is soon enough.

It's not going to be for work, more for personal enjoyment... like I said, the main things it will be used for are watching DVD's, playing/downloading music, pictures, internet use and the odd game if it can handle it . It will be used for school as well (word, excel, yada yada) It's not really going to be used for work.

[DanG]

I couldn't justify spending that much on a used laptop. You can get a new dell laptop for 500 plus tax with a 1 year warranty.