Hi everyone, a bit of a newbie question here.
Im completely new when it comes to wireless, I just bought a laptop with inbuilt wireless support, so what else do I need to be able to use this baby wireless-ly?

Do I need to sign up with another ISP, or can I just use networks?

you need a device that sends out a signal to wireless objects such as your laptop in order to go on the internet. you need to go and install the programs that your internet providers have given you on your laptop as well.

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Does your modem have an Ethernet connection? If so, you're halfway there.

What you need to get is a wireless router - the modem connects to the router via the Ethernet cable, and then you can configure the router to work with your wireless devices - but Wireless [Wi-Fi] is pretty much a plug-n-play technology.

Whilst you can get modems with built in Wi-Fi routers, I think that a router that connects to your modem is better, in case you change the way you connect to the Internet [e.g move house.]

You need an ethernet connection for wireless? Wouldn't that defeat the purpose of wireless?

bnza8 - I dont have a wireless ISP, thats where I am confused. Do I need a wireless ISP or can i just use the wireless at the internet cafe?

CompuForums - Say I just wanted to use this at an internet cafe for now, I dont need to buy a router for that obviously. Will my laptop work as it is using wireless at an internet cafe?

So confusing!

Frantic,

Your question should be this...there are three major types of ISP's (Internet Service Providers) who give you access to the internet:

1. Dialup - such as Netscape, Earthlink, PeoplePC, etc.
2. Cable - such as comcast, charter, time warner
3. DSL - such as Verizon, SBC Yahoo, Bellsouth

Wireless means that you broadcast your ISP's connection so that wireless devices can detect that broadcast and connect to it so that the device can have internet access. Wireless requires a bit more bandwidth (more ability to broadcast packets of data) than dialup is able to provide so if you want to go wireless, you'll have to first get a DSL or Cable ISP.

Next, investigate what you have currently...if you already have a wired router, you can get a wireless access point. A wireless access point will plug into your wired network and transmit a connection point wirelessly. That way, your laptop will be able to connect to it no problem and it won't have to hard jack into the network using an ethernet cable.

If you don't have a hardline router, you can buy a wireless router. This will be nice because it usually has 4-8 ethernet ports so you don't have to run out and purchase wireless cards for your desktop computers...you can still connect them via ethernet. Then, the wireless router will also broadcast a wireless signal so that devices that operate wirelessly will be able to see and connect to it.

A really great how-to exists from the University of Texas and it will help get you on your feet:

http://www.utexas.edu/its/wireless/install/index.html