Wireless compatibility

[ianresearch]

We want to buy a laptop with wireless connectivity, but once before we ordered a tailor made model and the technician could not get wireless to work in our house.

It may be because the house is very old and has two foot thick stone walls

We currently use a router

Is there any practical way to check if wireless will work now?

[doomey!]

by the sounds of things your not going to get much luck, if your building has thick walls like say a farm house, wireless is very unlikely to work (horrah)

Sadly you will probably have to "hardwire" the network.

[terambulan]

my house is over 400y & I have BT broadband - use a Dell wifi laptop & others visiting use Macs wifi; all remark on excellent signal strength. Sometimes, there are 12 on laptops simultaneously - and the BB is open so countless others may use it - no ill effects to me, as yet!

[LeMarchand]

I'd see if you can borrow a wireless router to check (or get an agreement from the shop that you can get a refund if it doesn't work in your house - maybe Argos's money-back guarantee will cover you?).

If it doesn't work, you could look at Homeplug (aka Powerline) networking; this piggybacks a signal onto your mains circuit. Not as flexible or cheap (or cable-free!) as wireless, but it does mean that you don't have to trail Cat5 all over the house.