Ian - The "wireless option" until recently meant simply WiFi, aka 802.11b, 11 Mbps speed. There's a draft 802.11g standard out, and some vendors selling gear. The g version works at 54 Mbps. But for email and stuff 11 should be plenty, though.
Would suggest the PC Card version of WiFi in a laptop. (As opposed to the brand-new announcement 3/12 of Intel Centrino mobile chipset solution.) That way, you can easily change or upgrade over time if needed. For under $1000, check out the Dell Inspiron 1100 notebook. And you can add a WiFi card with the order for about $50. They also have decent prices on wireless routers you can attach to get to the broadband modem. WiFi connections can use 128-bit encryption, pretty darn decent protection against snooping. And you can put in a list of hardware MAC addresses (embedded in network card) as "trusted", and no other pc's could connect to your network. Yes, a dedicated hacker could "spoof" it, but I'm talking abou the casual intruder. HTH. (BTW, my Dell Inspiron 1100 with WiFi card is currently in production, and should be shipping in about a week. <grin>) -Ben At 01:49 PM 3/14/03 -0800, you wrote: >Ok, the wife wants a lap top for her birthday (two weeks ago). And when I >get my second paycheck from the new job (first full time, permanent position >in over two years) next week, I am planning on getting her a simple one. >What I'm thinking of doing is getting it with a wireless NIC card so that I >don't have to provide another internet connection in the apartment. I can >set up my current PPPe DSL connected computer as a gateway/receiver and hers >can then be anywhere in the apartment and beyond I assume. What I would >like some help with is what wireless options I might go with? > >Me: A fairly intelligent code geek, but I don't know a great deal about >hardware and/or networking. >Her: Novice/pseodo computer phobic with 90% of her time on the computer >being e-mail and chatting, shouldn't need a lot of power to support. >Restraints: This is ONLY my second check, so not too expensive. > >I'm looking for something affordable, relatively easy to set up and >maintain. Decently secure, so that just anybody can not walk by and share >my computer, but not I'm too worried about overly serious attacks, if they >really want to know my Civilization III Play the World score, they can. > >Any suggestions? Helpful hints? Good hand holding sites for >choosing/setting up/securing/maintaining wireless network hardware? Humorous >Puns? Most any comment would be helpful. Also any comments on the trouble >I may be heading for if I where to consider an Apple laptop for her? She >possibly may like the generally considered simpler UI. > >Thanks > >PS Suggestions on good places to get inexpensive (under $1000, the more >under the better) laptops also appreciated. > >-------------- >Ian Skinner >Web Programmer >BloodSource >Sacramento, CA > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/index.cfm?forumid=5 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/index.cfm?method=subscribe&forumid=5 Your ad could be here. Monies from ads go to support these lists and provide more resources for the community. http://www.fusionauthority.com/ads.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5
