|
|
guarro
new user
Reg'd: Fri
Posts: 1
|
|
Hi there,
Need some advice about how best to go wireless.
We currently have AOL broadband on our desktop PC (which does not have a wireless card).
We also now have two laptops in the house – both of these are work laptops, which means that we don’t have administrator rights to be able to install AOL software, yet we would like to be able to use these as well as the desktop for wirelessly accessing the internet. Both laptops have wireless cards.
Questions:
1. Is it possible to access wireless broadband at home on the laptops without installing AOL? If so, how?!
2. If not, and we are able to persuade work to install the AOL software, is it necessary to ‘sign up’ for wireless with AOL, or can we just buy our own router and go wireless without ever telling AOL? (I understand that to ‘sign up’ with AOL we would need to renew the contract for another twelve months, which I am not keen to do as we may want to switch ISP anyway)?
3. What sort of ‘router’ would we need (there seem to be so many different kinds available). Is a router the same as modem?
4. If we decide to switch ISP (we would probably go to Sky), how easy would that be? I have heard that AOL are not very helpful in facilitating this ...
5. If we switch, can we still keep our @aol.com e-mail addresses?
6. With Sky (or any other ISP), do you also have to install their own software, or is AOL unique in this regard?
7. In general, is it possible to have one desktop connected by cable as well as have two wireless laptops, or once you go wireless must all connections be wireless?
I’m a bit of a dullard when it comes to this technology, so if anyone can point me in the right direction I would be very grateful. Many thanks.
Cheers,
Dave
|
|
RichieP
regular
Reg'd: Thu
Posts: 4731
|
|
1. Is it possible to access wireless broadband at home on the laptops without installing AOL? If so, how?!
Yes it is. Once your router is sending out the wireless signal, click the wireless icon to vew available wireless networks, click connect, enter the passphrase and that's it.
2. If not, and we are able to persuade work to install the AOL software, is it necessary to ‘sign up’ for wireless with AOL, or can we just buy our own router and go wireless without ever telling AOL? (I understand that to ‘sign up’ with AOL we would need to renew the contract for another twelve months, which I am not keen to do as we may want to switch ISP anyway)?
You can buy your own router (you'll need a modem/router) but AOL provide Netgear wireless routers. Why not contact them and ask?
3. What sort of ‘router’ would we need (there seem to be so many different kinds available). Is a router the same as modem?
See above
4. If we decide to switch ISP (we would probably go to Sky), how easy would that be? I have heard that AOL are not very helpful in facilitating this ...
Sky also provide Netgear routers. In fact, it's the same as the AOL one, except it's locked to the Sky settings.
5. If we switch, can we still keep our @aol.com e-mail addresses?
No, you'll lose that unless you ask them to keep it for a small monthly fee.
6. With Sky (or any other ISP), do you also have to install their own software, or is AOL unique in this regard?
You don't have to install any software to use a router. They work independently of the computer. However, the supplied software is to (supposedly) make the installation easier.
7. In general, is it possible to have one desktop connected by cable as well as have two wireless laptops, or once you go wireless must all connections be wireless?
That's the best way to do it. Keep the desktop connected via the supplied ethernet cable in case the wireless network goes belly up. You can then connect to the router's setup pages and get it back up.
Hope that helps.
--------------------
 OK OK I can't go any faster! aaaaaaaaaaaagh!
|
RichieP
regular
Reg'd: Thu
Posts: 4731
|
|
No, it's OK. Don't mention it...
--------------------
OK OK I can't go any faster! aaaaaaaaaaaagh!
|
greysts
regular
Reg'd: Thu
Posts: 17961
Loc: Colchester
|
|
One can only assume that the OP didn't think much of your advice and decided to ignore you completely. Perhaps if he had to pay for the advice he might be a bit more appreciative.
--------------------
Do you know that we're all in line for succession to the throne? Really?
Well, if forty-eight million, two hundred thousand, seven hundred and one people died I'd be Queen.
|
|
|
Previous
Index
Next
Threaded
Edit
Reply
Quote
