I got wireless internet for my laptop at home and I did it all myself. Applause please. For one who is not so savvy in network and IT stuff of this kind, that was some accomplishment. Of course, I did my fair share of research before I was able to conquer the fear of the unknown.
After buying a laptop as a gift to myself sometime last
December, I learned that to have access to faster internet at home, I really need to have a land line and an internet subscription from an internet provider. As our house is located in an area in the suburbs which has just been developed recently, there were still no phone lines then. So, by the time I got my laptop, I had to contend with a wireless internet connection using a USB adapter provided by a cellphone company. And the best that it could provide is around 128 kbps, despite their ads telling us of speeds faster than light (inside a turtle’s closed eyes).
Long story short, our long-awaited phone connection finally materialized. This was a land-line phone account that comes with an internet service. With my previous usb adapter internet, I have to pay hourly for the internet service. This time, I have 24/7 internet, and cheaper and quite faster at that.
I was provided with a telephone unit, a modem, a small ‘line splitter’ box, and some cables. This was okey as far as internet connection for my desktop is concerned. For my laptop however, I needed a router for internet access. Of course, I could always connect my laptop using a cable, but that would defeat the laptops mobility (even if it’s only at the house). So, I bought a router. I think all modern routers are capable of both wired and wireless access nowadays. Mine can provide wireless access, and also has 4 ports from which wired access can be acquired.
Configuring the router was a breeze as its manual (I think all brands/models come with either printed or online manuals, or both) spelled out everything in a dummy-friendly manner. So, within 7 minutes, I had wireless internet for my laptop. If my laptop could withstand moisture, I could probably bring it and watch youtube while taking a shower. (Reminder to self: Search Google for water proof laptops.)
So far, the surfing speed is cool enough for me. However, once my online income picks up to hotter levels, I’d definitely want to upgrade to speeds more than what I need.
You can check out these resources regarding wifi and wireless internet access:
– WiFi Wiki
– Wireless internet for laptops