How to tell if my notebook has wireless networking capabil..

[JJ]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.homebuilt (More info?)

In the control panel it has under wireless link: IrDA Fast Infrared port.
Not what I'm looking for to share my desktop internet connection and printer?

Thanks all and sorry for the dumb question ;-)

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.homebuilt (More info?)

On 1 Sep 2004 12:54:57 -0700, mrjjohnson@hotmail.com (JJ) wrote:

>In the control panel it has under wireless link: IrDA Fast Infrared port.
>Not what I'm looking for to share my desktop internet connection and printer?
>
>Thanks all and sorry for the dumb question ;-)

If you don't know (or it's an older notebook) it isn't likely to
have wifi networking feature.

Look in device manager under the "Network Adapters" or in dial-up
and network connections, where you'll see all devices present
that have been IDENTIFIED (in theory if a wifi adapter were
installed but not given driver when prompted, it wouldn't be
identified properly). In other words, you'll see what you have
listed and can search those product names to determine type. If
you only see one and notebook has a RJ45 jack on it, that would
be the wired networking adapter.

You also look at the notebook's spec sheet, possibly on
manufacturer/OEM website?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.homebuilt (More info?)

"JJ" <mrjjohnson@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:2e139679.0409011154.23fb2587@posting.google.com...
> In the control panel it has under wireless link: IrDA Fast Infrared port.
> Not what I'm looking for to share my desktop internet connection and
> printer?
>
Thats an infrared port, used for sending small files to other laptops and
PDA's.

You need either an 802.11x adapter or a bluetooth system.

hamman

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.homebuilt (More info?)

Hi there, no expert on wireless networking but here goes...

Most laptops have Infrared ports - but these are very slow indeed - the
original infrared were 9600bps - very very slow. I am not sure how much
faster FAST infrared is but I would suspect not fast enough for print
jobs or a broadband type internet connection. Somebody will correct me
if I'm wrong.

What you need is a proper wireless networking technology - such as Wi-Fi
or Bluetooth. You can get either USB2 or PCMCIA wireless network
transmitters for the laptop and use a Boradband/Ethernet wireless router
base station (which is connected to your PC via a standard cat-5 cable -
so your PC needs an ethernet network card) to make the connection
between the two machines.

As I say, I'm no expert but have a look at something along the lines of:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000TZ8Z8/ref=br_ce_ts_2//202-6
977439-6845428

cheaper ones available - but have personal experience with Netgear kit
and it seems pretty good.

HTH a bit - hopefully others will contribute to the thread.

Steve

In message <2e139679.0409011154.23fb2587@posting.google.com>, JJ
<mrjjohnson@hotmail.com> writes
>In the control panel it has under wireless link: IrDA Fast Infrared port.
>Not what I'm looking for to share my desktop internet connection and printer?
>
>Thanks all and sorry for the dumb question ;-)

--
Steve