want to get internet on laptop, how??

[stevebuk]

ok, i have a fairly old Dell laptop and i would like to be able to connect to the internet while the wife and i travel about the yorkshire moors in october, do i need a new computer, and is it a dongle or something else i need.
thanks

 

[kityuser]

ok, i have a fairly old Dell laptop and i would like to be able to connect to the internet while the wife and i travel about the yorkshire moors in october, do i need a new computer, and is it a dongle or something else i need.
thanks

if it has usb then go for one of the many available 3g dongles.

If it has not usb, but a pcmcia slot (one of the credit card size slot thingies), then get a pcmcia USB card, and then a 3g stick.

http://shop.vodafone.co.uk/shop/mobile- ... t_usbstick

and the like.....


Steve

 

[stevebuk]

many thanks, will go and look around a bit.

 

[chris_d]

Hi Steve,

I don't know Yorkshire but whichever network provider you buy your 3G dongle from, check that they have 3G coverage in/around the Yorkshire moors. Most providers have coverage maps on their websites. Frustratingly, 3G coverage is usually confined to cities and towns eg I get 3G where I work (city) but only 2.5G where I live (rural village).

HTH,
C

 

[chris_d]

If it has not usb, but a pcmcia slot (one of the credit card size slot thingies), then get a pcmcia USB card, and then a 3g stick.

IMHO, that is slightly flawed advice kityuser. If Steve's laptop only has a PCMCIA/PCCARD slot then I'd advise buying a 3G PCMCIA card rather than the two separate devices (ie PCMCIA-to-USB converter card + 3G USB dongle) on the basis of cabling convenience for portable use.

Here is a link to the Vodafone 3G PCMCIA card: http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/May2004/7085.htm

Cheers,
C

 

[chris_d]

Forgot to say that if you ony need T'interweb access when at your hotel/B&B/campsite rather than when actually 'mobile' then it may be worth checking whether your accommodation has a WIFI hotspot. If that were the case then then I'd recommend either a WIFI USB dongle or WIFI PCMCIA card (again depending on the available sockets/slots on your laptop).

FYI - WIFI access may well be free or granted for a small one off charge whilst you will always have to pay for 3G on a per use basis (eg £x per MegaByte).

HTH,
C

 

[kityuser]

Forgot to say that if you ony need T'interweb access when at your hotel/B&B/campsite rather than when actually 'mobile' then it may be worth checking whether your accommodation has a WIFI hotspot. If that were the case then then I'd recommend either a WIFI USB dongle or WIFI PCMCIA card (again depending on the available sockets/slots on your laptop).

FYI - WIFI access may well be free or granted for a small one off charge whilst you will always have to pay for 3G on a per use basis (eg £x per MegaByte).

HTH,
C

I inferred that internet was required "on the go". I'd also suggest looking into the wifi access as suggested for your accommodation.

I suggested the usb converter as well as the usb stick because (personally) I'd find the usb port useful for other things as well as the 3g, and as I seem to remember when I looked into the pcmcia cards (a good few years ago) they were a bit more pricey than the usb sticks. This of course may not be the case now.........

I agree with the reception thing as well, however an extra layer onto the usb 3g dongle suggestion is that in my experience I've found it VERY useful to use a usb extension lead to get 3g reception, aka waving the dongle around and hanging it out the window, Not really possible with a pcmcia card :roll:


Steve[/i]

 

[chris_d]

...I've found it VERY useful to use a usb extension lead to get 3g reception, aka waving the dongle around and hanging it out the window, Not really possible with a pcmcia card.

Great idea, spot on!

 

[woodbloke]

My daughter also has this problem. She's got a brand new MacBook and needs to connect to our Tiscali interweb at home...does she need a dongle or equivalent? - Rob

 

[kityuser]

My daughter also has this problem. She's got a brand new MacBook and needs to connect to our Tiscali interweb at home...does she need a dongle or equivalent? - Rob

the MacBook has wireless , do u have a wireless router? This is 3 g we are talking about which uses the mobile phone meteors and has nothing to do with homebroadband

sounds like you need a wireless router and you'll be all set


Steve

 

[woodbloke]

My daughter also has this problem. She's got a brand new MacBook and needs to connect to our Tiscali interweb at home...does she need a dongle or equivalent? - Rob

the MacBook has wireless , do u have a wireless router? This is 3 g we are talking about which uses the mobile phone meteors and has nothing to do with homebroadband

sounds like you need a wireless router and you'll be all set


Steve

The Tiscali router supplied is wireless...it's got a sticky up arial on it - Rob

 

[slemishwoodcrafts]

if the router is wireless, then all she has to do is use airport to connect to your home network. I know when I got my mac i simply turned it on and it automatically set itself up.

michael

 

[llangatwgnedd]

I use a 3g dongle in the caravan in the Black Mountains and the transmitter is not 3g, so I get 53k dial up speeds on a good day, but I do find that I get a far better signal strength with one of these.

http://www.panorama-antennas.com/shop/3g_networks/TMobile/e160/tclip.html

Antenna, stand, clip, lead and postage for £25.

 

[Gower]

Hello Steve, a little late in the day but I went into Carphone Warehouse to upgrade my mobile and walked out with an Asus Netbook for £150!! Its tiny and just the job for traveling and on the move web access.

The spec. is: Model Eee PC 701SD, 8 Gig Solid state C:/drive. 516MB ram ( I've upgraded to 2GB), WiFi, Windows XP, SD reader, 3 USB, Sound out.
Just add a dongle and off to go.
Might be of interest.
Cheers,
Jim

 

[stevebuk]

hmm sounds like a bargain jim, but its the dongle bit the wife is not interested in anymore, she thought you just paid for it and got free access, now she realizes we have to pay every month for access (when we probably wouldn't use it some months) she has lost interest in it.

 

[chris_d]

Hi Steve,

Don't give up, T-Mobile do a Pay-As-You-Go mobile broadband deal that seems quite reasonable at £2 per day with a 3GB download limit:
http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/shop/mobi...s/t-mobile/usb-stick-120-black-payg/overview/

I'm sure the other providers probably offer similar deals.

HTH,
Chris

 

[Terry Smart]

I've got the vodafone dongle and it suits my purposes very well; it's a true pay as you go, you only pay for what you download and it doesn't expire a month after activation as many others do.

My original top-up amount is still going strong six months later; admittedly I don't use it much (obviously) but for browsing - not downloading- you don't use much anyway.
Worth looking at I'd have thought.

 

[stevebuk]

definately thinking along these lines, thank you very much.
As a final question, would this broadband device work abroad, as it would be nice to take it to Lake Garda next year..

 

[Terry Smart]

That'll depend on which one you get; the Vodafone one I have won't, others will but you'll probably then end up having to pay monthly.

 

[chris_d]

Hi Steve,

I've replied to your PM. However, for the benefit of others, the T-Mobile deal linked above only works in the UK.

Cheers,
C