Help!

[FloridaBoi]

I called Sprint today to order a wireless broadband card but how do I know what card is compatiable with my laptop? I cant get one because I dont know which is compatiable. Is there a way to find out?

 

[FloridaBoi]

I have a Toshiba laptop that I bought last year new so its only a year old. I was looking into going wireless and Sprint has Wireless service. They have Wireless Broadband Cards and Wireless USB Modems. I have a Card Slot but I dont know which card is compatible. Is there a differance in the card and usb modem?

 

[trawler69]

You should be ok with any 802.11g PCMCIA card at around $15 to $25 (based on uk prices on new equipment from ebay. They will come with a driver disk which will also often include a network utility prog that I have found is usually best ignored as XP has its own. Then you need a wireless modem router unit some of which have a usb connection for ease of setup. I would go for one that also has a few 10/100 ethernet ports and use one of those to set it up as you can just call the unit up as a web page and put in your connection details etc.

I have often found that your isp is happy to offer a wireless service by selling you the items required at a far higher price than they can be obtained by other means. Generally the isp provides you with an adsl phone line to which you can connect any equipment you want ( with a filter to connect your ordinary phones) A brief look at Sprint seems to indicate that this is what they do.

Hope this info is of some help. I have set up a few before as have many others on here I am sure. And I am also sure that help will be forthcoming on here should you have any difficulties or further questions. It can seem like a mine field at first but is actually surprisingly simple.

 

[swerve]

He's talking about an aircard...

Floridaboi -- PM Kennyworth and ask him -- he uses his laptop WITH Sprint...

He'll be happy to help you...

 

[tx_doc]

Since you have a laptop, take it to the Sprint store/kiosk and ask them if it will fit.

 

[mike_n_herrin]

i don't even know what the hell an aircard is. But let me check with you on this...are you wanting to use wireless internet with your laptop in your home? or at an internet cafe or something? my laptop was old, but i had a PCMCIA card slot (i had 2 actually) but i just needed to be able to use my laptop with wireless internet in like hotels and stuff, where the service was free. I also found out that now that i have cable internet at my house i can use a wireless modem/router thing along with this USB thing that i mention below. it was only like 40 dollars. but this may not be what you actually need since it sounds like you are wanting to pay for a service also.

http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=179211

 

[FloridaBoi]

Thanks for the help guys. Mike- I am wanting it for when im not home and for work. I have a Card Slot but I dont know wether it is me or sprint but one of us didnt know what we were talking about. He asked if I had a card slot and I said yes and then he said well bring it in. Another sprint rep asked if it is a Type 2 card slot. I have no idea what that is all I know is I have a car slot. My laptop is hardly a year old. They also have a USB modem for 99 I was thinking about that one since they are having so much trouble tell me about the aircard. but anyways I am gonna call them back tomorrow maybe I can get some info this time. Thanks for you guys help..

 

[mike_n_herrin]

you'll have to take a look at your laptop's books or manuals. or if you know the make and model of the laptop one of us can look up the info for you. I would imagine you have type II or a type III slot. type II slots i think can handle type I or II PCMCIA cards. and I think a type III slot can handle one type III card or one each of the others. i also think type II and III are the newer ones and type I is really really old (way more than a year...like maybe 5 years ago).

sorry there are a lot of "i think" in there.

 

[_AJ_]

Thanks for the help guys. Mike- I am wanting it for when im not home and for work. I have a Card Slot but I dont know wether it is me or sprint but one of us didnt know what we were talking about. He asked if I had a card slot and I said yes and then he said well bring it in. Another sprint rep asked if it is a Type 2 card slot. I have no idea what that is all I know is I have a car slot. My laptop is hardly a year old. They also have a USB modem for 99 I was thinking about that one since they are having so much trouble tell me about the aircard. but anyways I am gonna call them back tomorrow maybe I can get some info this time. Thanks for you guys help..

USB would be a better option IMHO which means you could use it on any new computer you get as there changing the standard atm from PCMICA to expresscard34 which is smaller

 

[provenlogic]

I'd actually go with PCMCIA/Cardbus for wireless (satellite) access. Chances are you will use it a lot, and you may want your USB ports free. Especially if you only have 2. But rest assured, if your laptop is only a year old, it has at least 1 PCMCIA slot, and any card you buy today will be compatible. You will of course need the proper drivers that will come with the card.

I'm a firm beleiver in keeping my ports open. Chances are you won't find very many other uses for your PCMCIA slot(s), so if i were you, i'd definately go for the PCMCIA card, and not USB.

 

[tx_doc]

provenlogic is totally spot on. a USB modem like you mentioned will allow you to plug into the internet but not piggyback on a cell provider's network to use anywhere. if you want to use it anywhere (just remember that not every city is on a network where it will work) you need to get mobile broadband. The service runs about $50 a month.
http://powervision.sprint.com/mobilebroadband/
Tallahassee is one of the cities that has mobile broadband capabilities.

 

[FloridaBoi]

Thanks guys im gonna call Sprint today.