Question about wireless internet...

[k9krazee]

Gosh, this is all too confusing for me

I bought a laptop and it has a wireless card in it. The campus that I'm going to is mostly wireless, I just need to get into their network once I get there by filling out a form, no biggie.

The problem I'm having is that the dorm rooms do not have wireless capabilities. Does anybody know what I would need to purchase in order to have wireless in the room? If anything??

[Paul]

   Linksys and D-Link make devices (wireless access points) that will allow any wireless laptop to connect. They are occasionally on sale for as little as $9.99. The 'b' speed is the slowest. You should get at least the 'g' speed as in 802.11g. Your laptop will indicate it's speed somewhere in the documentation.

   If you lived off campus, I would suggest just buying one. However, for a dorm room, I would ask the school, especially the people at your specific dorm, for suggestions. Too many devices, especially the newer faster pre-standard devices, will interfere with each other. A couple of devices on each floor may be enough for everyone to use. The upper class students may already have enough bandwidth so that you do not need one.

      Paul

[BOBS DAD]

Sorry, but it is not "you". There is gonna be nothing that "you" can purchase to make it work, unless you want to make a donation to the school and setup your dorm buddies. "Your" computer is good to go (most likely) but the school has not set up a wireless network to service the dorm(s). They would need a hub and wireless stations situateed throughout the building (and people to service and maintain them) - and they are most likely not planning to do so.

I don't know why, but most schools are setup this way. They have wireless capabilities at various locals throughout the campus, but "not in the dorms".

[Blue_Frog]

Depending on the University, they may have rules against unsecured wireless devices (i.e. adding a wireless router to your room, etc.) -- you might want to check with them about the wireless rules on campus / dorms -- maybe something in the handbook?

Does your dorm room have a High Speed Cable port (ie. a network jack on the wall that you would plug a computer into normally?) Your laptop probabally has a wired network jack on it - you could just get a cable too while you are in your room (if i remember correctly, Dorm rooms were never that big --- a reasonably long cable should work for you while you're in your room).

[BOBS DAD]

I thought this thread would last longer, but I was curious about your input Paul. If I understood you correctly, you were saying that you "could tap" into the campus wireless signal. I was intrigued and if you get a cahnce to read this, Perhaps you can elaborate. Thanks,

Dan

[BitsyNaceyDog]

I thought this thread would last longer, but I was curious about your input Paul. If I understood you correctly, you were saying that you "could tap" into the campus wireless signal. I was intrigued and if you get a cahnce to read this, Perhaps you can elaborate. Thanks,
Dan

Paul is talking about a router that people set up in their homes. I believe she has Internet access in her room it's just not wireless. If she gets a router and hooks that to the Internet cable in her room then she can have wireless Internet in her room.

Be sure to find out the rules for your dorm. They may or may not allow you to use a router at all. The may require you to keep a closed network so that only your computer is allowed to use the router (which is a good idea anyway).

(Wireless is the best, isn't it. I'm sitting outside at my picnic table right now.)

[Paul]

   KBlaix is right. I could not imagine a dorm that did not have at least an ethernet port for wired access. So that all that would be required is a wireless access point.

      Paul

[k9krazee]

Woohoo! I'm here...AND on the internet

I could've bought a Wireless Access Point and have internet in my room wirelessly but they (the computer people) recommend an Ethernet cord instead. Sooo I got a fourteen foot Ethernet cord and its just as good as wireless, I can go anywhere in my room, so thats pretty cool.

[Paul]

   That's great. Welcome to the Internet.

      Paul