how do i pick out the right wireless card -- a ZE4427wm HP..

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

This is very basic to you, but I have an HP notebook computer, model
ZE4427WM, which i bought in late 2003.

Comcast's billing irregularities have become intolerable, and I am
going out to buy a wireless card. My computer has a "PC Card and
CardBus slot and button" on the left.


My questions are

1) do I have a 32-bit card slot or a 16-bit card slot?

2) will it be easy to buy a suitable card in a computer store for my
semi-old PC?

3) if i sit down in a wifi-equipped coffee shop, will I have to
configure stuff, or will the computer lead me right to email and
internet?


Thanks for your patience in answering these very basic questions. Man,
I hate comcast.

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

thanks for your answers. I do mean giving up internet at home. I
think wifi at the coffee chain called panera's is free, and that's
where I intend to read my mail. Comcast has jerked me around once too
often.

Now that you're pretty certain I need a 32-bit card, that's what I'll
look for. I presume that best buy or the likes will have such a card.


concerning DSL, no thanks, verizon is the phone company here, and it is
no improvement over comcast. The US really screwed up the telecom and
broadband issues, when countries like south korea and taiwan have such
services as cheap as water.

Andrew wrote:
> tariq.1.rahim@spamgourmet.com wrote:
> : This is very basic to you, but I have an HP notebook computer,
model
> : ZE4427WM, which i bought in late 2003.
>
> : Comcast's billing irregularities have become intolerable, and I am
> : going out to buy a wireless card.
>
> I am not sure you mean you are going to give up having internet at
> home when you dump Comcast, but I am guessing you mean you think
> getting a "wireless card" will automatically give you some
alternative
> to Comcast internet at home. If this is not what you mean, ignore
> what I've written below.
>
> You might be confused as to what a "wireless card" is but you
probably
> still have to pay Comcast for service if you get one. "Wireless
card"
> could mean several things, but to most people it means an 802.11
b/g/a
> card commonly used for wireless networking aka WiFi. All having an
> 802.11 wireless card does is eliminate the wire - you still need the
> internet connection. Think of it like getting a cordless phone -
it's
> very similar technology. Your question sounds like, "I am tired of
> dealing with the phone company, so I am planning to buy a cordless
> phone." You still have to deal with the phone company...
>
> Now, if your neighbor has DSL or Comcast and a Wireless Access Point
> (WAP) that is unprotected, you might be able to pick that up with an
> 802.11 card and dump Comcast. Or if you want to go to coffee shops
> and read email there with WiFi, you could dump Comcast. But if you
> want high speed wireless internet at home, you're probably still
going
> to be using Comcast.
>
> Perhaps you are thinking of getting a cellular card to connect to a
> cell phone provider's internet service? Note, you can also simply
get a
> cell phone that has a built-in cell modem (I connect to Verizon's
> internet with my cell phone). In most cases, this service is very
> slow, roughly the speed of a dial-up connection (give or take).
> Verizon has been testing high speed wireless broadband in a few
> cities, but unless you are in one of them, you can't get this
service.
>
> So keep all this in mind before considering the hardware...
>
> : My computer has a "PC Card and CardBus slot and button" on the
left.
>
> : My questions are
>
> : 1) do I have a 32-bit card slot or a 16-bit card slot?
>
> Probably 32-bit since your laptop is fairly new.
>
> : 2) will it be easy to buy a suitable card in a computer store for
my
> : semi-old PC?
>
> Yes.
>
> : 3) if i sit down in a wifi-equipped coffee shop, will I have to
> : configure stuff, or will the computer lead me right to email and
> : internet?
>
> Depends. If you have Windows XP (install all the Windows Updates),
> WiFi is very easy. Windows will monitor the airwaves and pick up
WiFi
> networks you can connect to. Once it connects to the network, you
> usually need to bring up a web browser. Then you often have to sign
> in (even if it's free WiFi) or click an "I Agree" button after
reading
> a disclaimer. If you pay for WiFi (Starbucks T-Mobile HotSpot), you
> have to login and give a password to get on the network - in your web
> browser.
>
> : Thanks for your patience in answering these very basic questions.
Man,
> : I hate comcast.
>
> Have you thought about getting DSL? Is it available?
>
> Andrew
> --
> ----> Portland, Oregon, USA <----
> *******************************************************************
> ----> http://www.bizave.com <---- Photo Albums and Portland Info
> ----> To Email me remove "MYSHOES" from email address
> *******************************************************************

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

Broadband for Cheapskates: Favorite cheap ISPs: 'Linksys" and 'default'.
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/60574

"My ISP, "Linksys", is said to have nationwide presence, and best of
all, their service is free! They are Wi-Fi only, however; look around,
they might be servicing your neighborhood."

Q

tariq.1.rahim@spamgourmet.com wrote:
> This is very basic to you, but I have an HP notebook computer, model
> ZE4427WM, which i bought in late 2003.
>
> Comcast's billing irregularities have become intolerable, and I am
> going out to buy a wireless card. My computer has a "PC Card and
> CardBus slot and button" on the left.
>
>
> My questions are
>
> 1) do I have a 32-bit card slot or a 16-bit card slot?
>
> 2) will it be easy to buy a suitable card in a computer store for my
> semi-old PC?
>
> 3) if i sit down in a wifi-equipped coffee shop, will I have to
> configure stuff, or will the computer lead me right to email and
> internet?
>
>
> Thanks for your patience in answering these very basic questions.
> Man, I hate comcast.