Wireless on Home PC?

[r00zter]

Hi all. Was wondering if anyone could tell me if wireless internet at home is an option for me. The companies like verizon can't seem to give me a straight answer, so I thought I'd ask the experts. Ok...I am moving soon to a rural area where cable or DSL is unavailable. The only good thing is that I get an excellent signal on my Verizon mobile phone. Doesn't wireless internet work through the cell towers? Is it possible I can connect to the internet from my PC at home by wireless? Thanks in advance.

 

[fishmahn]

Wireless does not equal wireless.

'Normal' wireless adapters for your computer - 802.11a, 802.11b or 802.11g are the protocol names. They don't use cellular protocols, and they have a distance limit of under 200 feet from your PC/laptop to the access point.

There should be cables/adapters to let you plug your PC into your cell phone (literally), but what I remember about them is that dial-up is faster (but its better than nothing at all).

There is a product coming (it may be available now, I'm not sure) that puts a cellular transmitter on/in your computer and its much closer to broadband speeds (at least 256k IIRC). I think it was Verizon that was doing it, but it may be Nextel or one of the others.

So, to answer your question - 'normal' computer wireless will not work for your situation. However the cellular connection products should work for you.

Mike.

<font color=blue>Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside the dog its too dark to read.
-- Groucho Marx</font color=blue>

 

[fishmahn]

Found what I was reading about. <A HREF="http://www.cingular.com/midtolarge/laptop_connect" target="_new">http://www.cingular.com/midtolarge/laptop_connect</A> It's at Cingular. I don't know if Verizon offers a similar product or not.

Mike.

<font color=blue>Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside the dog its too dark to read.
-- Groucho Marx</font color=blue>

 

[Muircheartach]

Hey r00ster,

Fishmahn has it right - I've been using AT&T/Cingular and Verizon Air Cards for some time all over the world and have had pretty good luck with them - if you're the lucky type, you might be able to get the card for free if you can find a monthly service plan that doesn't hurt too much...

A better card is the one Sprint offered - much higher speeds than EDGE can get you - burst up to 600Kbp! However, if the 100-150Kbp doesn't turn you off (and certainly there's an understandable trade-off for your location being without DSL/CM), then you're going down the right road.

Good luck whatever you do!

Best cheers, Robbie M

 

[fishmahn]

SPRINT!!!! That's who I was trying to think of...

Thanks, Robbie.

Mike.

<font color=blue>Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside the dog its too dark to read.
-- Groucho Marx</font color=blue>

 

[r00zter]

Thanks for all the info! I had a rough time just trying to get answers close to the ones you all gave me. Well...I am glad to hear Sprint is my closest chance to a hot ticket.... they happen to be the main provider in my area, so maybe I can get the service you all talk aboout. I will prob be back with more questions hehe. Thanks.

 

[r00zter]

Well....I'm back already! Hehe. Ok...I checked out the airard from Sprint and it appears to only be adaptable with laptops, and offers service in major metropolitan areas. So thats a no-go for me I suppose. Anyway...I did find a Belkin wireless PCI card for desktops that might work if I understand this correctly....
I called Verizon and they said that wireless internet for laptop computers was available in my area. Does that mean If I buy a laptop and get wireless service for it, then connect a Belkin wireless adapter to my Desktop, I can share the wireless network? Thats what I am thinking. I may be reaching for straws....but I REALLY don't wanna be stuck with dial-up in my fancy new rural home hehe. If I'm wrong about the wireless....maybe you can shoot some other possibilities at me? I have looked at the satellite options....but don't like the dial-up like uploads speeds. Thanks again for putting up with my Internet noobness.

 

[icemann77]

hey roozter,do you have a dsl or cable connection.? why not buy a wireless router like from linksys. and you can hard wired your pc and if you have a wireless laptop,you can connect wirelessly into it and the internet.you can also make your pc wireless since,linksys has also wirless pci adapters for desktop. wireless speed can be upto 54Mbps,if your using a g router.

 

[fishmahn]

Why is the aircard laptop only? Usually these things are a PCMCIA or Cardbus (diferent name, basically same thing), and you can get a cardbus adapter for a desktop so that shouldn't be a problem.

The Belkin wireless adapter probably won't work - like I said, wireless isn't always wireless. The Aircard uses a different protocol than 'noremal' wireless. An adapter that primarily says its a 'wireless' adapter (instead of advertising they talk to the cell phone network) is an 802.11 Network wireless, not a cell phone wireless.

Find out what type of adapter/card the Aircard is, and see if you can get an adapter to plug it into your desktop.

Mike.