I'm a real technie klutz!  I've read as much info as I could find, but I
still need help understanding something about Wi-Fi PC Cards.

I have a new laptop with the Intel PRO Wireless 3945 802.11 a/g Mini Card
(54Mbps) installed.  I also purchased a router for our home and was
successful in following the instructions to connect the router to my
high-speed modem and activating the wireless connection to my laptop.

I will be travelling the country in my camper and will bring my laptop with
me.  Obviously, I cannot bring the modem or the router.  My questions --

1.  As I understand it, I need to subscribe to a service (such as Verizon)
in order to receive wireless signals from their towers (access points?).  Is
that right?
2.  Do I have to purchase their PC card?  Or will the Mini Card that is
already in my laptop suffice?

Thank you very much!

MAP wrote:

Show quoteHide quoteYou've done just great - don't put yourself down! You will need to buy the
additional pc card that works with whatever service (like Verizon) you
choose. When you are in places with Internet cafes - T-Mobile connections
at Starbucks for ex. or at a hotel/motel with broadband - then you would
connect to their broadband connection with either your built-in wireless or
ethernet and not use the Verizon which is much slower but better than
nothing.

Malke

Thank you, Malke, for your encouraging words, and for your response to my
inquiry.  I visited the store of a service provider today and learned quite a
bit more about how this technology works.  I'm going to proceed with the
additional PC card and go from there...smile!  Thanks again!

Show quoteHide quote

MAP wrote:

You're most welcome. Have fun traveling in your camper!

Malke

On Mon, 10 Jul 2006 15:12:01 -0700, MAP
<M**@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

Show quoteHide quotein the context of your overall post and question, yes.  many folks
have simply tethered their verizon or sprint phones to their laptops
and use them as modems to connect to the net.  this can be done for
just minutes of use.  an air card has certain advantages over this but
will cost you $.

you're mixing wireless technologies.  the built-in mini card in your
laptop is for WI-FI. 

wi-fi (wireless fidelity) and data services provided by wireless phone
companies (verizon, sprint) are different.  your intel pro wireless
card is a wi-fi card.  there are many, many intentionally free wi-fi
hot spots most anywhere you go including privately owned campgrounds
and rv parks.

if you want to use your cellphone or an aircard to connect to
verizon's or sprint 's service you'll need to either tether a
cellphone to the laptop (easily enough done) to act as a modem OR
purchase a PC aircard (installs in the PC card slot).  you can do
either by purchasing a data plan from them OR via 'the backdoor' with
no extra charges. 

we travel roughly 6 mos a year in our camper.  last fall (12 weeks)
our primary means of connecting to the net was thru our verizon
cellphone.  we occasionally would have wi-fi at a campground but
usually not.  just a few months later during our spring trip we had
free wi-fi every night but 2 and didn't use the cellphone for net
connections except on those 2 nights (2 nights out of 9 weeks).  the
privately owned campgrounds are seeing the light and putting in wi-fi
systems.  (competition is a wonderful thing, ain't it?)

it depends on where you will be traveling and staying.  if you mainly
use privately owned rv parks and campgrounds you will find that the
vast majority of them will have internet access.  that could mean
wi-fi, a DSL (ethernet) port or a dial-up modem.  your laptop is
already set up for each of these technologies.  you have built-in
wi-fi, you most likely have a built-in 56k dial-up modem as well as a
built-in 10/100 ethernet card.  just be sure you carry a phone cord
for the dial-up modem and a short cat5 cable for the ethernet card.
using your cell phone as a modem or your aircard will not be needed in
these cases.

OTOH, if you will be staying mostly in local, county, state or federal
campgrounds you will usually find none of the above making your cell
phone or aircard your primary method of connecting to the net.  if
your connection needs are simple...daily e-mail and some light,
occasional browsing then learning how to tether your phone to your
laptop might be the way to go.  if your need more, as in hours and
hours, then going 'legit' and buying an aircard and data plan or just
a data plan for your cellphone might be a better choice.

but be forewarned...verizon and sprint services are not everywhere.
their technology uses the cell phone infrastructure so if you're way
out in the boonies (as is often the case with public campgrounds) you
may not have a signal.   no signal = no connection. 

HTH

73,
rich, n9dko

Network did not assign a network address
Wireless connection drops intermittently on 4 different computers
Hotspot SW blocking access to competitors?
ad hoc wireless network-questions
Problem with wireless Zero Service
Can I use a Linksys WGA54G with a PC?
User Accounts become corrupt over wireless network.
Can't portforward
CDMA Wireless Modem
how do I set up the DSL-G640