Will hoey

[Olly]

I did think of heading this 'Fred, please advise me' - I'm sure he'll pop up soon! A friend has just given me her old Netgear modem as she's moved to Sky+, so provided I can get it up and working I should have wi-fi soon.

 

I want to get a laptop so I can read emails and do internet stuff from other rooms in the house, or even better from the garden while I'm on chicken playground duty. I really only want it for that sort of thing though - I've got the desktop computer for anything else, not that I do much more these days than play with Photoshop.

 

Can anyone recommend a low-price laptop? Is there a minimum spec I need, or is it a false economy just to buy a very basic one for this? I know someone out there will be able to advise!

[Space Chick]

If you only want it for emails and the internet, then have you thought about a NetBook, they are under £200, and would do what you want it to.

 

Alternatively look for a second hand laptop on ebay.

[Guest]

Hi Olly

 

From personal experience, I can recommend DELL. They often have very good deals on laptops and we have two in this house. The one I am using is a new Inspiron 1525 and HArry's is my old one (earlier model). I find them reliable and you can upgrade the build on the DELL website to suit your pocket!

 

I also have a netgear router and it's fine. It looks complicated to set up at first but is easy once you get going!

 

Good luck choosing (and using).

 

Louise

X

[Guest]

I would recommend one of the little mini ones. They operate using flash memory so you can't load them with loads of software but they come with Open Office AND are great for surfing. Extra bonus is that you can pop one in your handbag when travelling rather than lugging a laptop (says the woman who left hers at home and just lugged a shoulder breaking 14" laptop around several European ports on the hunt for free wifi!)

 

You are looking at less than £200 as well here's an example I have to say I love my little one - and it boots up like a rocket!

[Olly]

Ooh, thanks for that advice! That looks good, Pengy. I have a work laptop, which is extremely heavy and old (relatively!) and I did wonder if I should get something lighter that I could carry when I have to go and give a presentation, but then I don't see why I should use my own laptop for work. I'll look at Dell too, thanks Louise.

 

So far I have failed totally to get the Netgear modem up and running - I need to start again. My desktop is running very slowly anyway, and perhaps I should do a bit of housekeeping before I start anything else. I had the wit to create a Restore Point, thank heavens, so that when I'd messed it up by trying to load Netgear at least I could go back to where I was!

[Geoid]

Don't install the router by the CD! Connect the router directly to the desktop with an ethernet cable.

[Olly]

Phew, Fred - thank goodness you turned up!

 

I've done that - and I can find 'Netgear' in the WiFi list, and then it says I've got a good connection. But then when I try and open Internet Explorer it says I'm not connected.

 

The other thing is that the front of the router is lighting up tge symbol like a lighthouse, but the light that says 'a link has been established to the ADSL network' isn't lighting up. I wondered if I'd got the phone connected right, but if my current broadband works with this set-up (splitter and double adapter), surely the WiFi router should work too?

 

Do I have to have the router connected via the ethernet cable all the time or is that just for setting up? Sorry if that's really obvious, I'm a total novice at WiFi! I want to have the WiFi in the kitchen so I don't have to run a modem cable up the stairs.

[Geoid]

First of all, you might need to reset the router to its factory settings. when that is done

 

1. connect the router to your computer via cable

2. in IE go to http://192.168.0.1

3. go to wireless settings or something, change the SSID to one of your choice and set up a WPA password (not a WEP one)

4. There should be another bit (I have never had a netgear router - so I am unsure where it is) where you can enter your username and password for your ISP

6. Save

7. Go to windows, click the SSID (the one you set up) enter password, it should work.

[Olly]

Thanks Fred, I'll have a go .. er, what's SSID? (sorry, I'm sure its obvious! )

 

Edit: also, how do I reset the router?

[Tessa the Duchess]

Edit: also, how do I reset the router?

 

I had to reset the router on our setup. There is a tiny little hole in the back of the router where all the wires go in, you get a safety pin and hold it in the hole for 7 secs then release, the router then resets, takes a few minutes to do this. Don't know whether it is the same on yours though.

 

Tessa

[Olly]

Thanks Tessa, just tried that and it certainly did something although I'm not sure what!

 

I'm about to try reloading the whole thing again - fingers crossed.

[The Dogmother]

I was lent a netbook when I went on hols and I have to say that it was fantastic. It was an Asus eeeePC901

 

One word of advice - a friend gave me his old wifi router =- try to get one with two antennae so that you can angle one flat to the router and t'other at 90deg, that way you'll get dgood reception both on that floor and upstairs. Also be careful to lock your wifi network, but I'm sure you will anyway.