Switching on Wireless Enabled on a Laptop

[Bushwhacker]

Hi all,

I have offered to help somebody set up their BT Broadband working on the theory that 2 heads are better than one !!! Now neither of us are great techies so some advice would be much appreciated.

He insures me that his laptop is wifi enabled. A couple of questions :

How do I check that the wireless enabled function is switched on ??? (operating system could be Vista or XP - he wasn't sure!!)

If the laptop turns out not to be wireless enabled - I believe that an adaptor can be fitted - where would I get one of these and where on the laptop does it plug in ??

Many thanks in advance.

BW

[Ethel]

What make / model is the laptop?

I have an Acer and the wireless is switched on and off by depressing the light next to the headphone jacks directly under the touchpad. It doesn't look like a switch at all.

All laptops are different.

Start - my computer - view system information (in left hand panel)

Click the hardware tab and device manager.

Scroll down the list and click Network Adapters.

Is a wireless connection listed?

[Bushwhacker]

Thanks Ethel -

I am not sure of the make - I don't have the laptop here at the moment - we are going to set it up tonight. That is why I was asking for advice on Vista and XP.

Cheers,

BW

[Ethel]

I know nothing about Vista - but if it is a fairly new laptop it will certainly be wifi enabled.

Pointless telling you about wifi cards and dongles until we know what sort of slots and ports it has.

[Bushwhacker]

Yeah - right enough.

Will get back to you if we encounter probs.

Thanks again.

BW

[fo3nix]

To use any wireless function, you need a wireless router.

BT do their own in the form of their BT home hub, or you can buy others yourself if your friend just got the package with a USB modem (no router).

If you have only the USB modem, then you need a wireless ADSL modem+router before you can even think about his wireless laptop. If you need a modem+router, I can recommend this one:
http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/118010/rb/0

Once you have that or the BT home hub (something to transmit your wireless internet, basically), you can think about the wireless laptop.

If the laptop is less than about 3 years old it'll likely be wireless already. If it says Centrino somewhere, it's wireless. Otheres, as Ethel says, have a little switch on it saying on and off, with a transmitter type of icon.

If the laptop isn't wireless, you need to buy a USB wireless dongle. The package I link to above includes one, but you could buy another from that site if need be.

(Apologies to Ethel for butting in on her answers.)