do i need to have internet service to be able to use the wireless routers on a laptop?

Answer 1

I think you may be confusing a wirelss card in the Laptop with a wireless router.

The function of a router is to take the Internet signal from some source (cable modem, DSL, Satellite, T1 etc.) and distribute it to more than one computer. A wireless router does this by broadcasting and receiving the signals over the air, much like a two way radio or cell phone does. It sends and receives information.

You need to have Internet Service for the router to be able to distribute the signal.

Now the laptop can have a wireless card (either built in or PCMIA card) that will receive a signal from the router and broadcast a signal back to the router. BUT the router MUST be hooked up to the Internet for you to get information on the Internet.

NOTE: the router doesn't have to be yours, the wireless card in the laptop will sense ALL available connections and you can pick the one you want to connect to.

Answer 2

You can use a wireless network without the internet (LAN) in which you can share files from computer to computer, and play games against one another on different computers etc. The internet is optional, but you will not recieve the internet just by buying a router, you need the internet aswell and can be shared through all the computers on your network

Answer 3

From a logical view, routers have 2 sides. A LAN (community section community) component and a WAN (huge section community) component. instant routers are frequently purely instant on the LAN component of the gadget, yet must be under pressure to a "gateway" (like a DSL gateway or cable modem) on the WAN component. Your pc is determining on up a instant sign through fact it incredibly is conversing with somebody else's instant router on its LAN component. in case you apart from could have a instant router you would be waiting to connect on your guy or woman router's LAN component. besides the fact that, your neighbor's instant router is hooked as much as the internet on its WAN component via a gateway. Yours has no such connection, and if that's a house person grade gadget (such as you ought to purchase at proper purchase or Circuit city) then it incredibly is incapable of connecting on the WAN component in a instant way. So, the fast uncomplicated answer is "no". Beside that, what you're doing via "piggybacking" off your neighbor's internet get admission to is technically unlawful and maximum incredibly impolite.

Answer 4

If it is just a router than no. However most routers that are for home use are combined with a modem and a switch so you would need internet to use that one.

Answer 5

The router needs to be hooked up to internet for you to be able to use the internet.

Answer 6

yep unless you can hack into someone else's but that's wrong and has become very hard to do with security.

Answer 7

If you mean by open-access hotspots, then no.