advice for older IBM Thinkpad

I would not get an integrated wireless router. I'd get a wired router and a separate wireless access point.

My suggestion for a router is to have a look at a 3Com OfficeConnect DSL/Cable router. I've used these in businesses and never had a hiccup or problem.

For a wireless access point, we use a Cisco 1121g (available on eBay cheap, relatively speaking).

The 3Com router is very robust, easy to set up and is very stable. The Cisco A/P is strong, easy to set up, has lots of security options and is very stable and reliable. Our 1121g blankets our house with a very strong signal that reaches a long way outside our house (see "lots of security options").

The limiting factor on wireless may be the strength of the radio inside your laptop. If the laptop radio isn't strong enough, its signal won't reach the access point in sufficient strength to provide a quality connection.

The use of separate components allows for future upgrades without having to reconfigure your entire system. The quality of the components means you probably won't start having failures a few months after you get the system installed.

Something else to keep in mind.... If you're only using the wireless connection to access the internet, then there may be little reason to have a connection of significantly greater speed since the maximum speed of data transfer will be determined by the internet connection speed (if you've got even 6mbs internet speed, why require a 54mbs connection?).

On Fri, 09 Nov 2007 05:51:35 -0800, Bev wrote in :

I recommend the Buffalo high-power wireless router.

That will be hard for any wireless router. You may need a directional antenna to make it work, or it may not work at all depending on what the house is made out of.

Consider also powerline networking.

See wiki below for lots more information.

I'd second that advice - I run a Buffalo HP wireless modem/router for the kids' laptops....gets a good signal through a couple of very thick flint walls. The inbuilt AOSS security utility is a real boon too.

Not the best router configuration pages I've seen, but still workable with a bit of manual-diving.

Regards,

I'm a bit confused by this advice. I'm able to pick up a wireless connection through a Linksys wireless router that's coming through the walls of my house from somewhere across the street. Shouldn't I assume that a Linksys would make it up two flights of stairs? Or does that work differently? Thanks for all the help. Bev

It should do...but although I also pick up next door's cheapo BT wireles router, it doesn't mean it would give me a stable connection.

Regards,

The stock Linksys antennae have fairly good reach but put out a donut-shaped signal. Most omni-directional antennae put out the same pattern. We get signals from about a dozen or so access points. The issue with Linksys and most other home networking toys is reliability. You're better off getting a used Cisco 1121g. Its VERY reliable, fairly easy to set-up and has an integrated antenna that reaches all corners of our home (three-story). Also reaches comfortably around the neighborhood so the very robust security features of the A/P come in handy.

Thanks for everyone's help. Unfortunately, I just found out that my computer's wireless card is not "G" or "N", but "AB". Now I don't know what to do. If I buy a USB wireless G card, will that work with a G router?

The built in card should still work. Most "g" switches also do "b", unless they have been configured to only allow g. For home use, the "b" should be fine for internet access, as "b" is still faster than most internet download links, although cable might exceed it.

Most public hotspots would be b and g.

If you have an old Thinkpad, your USB might be USB 1.1 only, which would limit the speed of a new "g" USB wireless connection to speeds near "b", anyway. If you plug in a flash drive, does it complain about "this device could work faster ..." Most current flash drives are USB 2, and WinXP will pop up a speed warning when you plug them into a 1.1 port.

A "b" card should be able to connect to a "b/g" router / access point - the radio frequencies are the same. The "a" will only connect to an "a" router / access point since the radio frequencies are different.

As others have said, a B card will work with a G router. If you want G speed, then you should buy a cardbus G card. It may also be possible to replace the internal card with a G one, but some thinkpads only work with an IBM branded card due to a BIOS limitation. Andy Cuffe

snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com

I'm not sure what advantages may be gained by using a card with a significantly higher speed if the laptop will only be used to access the internet. If the internet connection is even 5mbs, there's no particular reason to have a 54mbs pipe. If printers are used to print big reports or large files are accessed across the LAN, then there may be a reason for the increased speed. But not just for browsing.

IIRC, those old wireless cards are IBM-branded Cisco card. Very high quality.