Yi is making the high speed plunge!

[Admiral Yi]

Thanks.

How can I check if I already have one or not?  I assume I don't.

[DontSayBanana]

Control Panel > Device Manager

Under network adapters, if you don't see one that says "wireless network adapter," you don't have one.  Generally, you'll only see one if you don't have wireless and two if you do.  The number'd switch to two or three if you added a 56k modem somewhere along the line.

[Admiral Yi]

I don't see Device Manager in Control Panel.  It jumps straight from Date and Time to Display.

[DontSayBanana]

I don't see Device Manager in Control Panel.  It jumps straight from Date and Time to Display.

There should be a button in the "System" control panel, then.

[Admiral Yi]

Arigato.

So I don't have one.

When I buy one do I have to worry about compatability?

[citizen k]

Ah, OK.  There are very few basements in the Northwest I wasn't sure how that would work out.

They're pretty common here in Spokane. I'm using wireless on a laptop in the basement.

[DontSayBanana]

Arigato.

So I don't have one.

When I buy one do I have to worry about compatability?

If you're getting a PCI card, you want to make sure you get the right drivers.  USB wireless adapters are pretty much plug-n-play, unless you're running Windows XP.

[Admiral Yi]

If you're getting a PCI card, you want to make sure you get the right drivers.

How do I do that?

USB wireless adapters are pretty much plug-n-play, unless you're running Windows XP.

You lost me.

[DontSayBanana]

If you're getting a PCI card, you want to make sure you get the right drivers.

How do I do that?

USB wireless adapters are pretty much plug-n-play, unless you're running Windows XP.

You lost me.

A PCI adapter should come with an installation CD that's got the drivers on it.  With a USB adapter, 99 times out of 100 (at least on Vista and 7), you should be able to just plug it in and Windows will recognize it after a minute or so.  XP wasn't designed with WiFi in mind, so XP users would probably need to get a driver from the adapter manufacturer's website or a driver site like www.driverguide.com

[Admiral Yi]

What does the USB adapter do?

You're a prince Bananarama.

[sbr]

It's just a different style of adapter that plugs into a USB port, you only need one or the other.

USB:



PCI, which connects directly to the motherboard:

[Admiral Yi]

Groovy.

Then I plug something into the UBS adapter?  The second half of the wifi...thing?

[sbr]

No, that is the antenna that you are plugging into the usb port.

At least usually.

[derspiess]

So do I just go to Best Buy and get a router and a wifi...thing?

My advice is to go as cheaply as possible.  Wireless N routers and adapters are pretty cheap these days, so don't let some blue shirt at BBY talk you into anything overpriced.

It looks like they have a router there as cheap as $30 which is pretty fair, but their cheapest wifi adapter looks to be the same, which IMO is overpriced.

On Newegg they have a decent-enough router for $20: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833127363

And USB wifi adapters as cheap as $10: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100010074%20600014288&IsNodeId=1&name=USB%202.0

You generally want to match the adapter speed to that of the router (and some even prefer both to be the same brand) but I've mixed & matched without any issues.

[Barrister]

So do I just go to Best Buy and get a router and a wifi...thing?

My advice is to go as cheaply as possible.  Wireless N routers and adapters are pretty cheap these days, so don't let some blue shirt at BBY talk you into anything overpriced.

I really can't agree with that advice.

I went out and bought a couple of cheap-o routers, and constantly ahd problems, had to reset them every few days, that kind of thing.

I wound up inheriting an Apple Airport wireless router and the thing has been a rock - I don't think I've ever touched it.

This isn't meant to be an Apple thing - unless you're on a Mac there's no particular need to have an Apple router.  But you get what you pay for, so buy a more expensive, reliable router.