Wireless use

Do I always need a Router to use my Laptop wirelessly. My laptop is Dell
with Wireless capability

Alan Harvey wrote:
> Do I always need a Router to use my Laptop wirelessly. My laptop is Dell
> with Wireless capability

Yes.


Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

to expound... Yes, but not always your own. Think of it as a cordless
phone in your house, not a cellular phone. For your cordless phone to work
it has to be in range of it's base unit. your PC is the same way. the good
news is, you can connect to any wireless router that is not encrypted. many
businesses offer free wifi, as well as others (and homeowners) who do not
encrypt theirs, leaving it open to connect (make your own judgment on the
moral issue of using a neighbors wireless). the point is besides being able
to connect at home, there is a good chance you will find many other places
to connect (hotels, restaurants, coffee shops, and others)


"Malke" <> wrote in message
news:%23XlG0M4%...
> Alan Harvey wrote:
>> Do I always need a Router to use my Laptop wirelessly. My laptop is Dell
>> with Wireless capability
>
> Yes.
>
>
> Malke
> --
> Elephant Boy Computers
> www.elephantboycomputers.com
> "Don't Panic!"
> MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

"Malke" <> wrote in message
news:%23XlG0M4%...
> Alan Harvey wrote:
>> Do I always need a Router to use my Laptop wirelessly. My laptop is Dell
>> with Wireless capability
>
> Yes.


Well, to be pedantic, not really. Asus Deluxe motherboards, for example,
often come with onboard wifi cards, which can be used as an Access Point.

The router I had been using until recently was several years old, and had no
wireless, so I had been using the onboard wireless from my last two Asus
motherboard, for the last three to four years, for my laptop.

ss.

"Synapse Syndrome" <> wrote in message
news:%23$lq4f5%...
> "Malke" <> wrote in message
> news:%23XlG0M4%...
>> Alan Harvey wrote:
>>> Do I always need a Router to use my Laptop wirelessly. My laptop is
>>> Dell with Wireless capability
>>
>> Yes.
>
>
> Well, to be pedantic, not really. Asus Deluxe motherboards, for example,
> often come with onboard wifi cards, which can be used as an Access Point.
>
> The router I had been using until recently was several years old, and had
> no wireless, so I had been using the onboard wireless from my last two
> Asus motherboard, for the last three to four years, for my laptop.
>

And.... there are wireless cellphone cards (PCMIA or whatever that
abbreviation is.I usually leave out a consonant).
Basically, it makes the connection via a cellphone provider, with which you
have to have a service contract.

"Neil Gould" <> wrote in message
news:eJW65U7%...
> Recently, Alan Harvey <> posted:
>
>> Do I always need a Router to use my Laptop wirelessly. My laptop is
>> Dell with Wireless capability
>>
> No, all you need is a Wireless Access Point, but it may be easier to buy
> one that has a router built in than without one. Presumably you want to
> connect to something else, and if there is more than one "something else",
> a router can be handy.
>
> http://www.netgear.com/Products/Wire...essPoints.aspx
>
> Neil
> (I have no connection to Netgear beyond being a very satisfied user for
> several years)


Yeah, WAPs are very expensive these days, as they are designed for corporate
use. Home user and small businesses are better off with the much cheaper
consumer routers with built in wireless.

ss.

"Synapse Syndrome" <> wrote in message
news:Oa4HLa7%...

> Yeah, WAPs are very expensive these days, as they are designed for
> corporate use. Home user and small businesses are better off with the
> much cheaper consumer routers with built in wireless.
>

And you can always use a router as an AP by turning the DHCP server off and
using the LAN ports and ignoring the WAN port.. doing that now with a dual
a/g router.

"dennis@home" <> wrote in message
news:0860470C-82F6-4641-8540-...
>> Yeah, WAPs are very expensive these days, as they are designed for
>> corporate use. Home user and small businesses are better off with the
>> much cheaper consumer routers with built in wireless.
>>
>
> And you can always use a router as an AP by turning the DHCP server off
> and using the LAN ports and ignoring the WAN port.. doing that now with a
> dual a/g router.


You'd still have to turn off NAT, or are you still using it as a router as
well?

ss.

"Synapse Syndrome" <> wrote in message
news:%23F2XRm7%...
> "dennis@home" <> wrote in message
> news:0860470C-82F6-4641-8540-...
>>> Yeah, WAPs are very expensive these days, as they are designed for
>>> corporate use. Home user and small businesses are better off with the
>>> much cheaper consumer routers with built in wireless.
>>>
>>
>> And you can always use a router as an AP by turning the DHCP server off
>> and using the LAN ports and ignoring the WAN port.. doing that now with a
>> dual a/g router.
>
>
> You'd still have to turn off NAT, or are you still using it as a router as
> well?
>

No I have not turned NAT off, just the DHCP server as I don't want two
running (I could configure them to both work but its a bit pointless
really).
The router does nothing on the wireless/switch side only on stuff passing
between the WAN port and the wireless/swicth ports..


Some routers/AP do have a security setting that stops wireless clients
talking to wired clients that needs to be turned off but its been a while
since I saw one.

Recently, Alan Harvey <> posted:

> Do I always need a Router to use my Laptop wirelessly. My laptop is
> Dell with Wireless capability
>
No, all you need is a Wireless Access Point, but it may be easier to buy
one that has a router built in than without one. Presumably you want to
connect to something else, and if there is more than one "something else",
a router can be handy.

http://www.netgear.com/Products/Wire...essPoints.aspx

Neil
(I have no connection to Netgear beyond being a very satisfied user for
several years)