Ok, so I know this question is answered all over this forum, and I apologize for asking it again. But I'm going to break it down again and ask about my specific system because I know *nothing* about setting up networks, and can't quite piece together what I need from here. Basically, here's the deal. I want the cheapest solution to the following dilemma. I have RCN broadband as my internet provider. I've got a 4 port Linksys router operating at 100 Mbps. I've got 2 desktops hooked up directly through ethernet cables. That's all working great. I have recently acquired a crappy old laptop with a wireless B PCMCIA card to use as an email station while away on business, in airports, etc. I'd like to be able to use it at home on occasion without having to run a 30 foot cable from one room to another. I believe I just need a wireless access point to hook up to my router, and I'm done. Is that true? How cheap can one go with these products? I can see a bunch on Ebay currently going for $0.01-$2. I can also see some available through Yahoo shopping for under $20. Are these good enough? Do I need to worry about additional protection? We have a Norton firewall up on the main PC, but obviously that wouldn't protect the laptop. What's the best way around that for people looking to spend no money? On that note, do I need to install anything fancy on the wireless laptop, or will standard McAffee/Norton programs suffice? Sorry to be so needy. Any help is appreciated.

don't need wireless access point. just connect usb wireless adapter to the main pc, run network wizard, slect both wireless and wired as the access to the network. mine works well that way. you old laptop needs to be able to run 32 bit card tho.

" I'd like to be able to use it at home on occasion without having to run a 30 foot cable from one room to another. I believe I just need a wireless access point to hook up to my router, and I'm done. Is that true?" Yes you can buy an access point and that will work but of course you will have to configure it to work correctly. You can connect the router and AP by using a CAT5 patch cable. You will need to set up a SIDD (wireless network name) on the AP and then set it on your NIC (wireless network card). You also need to encrypt the wireless signal. You will use WEP or WPA for that. That will be built in the AP. WPA is better then WEP. Then you might want to do MAC filtering and turning off your SIDD broadcasting. You can look at this web page for a better understanding of what I’m talking about. This is all dealing with security. If I was you I would stay with the same manufacturer as the router (Linksys). Less problems with the two getting along. To save money you could buy a Linksys WAP11 Access Point. This AP is 802.11b. You could get a AP that is 802.11g and that AP is backward compatible to use “b” and “g”. I’m just thinking if you ever wanted to grow your wireless network you would already have the “g” standard but a little more expensive right now. You can get a new WAP11 for about $35 dollars and that comes with manuals. If you buy a used AP you don't know what your getting and maybe no docs. I guess you could just download them from the net. All computers need to have some type of virus protection so using McAffee is a fine. You protect this computer just like any other computer but just as long as you take the extra steps and use WEP or WPA for encrypting and the other things I mentioned above.

Uppercrust is correct, that will work just fine but there are things you need to know with that solution. The "main" computer will always have to be on so you can access the network and Internet. If your doing any work or downloading something on that computer your laptop is going to have degraded performance because you have to go through that PC to get to the router and then back again. Last time I checked a USB wireless adapter was between $30 and $40 (I believe). About the same money for a AP. With a AP you don't have to worry about any other computers being on or degraded performance because your not using another computer resources. Either way will work it just depends on how much you want to spend (money and time).

One other thought. Because the demand for Wireless Access points are less than Wireless Routers. You may find a better price on a wirless rounter. Just replace you current wired router with a wireless router. After rebates you can find a B version for $30.

Thanks for all the input, everyone! Lots to think about. At the moment, I'm leaning towards uppercrust's suggestion, just because it would be elegant if nothing else. Can someone recommend a USB wireless adapter? There are a ton out there, and a lot of brands I've never heard of. It doesn't have to reach very far in our current setup (about 20 feet tops), nor does it have to be wireless G. But both would be good features for the future, I guess. Also - what's the key word that I'm missing when trying to do a search? "wireless USB adapter" is getting me all kinds of hits that obviously aren't what I'm looking for.

For example: Is the "TwinMOS USB 802.11b Wi-Fi Wireless Adapter" what I'm looking for? I can't find a description that makes clear whether it is designed to A) Take my existing cable network and broadcast a wireless signal or B) Take an existing wireless signal and transmit it through USB to a computer without a wireless card There are tons of products like this up on Ebay or Yahoo shopping. Going cheap, but without the key descriptors that let morons like me know if this is what we want.