Dell Wifi Laptop

[doddsredoubt]

Can anyone help me with my problem,I have a wifi latop but when I take it out any where I can't seem to pick up any hot-spots or wifi links,as the signal strength I think is not strong enough to pick up from my laptop.Is there anything on the market out there that will helpo me boost my signal strength.
I have a desktop but I brought this laptop to use away from home and generally I can't use it,so I think I wasted my money or is it the norm.

Thanks for any help given.

[ACtheTROLL]

you can't just go anywhere .... you need to go to a hotspot
wifi only has a theoretican range of 100m so you need to be pretty close (if not inside) ... that's why companies provide them


http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?sourceid=navclie nt&hl=en-GB&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4GGIH_en-GBGB224GB2 25&q=map+wifi+hotspots&um=1&sa=N&tab=wl

[doddsredoubt]

Thankyou ACtheTROLL,but isn't there someway you can boost your wifi signal.
I have been told by a friend I could put a card in my laptop to boost the signal??.

Thanks for your help much appreciated.

[ACtheTROLL]

but what are you going to boost?
you need an available signal to boost (my router has wifi switched off - and none of my neighbours has anything less than 128 bit wep

the range of wifi would allow you to sit in a coffee bar or macdonalds and surf .... but not sit on a bus!

boosters amplify signal strength .... are generally directional and reception depends on being in line of sight

if your lappy has wifi .... there is no point in adding a wifi dongle ....

you could buy a 3g phone and surf via mobile ...(if money is no object)
but to use a lappy on the move .... you need to sit still!!!
(or at least only move between hotspots)

you could lurk housing estates using a util like netstumbler to find unsecured routers

but for working away (I do it regularly) you pay the hotel �5 for the priv of using their network (and wire is always better than wifi).

in smaller towns I can generally hook some nearby router .... but it's iffy ..... and not cricket

[Ethel]

You could always subscribe to something like this from �20 per month:

http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/services/mobile-inte rnet/on-your-laptop/usb-modem-and-datacard/

Internet access on your laptop wherever there is a mobile phone signal.

[doddsredoubt]

Thankyou ACtheTROLL & Ethel,no I.m not loaded wish I was??,Thankyou also Ethel,yes that is a good idea but I will only use it while I am on holiday which is only twice a year,or when I see my Aunt & Uncle.

Thankyou to you both once again.

[ACtheTROLL]

If it's just an occasional connection ....
macdonalds will shortly have all their outlets hot and free (if your arteries will stand the cholesterol)
starbucks do already (but you won't be able to sleep if you stay too long

lookie here for some other options
http://www.totalhotspots.com/s

[doddsredoubt]

Thankyou ACtheTROLL, yes I could go in for the occasional hamburger or Starbucks for a long drink with ice has the wife said it will last that much longer??

Thankyou once again much appreciated.