What do I need to know before buying a wireless laptop?

Question

What extras will I need to buy? How do I get the wireless service? Who offers the best deal?

Answer 1

People often confuse wireless Internet as being a service. This is not the case.

You first must purchase either DSL or Cable Internet Service. They will give you a modem.

You must purchase a wireless router which connects to the Cable or DSL modem.

After that you'll have to setup everything up or find some to do it for you.

Answer 2

First determine what you are going to be doing with your laptop. If you just need one for simple tasks, buy a dell--they are cheap, and fairly reliable. Most come with wireless cards, and with a cheap wireless router give you the ability to have wireless internet/network anywhere in your house/office using the same connection that your desktop machine uses--it will also work in wi-fi 'hotspots' that are popping up at various restaraunts/coffee shops/etc.

If you need to be able to connect from the internet while not in your office or a 'hot spot', then check with the various cell phone vendors--they sell a wireless card that basically acts like a cell phone (along with a variety of plans for usage).

If you are using the machine extensively, then you might want to spend the money to get a Sony VAIO or a Toshiba, they cost a little more (sometimes a lot more), but don't waste money on features you aren't likely to use.