Help me pleeease!

wolfman

It's been a while since I've posted on the boards and last time it was something totally different but I've learned one thing here. You guys know your stuff.


I recently bought a Dell laptop complete with wireless networking card and being totally ignorant regarding Wi-Fi I thought the laptop had it built in and that the card was for my desktop PC, but it turns out, what I bought was a PCMCIA card for my Inspiron for Wireless use.

In the meantime I have looked around but still can't sort out what I need.

My needs:

Use my laptop in any room of the house and use the dual ISDN connection on my PC and secondly, share files with my PC. My main need is to have ISDN access on my laptop. I know I could get a ISDN card for the laptop, but I'd be restricted to using it in one room.

Question:

To access the internet, using the PCMCIA card in my Inspiron, do I need a crad in my desktop PC or one in my ISDN box on the wall? Or both???

Like I said, I would like to share files between the two, but primarily just access the net from anywhere in the house.

My laptop is running Windows XP Home and my desktop is a Packard Bell running Windows 98 SE with a PCI ISDN card installed. Think it's either a TRUST or BILLION card.

I would REALLY appreciate any help on this because any PC dealers I have spoken to all seem to have their own reasons for their advice.

okonski

If you've only got ISDN (as opposed to Broadband), you'll need to purchase a WiFi Radio Hub. This will provide the connectivity to your Laptop (and any other WiFi cards you may buy later). The hub will also allow you to connect up to 4 traditionally connected PC's using ethernet cards. One PC will remain as your ISDN Gateway, and it will open a channel when required. Local file transfers between the PC/Laptop will be madeusingthe WiFi connection or cable connection to other PC's. Hope this helps!

milltown

This is pretty much what I have at home. All you need for internet connection sharing and filesharing is a WiFi card for your pc. Have a goo at ebay as the prices in shops here are still unexplainably high. Bear in mind that you need a card AND a PCI adaptor, they are usually sold together but not always.
You will only need a hub or access point if you plan on adding more computers to the network.
Any more Qs give me a PM and I'll try and help you out.

wolfman

Ok thanks for the response guys.

Milltown, a couple of questions.....

Why do you need a PCI adapter? Are the cards only available in PCMCIA format? Can they not be bought in PCI format?

Also, using this setup (1 card in laptop and 1 card in desktop) you can confirm that I CAN access the internet from my laptop using the ISDN connection on my manin PC??? I presume the main PC has to be running for this?

Wolf

okonski

You can get WiFi in both a PCI Card (wih a stubby aerial) or an adaptor card that takes the PC Card as a slot-in. Of the two, I prefer the former as there's a lot of interefernce round the back of a PC or monitor, so a dedicated PCI card really has the edge - and hardly anything in price.

As for the expense of the hub, true you can save by not using one, but it does give you the ultimate flexibility of running cable where you can. and using WiFi where you cannot - and allows p to 4 PC's access to the internet. The other way kinda paints you into a corner. As for he cost, 3Com's WiFi Hub in Decemer comes with a FREE WiFi PC card, and cost me only GBP £120 from Global. Others I'm sure will be matching it.

milltown

Wolfman,
Connecting to the net through your desktop is quick and painless once you set up your network and "Internet Connection Sharing" in windows. Yes your desktop will need to be turned on. You can set it up so the desktop will dial up when the laptop requests anything from the net. The only way I have found to hang up though is setting internet properties to hang up after Xmins idle or when no longer needed. Somebody may be able to advise us both on a better way.
RE: The PCI cards. I stand corrected. My PCI card basically has a PCMCIA card slotted into it except the card has a 2m antenna on the end rather than the stubby little aerial on the PCMCIA. Any other cards I have seen have been similar but sometimes the two have been sold seperately.