Can you make a pc wireless?

[buzzyb]

Af'noon all,

my Dell pc is about 4 years old and not wireless.

Is it possible to make it wireless? If so what is involved and is it very expensive.

My reason for asking is my internet provider is Talktalk and the signal provided by the router is not strong enough to enable my family to use the pc, wireless Dell laptop and 2 wireless Kindle ebook. We can only use one applicatance at a time.

I spoke with Talktalk yesterday and they changed the frequency but claim there is nothing else they can do to boost the signal. I would have to buy an new router.

I have also spoken with a young chap at Maplin who reckens the problem lies with my pc because it is not wireless. I asked him if anything could be done to change the pc and he shrugged his shoulders.

So and going by the advice I have been given it would seem the only way to improve my internet signal is to either get a new pc which I can't afford at the moment, try to change my pc and make it wireless (if that's possible) or get a new router which according to Maplin can't be done because my pc is not wireless. We go round in circles.

Any help would be very much appreciated.

Bee

[VHG]

It seems the guy a Maplins does not know what he is taking about.

Any wireless router can also have wired devices connected to it, so you can continue to use your PC with the new router using a wire to connect to it.

Older routers used to use a wi fi technology called "G", but this has been replaced by "N" which provides a stronger signal. So suggest you get an "N" router.

If you buy an "N" router you should get a stronger wi fi signal.

You can continue to plug your PC into this new router via a wire, there is no need to make it wireless.

[buzzyb]

Hi VHG,

Thanks for your help.

Can you suggest an N router? I looked on Amazon and am somewhat overwhelmed by the choice. I tried to narrow it down by reading the reviews but it would seem (like all things) some are good and some not so good.

Bee

[buzzyb]

...... forgot to say,

some of the reviews on Amazon made it sound like connecting the router was hard work.

I would prefer something fairly simple but effective.

B

[VHG]

See if Talk Talk supply an N router.

If you get it from them it will have a Talk Talk setup disk as well.

If you buy one from Amazon you will have to set it up manually yourself to Talk Talk.

[bednobs]

i think D link are a good make

[ChuckFickens]

I agree the guy at maplins was talking out of his proverbial!

But, wireless N is not a magical answer to wireless range problems, especially not when the devices in question (kindles for example) are only wireless G devices! the nice new wireless N router will be operating in the old wireless G mode to support them and will give no benefit (also the touted range benefits of wireless N are suspect anyhow)

The talktalk guy was on the right tracks to start with, you can keep trying different channels until you find a clear one (there are 13, you've tried 2 so far), but the other obvious answer is to either simply move your router closer to where the wireless devices are being used, or to get a second wireless access point to be used as a repeater to extend your coverage.

I have to be honest though, if you think setting up a router is going to be to hard you've not got too much chance of sorting this out yourself.

[Mobius1]

I can't believe the guy at Maplin would just shrug his shoulders, unless he was then going on to selling you a wireless PC of some kind. Beggars belief!

Basically what Chuck has said. In addition, make sure that your router is as centralised as possible in relation to the devices that are connecting to it. It should also, if possible, be elevated as wifi signals "fall". When selection channels, bear in mind that they overlap with each other. Although you can select channels 1-13, you really only want to be using channels 1, 6 or 13 (or 12 if that's all you can select) because each of those is separate from the other.

[kloofnek]

Hi buzzyb
My desktop PC is not wireless ready but I have a router(NetGear) from my provider Virgin for my laptops,which also works with my desktop as a little usb gadget ,(similiar to a memory stick) comes with the router which is plugged into the PC tower.Works a treat.