Getting Wifi For First Time

[Luzzly]

My 92 year old mother has only got a BT landline, but I think she would enjoy Alexa, as she does when visiting me. She has no mobile phone either. Would it be complicated for her to obtain wifi - through BT I suppose. Thanks

[barry1010]

It wouldn't be difficult for her to order it, just a phone call to BT. Setting it and connecting it to Alexa might be difficult if she has to do it herself.

[Luzzly]

Thanks Barry - I don't know much about these things, but I'll have to do it myself. I thought once you had wifi you could just buy an Alexa and plug it in!

[Maydup]

Did you set up your own Alexa Luzzly?

[ToraToraTora]

i would advise against going from nothing to an alexa in one go. The pickle she'll get herself in just doesn't bear thinking about. I work in Tech and the last thing I'd have is an Alexa type device.

[Luzzly]

No I didn't set up my own Alexa. The one in our house belongs to my son, who doesn't live here any more. I think I will have to get some help in this. But thanks for your replies

[Maydup]

I agree that its best to get some help. For balance I don't work in Tech and I managed to install and use my Alexa device!

[barry1010]

The difficult part in setting up an Alexa device is inputting the WiFi password

[ToraToraTora]

maydup: "I agree that its best to get some help. For balance I don't work in Tech and I managed to install and use my Alexa device!" - it's nothing to do with technical ability, easy to set up but there are potentially huge problems down the line.

[Togo]

Luzzly, if your mother has learned to use and indeed manage Alexa, then why not? Obtaining wifi is easy peasy, and BT is as good a place to start as any for a first time user. Remember. When she visits you, it is already set up and you yourself are no doubt monitoring what is going on. Would you leave her in your house, alone, for a week with your system? If no, then you have answered your own question. If you think that she is ready for wifi and online interaction then can you organise some basic tutorial term?

P.S. My late lamented mil loved her online experiences however chaotic. She had many, many, family members who sorted out the sometimes unfathomable tangles that were created. She was in her late 80s and loved all of the tech. stuff. She was particularly fond of her Nintendo game machine.

[barry1010]

I've thought some more about this. Since I set my Alexa device up it has never given me any problems - it's stayed connected and works as it should.
The device itself is cheap enough, the cost of the broadband year in and year out adds up if that is all it will be used for. The BT website seems reluctant to give out information for non-account holders like me but the cheapest broadband they are offering me is £28 a month.

You need to be sure she is prepared to pay the extra bill and that there is somebody nearby who will not only set it up but help when problems crop up.

I pay for my elderly relative's WiFi simply because I wanted her to have a Ring doorbell. She has never been interested in anything to do with computers or smartphones but she manages the Ring very well on the cheap tablet I bought her. Peace of mind for all of us.

[bednobs]

She would need a device of some sort for the app

[barry1010]

bednobs, an Echo Dot is cheap enough and very easy to use for Alexa :)

[bednobs]

For setting it up you need the app though. And it needs a device to go on

[barry1010]

Echo dot doesn't need a device except to set it up. If Luzzly has a smartphone that'll do it :)

[bednobs]

i think we are violently in agreement - as i said you'll need a device for setting it up :)

[barry1010]

:)

[bednobs]

however, if she is getting wifi, she may find a benefit in getting a device anyway :)