Jump to content

Wireless Laptop Q:


russrags

Recommended Posts

  • Members

1st new laptop in quite a while, and I am wondering about connecting wireless to the Internet. Not that that's a big deal, I'm on the Internet right now wireless as I type this .... but my Q:

 

With a wireless laptop do you actually have to subscribe to an Internet provider??? I'm connected, but I don't ever remember setting anything up in the computer with my information??? I don't have a router, I just pull in someone else's signal.

 

Stupid Q I know ... I'm really pretty smart, I promise !!! Ha!! Ha!!

 

 

Russ

Nashville

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

 

1st new laptop in quite a while, and I am wondering about connecting wireless to the Internet. Not that that's a big deal, I'm on the Internet right now wireless as I type this .... but my Q:


With a wireless laptop do you actually have to subscribe to an Internet provider??? I'm connected, but I don't ever remember setting anything up in the computer with my information??? I don't have a router, I just pull in someone else's signal.


Stupid
Q
I know ... I'm really pretty smart, I promise !!! Ha!! Ha!!



Russ

Nashville

 

 

If your computer is working on the Internet without you doing any setup, it is getting that information from however you connect to the internet. On a wired computer that would be your ISP. With a wireless, if you don't have a wireless router or access point, then you are getting onto someone else's wireless connection, either legally or illegally. Note - if you are getting onto a neighbors wireless connection, whether they have it protected or not, and you don't have their permission, you are breaking the law.... now if you are doing it someplace with free access (cafe, bookstore, etc.), you are good.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • CMS Author

 

With a wireless laptop do you actually have to subscribe to an Internet provider??? I'm connected, but I don't ever remember setting anything up in the computer with my information???

There are a lot of free wireless access points - a lot of coffee shop/bakeries have them and even some cities even have them. You can connect to the Internet with those just for the taking. There are also a lot of people with wireless routers in their home who haven't taken the steps to secure them, so you might be poaching on a neighbor's connection.

 

On a PC, if you click on the network icon it'll tell you where you're connected. If is says something like "Linksys" that's a neighbor (who has an unsecured Linksys router).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Some airports and hotels have free wireless, others charge. The free stuff is good!

 

You can also buy a wireless card that connects to a particular provider, like Sprint or Qwest. It's conceptually like having a cell phone with internet access wired into your laptop. But both the card and the service will cost you.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Hey thanks guys .. your all soooooooo smart.

I've been a paid Internet subscriber since 1996, so I'm not trying to beat the system. I was just curious why I could pick it up without any of my info. Yea my neighbor has a Linsky, I found it the other day when I was hooking up a scanner for him. He's such a good neighbor and I'm really good to him too. I'll have to tell you his story sometime, he's a real music lover.

 

 

Russ

Nashville

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...