My setup is my main computer running Windows XP Home with an XP2400 chip on an A7N8X board. I have some old parts laying around I want to assemble into a secondary computer. I'd use it to surf the net or watch DVDs while playing one of my addictions on the main computer (Everquest, DAoC etc etc). So, my first question is the obvious one: What do I buy? I know zilch about networking (it scares me) and I'd rather not buy a router dealy just to find out I needed a gateway thingy.
My second question is a bit more complicated. Overall, I want to know if wireless networks would be a viable option for a predominately wired network. I only think of going wireless because 1) it's cooler and 2) I have 2 friends with laptops, and it'd be very convenient to hand em a card to plug in instead of futzing around with wires going around the room. This is moot if the wired network would cost 40-50 bucks and the wireless would be 100+ though, so if that's the case I can ditch this fantasy ASAP.
Thanks in advance.
My second question is a bit more complicated. Overall, I want to know if wireless networks would be a viable option for a predominately wired network. I only think of going wireless because 1) it's cooler and 2) I have 2 friends with laptops, and it'd be very convenient to hand em a card to plug in instead of futzing around with wires going around the room. This is moot if the wired network would cost 40-50 bucks and the wireless would be 100+ though, so if that's the case I can ditch this fantasy ASAP.
Thanks in advance.