Help for a new laptop owner

PaddyJules

Just got my new laptop Dell Inspiron but I don't know much about them. So have some questions which may sound stupid.

1. The web pages have tiny print. I can increase the main print by holding ctrl and + but the other print is still small and then when I log out and go back in the print goes small again. This didn't happen when I first logged on so I think one of the kids must have hit a key or something.

2. Also a very silly question - but ... I have a mobile broadband connection from O2. Can I get wifi and if so how do I do that? My son has ann ipod so he wants the wifi connection for that.

Sorry about such silly questions but just learning this techno stuff

Overheal

PaddyJules wrote: »

Just got my new laptop Dell Inspiron but I don't know much about them. So have some questions which may sound stupid.

1. The web pages have tiny print. I can increase the main print by holding ctrl and + but the other print is still small and then when I log out and go back in the print goes small again. This didn't happen when I first logged on so I think one of the kids must have hit a key or something.

2. Also a very silly question - but ... I have a mobile broadband connection from O2. Can I get wifi and if so how do I do that? My son has ann ipod so he wants the wifi connection for that.

Sorry about such silly questions but just learning this techno stuff

Hello and Welcome to Boards.ie

First off, Techno is a type of music that is more or less shyte unless you're an avid user of Crystal Meth.

Your Mobile Broadband Connection from 02. One of these I presume, or similar:



So you either have a USB thing or its built in, but This is a Modem. Just like the old dial-up, but more delicious and moist. Its only function is to communicate with the Internet.

Your laptop also has a Wireless Networking Card. This will be an internal device and usually is either B/G or B/G/N (the latter supporting faster N networks and routers, where they exist).
You can use the Networking Card on your laptop to create an 'Ad Hoc' Wireless Network, where your Laptop will function as a Wireless Router. Your son will then be able to connect to the laptop (and through your laptops 02 connection, the internet).

Go to your Network and Sharing Center (type it in Start) and on the lefthand menu Setup a New Connection. You'll get the option for Ad Hoc: follow the steps.

As for small text normally you can Ctrl+Backspace the reset the zoom level. But you can also change your basic font DPI setting in the Advanced Display Options

PaddyJules

Thanks Overheal. Tried that but comes up with error message that it can not be set up. Thanks anyway. Any more suggestions??

Overheal

whats the error?

02 also does Home broadband (a box that doubles as a standalone Modem and Router) if you'd be more interested in that than mobile broadband. Probably a little better priced too.

sharpeg

Overheal wrote: »

Hello and Welcome to Boards.ie

First off, Techno is a type of music that is more or less shyte unless you're an avid user of Crystal Meth.

Your Mobile Broadband Connection from 02. One of these I presume, or similar:



So you either have a USB thing or its built in, but This is a Modem. Just like the old dial-up, but more delicious and moist. Its only function is to communicate with the Internet.

Your laptop also has a Wireless Networking Card. This will be an internal device and usually is either B/G or B/G/N (the latter supporting faster N networks and routers, where they exist).
You can use the Networking Card on your laptop to create an 'Ad Hoc' Wireless Network, where your Laptop will function as a Wireless Router. Your son will then be able to connect to the laptop (and through your laptops 02 connection, the internet).

Go to your Network and Sharing Center (type it in Start) and on the lefthand menu Setup a New Connection. You'll get the option for Ad Hoc: follow the steps.

As for small text normally you can Ctrl+Backspace the reset the zoom level. But you can also change your basic font DPI setting in the Advanced Display Options

Hi
Never knew you could do that. Thanks. Just one question. I've attempted to do this and connect my iphone. The iphone does connect but the speeds are very very slow. Is it possible i'm doing something wrong?
thanks

Overheal

sharpeg wrote: »

Hi
Never knew you could do that. Thanks. Just one question. I've attempted to do this and connect my iphone. The iphone does connect but the speeds are very very slow. Is it possible i'm doing something wrong?
thanks

Theres not much more you can do than that without additional hardware. The Wireless card in your laptop doesnt have nearly the same power or configuration as a dedicated router: Its built around Download speeds much less upload speeds. And its upload speeds are what your iPhone will be hindered by.

A router on the other hand has an augmented Transmitter and Receiver system, and its built around both transmitting very strong signals out to wireless devices and to Listening out for the lower amplitude signals emitted by those wireless devices to maintain a fast connection.

Expect the range on the phone to be poor and the speed to be slower than what youd expect from a router.

sharpeg

Overheal wrote: »

Theres not much more you can do than that without additional hardware. The Wireless card in your laptop doesnt have nearly the same power or configuration as a dedicated router: Its built around Download speeds much less upload speeds. And its upload speeds are what your iPhone will be hindered by.

A router on the other hand has an augmented Transmitter and Receiver system, and its built around both transmitting very strong signals out to wireless devices and to Listening out for the lower amplitude signals emitted by those wireless devices to maintain a fast connection.

Expect the range on the phone to be poor and the speed to be slower than what youd expect from a router.

Thanks for that. The speed has actually increased considerably since i last posted. This is brilliant as I've a sim free iphone on the three network with no 3g signal. I've o2 broadband with fast 3g so i can now get the most from the iphone at home.