Quickly adding a temporary wireless laptop?

[Davi]

What's the cheapest, quickest (and easiest!) way to temporarily add wireless ability to a home system? At the moment there is just the desktop PC, hard wired into the Netgear DG834 ADSL router, but for a few weeks we need a Wifi laptop to have net access from anywhere in the house. As it's only temporary didn't really want to spend a fortune and didn't want to have to stick a wifi card in the desktop to keep that connected.

Cheers!

[Tripps]

Davi said:

What's the cheapest, quickest (and easiest!) way to temporarily add wireless ability to a home system? At the moment there is just the desktop PC, hard wired into the Netgear DG834 ADSL router, but for a few weeks we need a Wifi laptop to have net access from anywhere in the house. As it's only temporary didn't really want to spend a fortune and didn't want to have to stick a wifi card in the desktop to keep that connected.

A USB WiFi dongle would probably be cheapest, so you can establish a peer to peer (adhoc) connection to the desktop you already have.

But, a cheaper access point to plug into the DG834 might be almost as cheap these days and will work better...

[Davi]

Tripps said:

But, a cheaper access point to plug into the DG834 might be almost as cheap these days and will work better...

Thanks Tripps - any recommendations on make/model on access points?

[SlidingSideways]

A wireless access point can be had for only a few quid morethan a USB dongle for the main PC...

www.scan.co.uk/Products/ProductInfo.asp?WebProductID=276873

[anonymous-user]

Surely a wirless netgear USB adaptor WG111 (£20) or WPN111 (£40) is your best bet?

[Tripps]

Davi said:

Thanks Tripps - any recommendations on make/model on access points?

I'm a big fan of Netgear kit for SoHo use, but some something cheap and temporary you'll likely get much cheaper...

[randlemarcus]

D-Link G730AP
Sorts your immediate problem, and does so much more. Very clever little bit of kit, and part of my IT Survival Kit.

[GregE240]

randlemarcus said:

D-Link G730AP
Sorts your immediate problem, and does so much more. Very clever little bit of kit, and part of my IT Survival Kit.

Is that still available?

[randlemarcus]

GregE240 said:

randlemarcus said:

D-Link G730AP
Sorts your immediate problem, and does so much more. Very clever little bit of kit, and part of my IT Survival Kit.

Is that still available?

Discontinued, but good kit.
www.scancom.co.uk/product.php/658/165/

[aldi]

I use a D-Link access point at home, can't fault it. An access point gives you more flexibility over where you put it than a combined wireless+router, which can be handy when trying to get rid of dead spots.

[Davi]

Many thanks for all the help - think we are going with a Netgear access point, as I've found one for £30 that seems to do the business.