Wireless for 600M

What most folks do is order a DSL line from their phone company, or a cable modem from their TV cable company. Prices for these services range from $30 to $50 per month.

Then,  you install a Linksys or other brand wireless "router". Most DSL/Cable companies can supply you with a wireless router that they'll support. Installation is easy -- just plug an ethernet cable from the router to the DSL or cable modem and turn the router on. The wireless card in your Dell will find the router and you'll be able to use Internet Explorer, Outlook Express and other Internet apps, without dialing. You will also be able to share your high-speed Internet connection with up to 255 computers!

If you don't care about surfing the web at home, you can subscribe to a hotspot provider such as T-Mobile. To do this, just take your laptop into a Starbucks, turn it on, and start Internet Explorer. You'll get signup screens that will walk you through the process.

You'll be able to cancel your AOL subscription, but when you do, you'll lose your AOL e-mail address. A new e-mail address will come with your DSL or cable modem subscription, or you can get free e-mail from Yahoo or Hotmail. Once you set up a new e-mail address, send an e-mail to all of your AOL contacts with your new address. Most people then wait for 30 days, to make sure their AOL account isn't still getting important e-mail. If you really like AOL (I don't), you can keep AOL by switching to "AOL for Broadband", which lets you use AOL over your wireless connection (without the phone modem). AOL for Broadband is $10 a month.

I hope this helps. If not, post more questions and we'll try to help. Be as specific as possible, and don't be afriad to ask!!! That's how you'll become an expert.

Thanks John and Marshall.  I've done more sniffing around on this and have learned the following:

1)  I still have dial up at this time.  However, someone else has told me that regardless of whether I have dsl or dial up, I will NOT need a wireless router at home provided I can pick up a wireless signal in the vicinity of my home.  Is this true?   When using my laptop I've received notification of wireless networks being available or not (usually one of my neighbors - I live in a fairly well populated area) - some will require a wep key, others not.  Haven't tried it yet.  But does that mean a router is absolutely necessary?

2)  I called tmobile to get more info and they offer 2 services, one for wifi hotspots access and the other for wireless access anywhere.  As explained to me they advise the difference is, access to the wifi hotspots will assure me speedier connections while being restricted to use of my laptop in the hotspot whereas, wireless access anywhere will be slower and will be subject to whatever is available wherever I am (beach, park, whatever).  Then they advise I'm required to purchase a Sierra air card which is the only card they support and which costs about $350 - I think they're high!  The laptop I have has the 802.11 card installed in it, why would I need another one?  Does this sound right to you?

3)  My last question is, is it really then impossible to be completely wireless at a reasonable cost? 

Thanks again for your answers, I've read #19 and am still digesting some of it. 

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@Scandyloos wrote:

Thanks John and Marshall.  I've done more sniffing around on this and have learned the following:

1)  I still have dial up at this time.  However, someone else has told me that regardless of whether I have dsl or dial up, I will NOT need a wireless router at home provided I can pick up a wireless signal in the vicinity of my home.  Is this true?   When using my laptop I've received notification of wireless networks being available or not (usually one of my neighbors - I live in a fairly well populated area) - some will require a wep key, others not.  Haven't tried it yet.  But does that mean a router is absolutely necessary?  Depends on your morals - if you want to sponge off your dumb neighbors who don't protect their wireless network thats up to you and your conscience.  Otherwise you'd need a DSL or cable braodband connection, and to be wireless you'd then need the router, which also provides firewall functions to thwart hackers.

2)  I called tmobile to get more info and they offer 2 services, one for wifi hotspots access and the other for wireless access anywhere.  As explained to me they advise the difference is, access to the wifi hotspots will assure me speedier connections while being restricted to use of my laptop in the hotspot whereas, wireless access anywhere will be slower and will be subject to whatever is available wherever I am (beach, park, whatever).  Then they advise I'm required to purchase a Sierra air card which is the only card they support and which costs about $350 - I think they're high!  The laptop I have has the 802.11 card installed in it, why would I need another one?  Does this sound right to you? You are talking a cell service solution with the Sierra card and would have dialup capability anywhere T-mobile (Sprint and others also offer the same services) has a signal.

3)  My last question is, is it really then impossible to be completely wireless at a reasonable cost?  Yup.  Until cities create open WiFi networks like in the Seattle and other areas, it will cost dearly.

Thanks again for your answers, I've read #19 and am still digesting some of it.  You're welcome and good for you learning all you can about your notebook and its capabilities!

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