Unsolved
This post is more than 5 years old
1 Message
0
7440
July 25th, 2004 04:00
new to wireless and confused, please help
Hello fellow M60 owners and (hopefully) Dell techs!
I just bought an M60 workstation (specs below) but have zero clue about wireless computing. By clueless, I mean I don't have a cell phone, still use an answering machine, and am still using 56k dial-up internet access on my desktop.
Dell installed on the M60 an Intel Pro/Wireless 2100 WLAN miniPCI Card. I am not currently subscribed with any wireless provider and so am wondering about how to utilize my new laptop's wireless capabilities.
I have been chatting with various wireless providers over the past couple of days and have become totally confused. T-Moblie tells me my machine is fully capable of connecting to T-Mobile hot spots, all I have to do is sign up for a year at $20 a month and then download the software and I'm ready to go wireless, provided I am within range of a hot spot. Verizon has a much wider coverage area, but they want $80 a month for 2 years to provide me with a wireless Internet connection for my laptop. They also offered me an alternative plan that includes cell phone service and an accessory USB connector that allows me to use my cell phone as a modem, so I can hook the lap top up to my cell phone and access the internet without having a hotspot nearby, so long as I am in thier coverage area. Start up costs are significant (to me), but monthly is only $40 a month for the 2 years.
Other companies want to sell me some kind of card to use in the laptop as well as subscription services. Some want me to buy some kind of little clip-on antennae device that works in my laptop's network card slot.
I am not going to be using the laptop all that much. I am an architect and run my own biz, and I need the laptop for access to the internet from construction sites, many of which are far away from any known hot spot. I travel only within my home state for the time being.
Can anyone help clue me in to this whole wireless thing? I am afraid I'm going to end up buying things I don't need and subscribing, at substantial cost, to services I probably don't need.
Any help would be appreciated.
Lora/LD
Precision M60 Workstation
Intel P-M 735 Processor, 1.70GHz
512 MB SDRAM
NVIDIA Quadro FX Go700 graphics w/ 128 MB DDR VideoMemory
Windows XP Pro
Intel PRO/Wireless 2100 WLAN miniPCI card
justmeagain
55 Posts
0
September 18th, 2004 18:00
There are several options for wireless....the most common is wi-fi which has a limited range and utilizes a wireless router. This is well suited for home use where you have a cable or dsl connection. For this type connection, you need cable/dsl connection with modem, a wireless router and wireless card for your system...range varies, but works well in an average size home environment.
The same technology can be used away from home as long as you have a 'hotspot'....a hotspot simply has a wireless router transmitting the same as in your home.
The GPRS card (General Packet Radio Service)(Dell TrueMobile 5100 GPRS) works very much like a cell phone and requires a subscription to a provider such as T-Mobile. The pcmcia card has a small antenna and signal is dependent upon location of towers in your service area....however, like a cell phone, they can be used anywhere (just be aware of charges for service).
The cell phone option is another alternative....this can be accomplished as you mentioned through a USB connector to your cell phone.....or through bluetooth technology (requires bluetooth card in your system and bluetooth equiped phone for connection.
The GPRS and cell phone options are more expensive than wi-fi but offer wider range and versatility.
Hope this helps.....