Im going away in a week or so and im thinking about buying a laptop & getting a wireless network card so i can still have net access. Im kinda confused though, i dont know how the connection actually works. With dialup, obviously you have an account with the service provider and there is a monthly charge. How does it work with a wireless network card? Thanks in advance for any help i get XD ¯`v´¯ `.¸.´ ¸.•´¸.•¨ ¸.•¨ ¸.•´ ¸.•´ .•´ ¸¸.•¨¯`•

A wireless network card has a range of about 100M on a good day and they have to connect to a local wireless access point. These Wireless access points then allow you to share files with other users conected to the same access point or sometimes to access the Internet, depending on whether the access point is connected. Some hotels and airports and selected other places have wireless "hotspots" where you can cnnect to the Internet and they will usually have their own charges in place. If this is not the wireless connection type you are thinking of please tell me. Matt www.bbcomputing.co.uk matt@bbcomputing.co.uk

Ok so say i stop for a break after driving a while and i wanted to catch up with a friend on msn (or any other instant messenger i have installed on the laptop) how would i go about that with a wireless network card? I have a friend in the US that has a laptop with a wireless network card and when her sister is on the PC, she gets on her laptop & talks to me on that. Would i be able to do the same thing during my trip? ¯`v´¯ `.¸.´ ¸.•´¸.•¨ ¸.•¨ ¸.•´ ¸.•´ .•´ ¸¸.•¨¯`•

Only if you are in range and registered at a wireless hotspot. You can get GPRS cards for a laptop that will allow internet access through the Mobile Phone network and therefore will work in more places... however these are more expensive and you usually have to pay a subscription fee. Matt www.bbcomputing.co.uk matt@bbcomputing.co.uk