Laptop and wireless network help please

[rocketlily]

Also bought a D Link wireless router at Memory Express. Seems to work well too. Added a wireless USB to the old computer and all is working well.

[Delphinus]

Pretty much hard to go wrong with anything available at the moment.

Something like this: http://www.memoryexpress.com/Product...21221(ME).aspx
and any new laptop are going to play nice with each other.

Even a $500 laptop by now should have wifi on it. I doubt anything new will not have this option, but just check what 802.11 level they have. 802.11g is faster than 802.11b and 802.11n is even faster but just be wary that the 802.11n standard is still in draft form (last time I checked anyhow) and may in fact still change (although I doubt it). Which just means if it DOES change any device that claims "802.11n compliant" may need a firmware update down the road (not really a big deal though).

More reading on the standards here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_802.11

For security there's WEP, and WPA and WPA2. WEP encryption was cracked eons ago so don't bother but WPA2 should still be OK I think. Unless you're OK with giving your neighbours free internet access (although there are incidents of creeps though who drive around looking for unsecured wifi points to download kiddie porn and so on so it just makes sense to lock your network down anyhow). Basically you just get a network access key password generated and you have to enter it anytime you have a new device you want to connect to your network. No biggie.

Fun stuff though, you'll love having wifi in your house.

[xtreme]

If you are willing to spend a little more, I'd look into an Apple. Much more user friendly than windows. I've used Macs pretty much all my life and I would never buy another windows machine.

[parkinsn]

Originally Posted by xtreme

If you are willing to spend a little more, I'd look into an Apple. Much more user friendly than windows. I've used Macs pretty much all my life and I would never buy another windows machine.

I agree, mac's are very user friendly and they have a sale on right now. I would never go back to a windows based machine. Also you can get windows on a mac if you need it.

http://store.apple.com/us/browse/hom...ok?mco=MTE3MjA

[muck]

Originally Posted by Delphinus

Something like this: http://www.memoryexpress.com/Product...21221(ME).aspx
and any new laptop are going to play nice with each other.

I was looking at this D-Link wifi router:
http://www.memoryexpress.com/Product...15586(ME).aspx

Is one better than the other? (Performance, Customer Support, etc.)

Lots of newer laptops are now also coming with wireless N built-in.
I don't know anything about brands though. Any I should steer away from based on personal experiences?

[Delphinus]

That router is fine too.

I picked up an HP laptop a couple months ago. Here's what I can tell from that experience:
- Vista does suck a little. Maybe I just don't adapt to change very well but I like XP better. Now, to be fair, it doesn't suck as bad as some people say, but it's definitely not glitch free.
- I believe XP service pack 3 is the last major release for XP before Microsoft officially stops supporting XP. I don't think you can buy any new computer with XP anymore already.
- I don't really pay much attention to these things but I think Microsoft is already talking of releasing Vista's replacement.

- If you want to have >4Gb ram then you need to look at a 64bit system. Some device drivers aren't there for 64 bit yet but .. I dunno, how many devices does one attach to a laptop anyhow?

- The only complaint I have about my laptop (outside of Vista), and the one thing I would warn people about ... it has a ridiculously super glossy screen. While this increases the "shininess" factor and will make you fall in love with it at the store, if you do any work while near a window, you will not be able to see ANYthing on the screen. It drives me nuts that I have to draw the blinds closed to surf during daylight hours. My work laptop is a Dell and it has about as flat/non-reflective screen as you can get and it's far more forgiving in this regard. So nothing to do with brands but do watch out for the glossiness. I'm not sure why they would even make laptops like this..

[muck]

Did you buy from MemoryExpress Tony?

[Delphinus]

The router yes, the laptop itself I got from Futureshop. (**Someone** had given me a gift card for there as payment for something, and I was giddy I was finally able to use it for something... ) If I hadn't have had that I would likely would have gone memory express for the laptop too.

Now I want to get me a EEE notebook. Have you seen these things? $300-400 gets you this itty bitty notebook with 4gb solid state "hard drive" (more like a big honkin' USB key built in), wifi and Linux/Ubuntu ... perfect if you want to surf or msn while watching tv or something..
http://www.memoryexpress.com/Product...19464(ME).aspx

[wolf_bluejay]

My usual recommendation is the simple one (IT by trade). Buy the cheapest laptop that fits what you need. 90% of the time, people buy these huge, heavy and short on battery life laptops because the sales guy talks them into it.

But of course, what do you need. Personally, i go for the small and long battery life laptops with tiny screens (I have and eee and acer asipre). But if you NEED more power, got for something a bit bigger. I find the Asus Eee 701 has just too small a keyboard for any real work. It does make a great "portable".
Generally, nobody uses the full power of a computer anymore, so buying a slower CPU means better battery life.

None of that matters if you are going to put it on a desk and leave it there. If you are doing that -- Really -- buy a desktop with a nice 22" LCD and full size keyboard.

As for the networking. 802.11g is the most common. And they are all compatible EXCEPT 802.11a. All laptops that you will find have at least 802.11g, so don't even worry about the wireless.

As for the WEP/WPA/WPA2 debate. Don't use WEP, everything else is Ok. I can break WEP is under 5 minutes.

Just don't listen to the sales guy telliing you that you will need HDTV outputs and all the other junk. Normally a good laptop should run you under $500, and a cheapy wireless router about $50-100.There really isn't much difference between routes, unless you get into the enterprise level stuff, and spending $1500 on a router with feature that you won't even know what they are is just silly.


Finally, windows vista is a PITA. And no, you can't by anything with XP from a big box store, and the store that still have XP (for corporate customer) charge a few hundred extra to get it. My advice -- download, or have mailed to you for free a "ubuntu" or "kubuntu" linux cd, and install that. Much nicer, simpler, and problem free. I have a few thousand machines running linux, and very few people have any problems with it.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by muck

I was looking at this D-Link wifi router:
http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/PID-MX15586(ME).aspx

Is one better than the other? (Performance, Customer Support, etc.)

Lots of newer laptops are now also coming with wireless N built-in.
I don't know anything about brands though. Any I should steer away from based on personal experiences?

You probably don't need or care about 802.11n (or pre-n, since I don't think it is officially ratified yet). For in-home networking and internet browsing, b/g is fine. I like linksys and netgear, but have only bought and thrown-away one d-link, and it might have been a lemon. Look for one with a wireless print server built in. Something like this, maybe.

And for the laptop? A shiny new macbook pro?