General Chat

Hello again! Thanks for the input folks. Just when I think I've got it, everything defeats me again! Need a lie-down in a darkened room followed by visit to PC World as suggested.
Jan

I have an Acer laptop that is connected wirelessly. You will need to put in the security codes from the bottom of your router before you can use your laptop.

Alyson

Hi Jan
As Thelma says, if you buy a laptop with wireless you can forget the dongle.
With regard to accessing the Internet away from home, you need access to another Internet connection. If for instance you stay in a hotel and they say that they have wifi, or Internet access, it means that they will let you have access to their Internet. They would give you a reference to it. Of course, if you were anywhere and there was someone close enough who hadn't been wise and made theirs secure you could access it, but it wouldn't be very PC :))
p.s. It wasn't a dumb question at all by the way. Unless you have done it before why would you know.
Have you ever heard the saying 'The only dumb question is the one you don't ask' :))

You're right Satnav - but at least I've got some of the dumbest questions out of the way before facing someone in person!
Thnks to all.
Jan

Hi Jan
you don't need a dongle with a laptop,it is already built it,or it should be.
If you can get out and about pop into P C world or suchlike and they will advise you of your options.
Regards Thelma.

Hi Satnav - and responding to Christine's post too.
Have heard of these Dongle things before. Would that mean i can take my laptop anywhere at all? Are you saying I can access internet without a broadband supply? I would only really want internet access I think to do family tree research, send emails, that kind of thing.
Jan

I am very unsure of how it all works.
However you do not need your own broadband supply to operate a laptop.
The machine will search for a signal,as in Swindon where they provide free access.
We use a desktop with a wireless dongle and a laptop.To prevent other people piggybacking on your broadband you need to put on a security block.Our grandson did ours!

Thank you for the replies everyone. In answer to queries, I plan to use it as well as the existing computer. We already have a router as we also use our old computer at the moment. We have never used it in "wireless" mode as the computers are side-by-side, so I am guessing we shall have do do that?
I do want the laptop to be mobile.
Jan.

Jan, Do you intend that your lap top will work instead of a desktop computer or as well as.

If you intend to keep your existing computer and have two machines then you will need a router as the others have advised.

If however you intend to use the lap top instead of a desktop that is a different kettle of fish.

So which is it.

As long as you have internet (which you obviously do as you are on here:), a new laptop would almost certainly have wireless and would have the facillity to connect to your router (without wires).
If it's a second hand laptop and doesn't have wireless, you can buy a separate attachment, i.e. a card or a dongle to connect it via wireless.
If you prefer you can connect it by a cable to the modem.

Don't get confused between laptops and notebooks. A notebook comes pre loaded with some programmes but has no disk drive. So you cannot record CD's and DVD's or load any programmes from CD or DVD. But they do still have internet capabillity and basic programmes.

If you want to run your laptop as well as a PC then you need a wireless router so that you run off the same provider (Virgin).

Thanks AuntyS, would really appreciate that.
If I run it's more like a thousand elephants.
Jan

Hi Jan, I might ask LaGooner to offer you some advice on the topic of laptops. She is currently a real expert.

And now I have to run away very quickly and hide.

~~~~ waves then runs away with the speed of a thousand startled gazelles.

Any advice gratefully received!

Thinking of getting a laptop. How do they work exactly? Are they linked in to your existing computer? I mean, do I use the package I already have with Virgin Media?

(I like asking questions on here as nobody knows who I am and I can be as stupid as I like!)

Many thanks for any advice you can give me.

Jan