what do i have to buy to get wireless interent in a laptop ?

[christy053]

hello
i am hoping to get a laptop at xmas but i want to take it to friends house etc: and use the internet for ike msn
i know that if you have a wireless reouter you can do this but only in your own home and garden so if i wanted it wirelss away from my own home do i have to buy a special kind of laptop or buy something seperate for it or wat ?
please help
christy XXXX

[camioneur]

Router in your house and another in your friends is the only way unless you're lucky enough to live next door to each other in which case the signal might reach.

If your friend already has a wireless network in their house just ask permission to join their network.

Very expensive alternative is to use your mobile phone as a modem while you're out but you'll be looking at mega bucks if you do that.

[fo3nix]

The laptop will have to be wireless enabled for one. Most sold these days are though. Secondly, you'll need to be in range of a wireless router you can use. You can buy one for your own home that you can use, but if you're at your friend's house and they don't have a wireless router, then you won't have the internet.

If you want to get the internet pretty much anywhere, then you could look at the 3G data services like wit vodafone etc., but that'll be expensive.

[christy053]

so say if i were to go to my friends and therer was no way of picking up any router signals and didnt want to use my phone i cant go on the itnernet ? x

[fo3nix]

Unless they have the internet via cable, then you could just plug it in. But not wireless, no.

[LeMarchand]

You can on the internet through wireless (if there is a network that you have access to within range), through a mobile or satellite provider (expensive), by connecting to a wired network (if one exists) or by using the phone line for a dial-up account.

If you don't have access to any of the above, then no.