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Wireless broadband on old laptop.

  • 15-11-2006 1:25am
    #1
    Recon
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,204 ✭✭✭


    I have a fairly old laptop that I'd like to get a wireless card for and use broadband on it, the only problem is that I don't know if it'll work.

    It's spec is: 700MHz CPU with 64 MB of RAM.

    At the moment I'm using my desktop for broadband but I'd also like to be able to use the laptop. I'm using the router I got from BT for the desktop.

    Can I just buy a wireless router from a computer shop and a USB wireless card for the laptop? I'd still like to keep the desktop connected directly to whatever router I'd be using though.


Comments

  • #2
    SouperComputer
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,949 ✭✭✭SouperComputer


    Wireless is not a problem, however the lack of RAM is, regardless of you get the internet connection to the computer.

    Ive run wireless on machines with less than half the CPU of that machine (P1 266Mhz) without any issues.

    Grab some cheap RAM from adverts or ebay and you are good to go.


  • #3
    Tom Dunne
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,212 ✭✭✭✭Tom Dunne


    Yeah, you should be fine, it will be slow though.

    Am I correct in assuming it is a Windows 98 machine? I have used a similar spec machine with a USB wifi adapter. The only thing is make sure to put a firewall and anti-virus software on it, Windows 98 would be more susceptible to attacks than more recent OS's. Also, the first version of Windows 98 didn't have support for USB, so check this before you purchase a card. If that is the case, you can purchase a PCMCIA card for the laptop.


  • #4
    Recon
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,204 ✭✭✭Recon


    Yeah it's a windows 98 machine, but it's second ed so it does support USB.

    Would any wireless router do or do BT have something where you have to get it from them? And any ideas on where to get a wireless card for the laptop?


  • #5
    Tom Dunne
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,212 ✭✭✭✭Tom Dunne


    Recon wrote:
    Would any wireless router do or do BT have something where you have to get it from them? And any ideas on where to get a wireless card for the laptop?

    Any wireless router should do. I have my BT broadband modem hooked into a netgear wireless router without problems.

    As for a wireless card - ebay, Komplett, PC World, any electrical/computer shop.


  • #6
    Recon
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,204 ✭✭✭Recon


    I got it working!

    I got a wireless router and card in Harvey Normans. €80 for the router and €30 for the card, although I had to get a slightly worse card (shorter range) because the better one didn't support windows 98.

    I'm using Avast anti-virus, what's a decent firewall?


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  • #7
    Foxwood
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,491 ✭✭✭Foxwood


    Recon wrote:
    I got it working!

    I got a wireless router and card in Harvey Normans. €80 for the router and €30 for the card, although I had to get a slightly worse card (shorter range) because the better one didn't support windows 98.

    I'm using Avast anti-virus, what's a decent firewall?
    I wouldn't worry too much about the firelwall - the router will protect you from any inbound threats, and if you keep your AV up to date, you should be okay on the outbound side. On an older, slower machine with limited RAM, the overhead of running a firewall may not be worth it, as long as you're behind a NAT router.


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