Anybody use WIFI networks with a laptop?

[Amelia G]

When I was in Vegas, there was a banner in the convention center saying the whole thing was a WIFI hot spot. I probably need to be able to take the internet with me everywhere just as much as I need a hole in the head. But I'm planning on getting myself a new laptop this fall as a reward for finishing a few projects, once I do. Anybody else use this tech in hotels or coffee shops or whatever?

[karyn]

I worry that it lets people see what is on my laptop.

[TheQuietPlace]

I worry that it lets people see what is on my laptop.

I am also paranoid about this.

[Tequila Zaire]

It's going to be the new standard once the various security holes get taken care of better...it's simply much easier to cover an area with a WIFI network than running hardlines all over the place. I've yet to really use it more than a handful of times since I don't work on the road anymore...but it was a very nice feeling to just get online without the ususal hassle...you see such networks pop up a lot more these days too...so as a result you can get online in places that you never would have thought possible.

Still waiting for the WIFI hot spot at local churches...that'd get more people into them, plus it'd be funny to see people lookin at porn in church.

[mollycase]

Does anyone know of any good books on this subject?

[-=Asmodeus=-]

Basically all you need to do is just enable the Windows XP firewall...Get a good virus protection prog..(Norton, Mcafee AVG ETC)...Make sure you have nothing set to share out...(My shared folder ETC)...
and always keep it up to date with Microsoft Windows Update...Also keep your Virus Software up to date...

And may I suggest an E-Machine Laptop....It sounds weird but they are actualy really good...Dell Is ok..DO NOT GET Hewlett Packard or Sony Vaio...IBM Stinks as well...Toshiba is ok if you custom order it...

But the hotspots are cool...Do as I listed above and you will have no problems..

[-=Asmodeus=-]

Still waiting for the WIFI hot spot at local churches...that'd get more people into them, plus it'd be funny to see people lookin at porn in church.

I have been waiting for AOL to move into the Churches...You see their disks everywhere...The post office any Convinience Store, Shopping Centers...

I am waiting for the day a Christian goes up to take communion and he gets the Body of Christ, The Blood of Christ and 1000 hours free internet...

Its comming AOL IS COMMING

[ForrestBlack]

I got a Sony Vaio and I'm very happy with it. Very little preinstalled garbage and it works very well.

[Amelia G]

With you on the HP/Compaq thing, Asmodeus. Ugh.

[-=Asmodeus=-]

I got a Sony Vaio and I'm very happy with it. Very little preinstalled garbage and it works very well.

I am going off of what I know...I worked at a store that repaired and sold computers....Over half of the laptops we worked on were HP and Sony...

I guess if you got one and unloaded all the Crap they send with it and did a normal install it would be ok...But I have nothing to go on...
If yours works good, thats great...

[Amelia G]

I am going off of what I know...I worked at a store that repaired and sold computers....Over half of the laptops we worked on were HP and Sony...

I guess if you got one and unloaded all the Crap they send with it and did a normal install it would be ok...But I have nothing to go on...
If yours works good, thats great...

Forrest has a desktop machine from Sony. I was contemplating a Sony laptop because I've seen some really lightweight ones. Once it is actually in the current budget, I'll probably be posting what I'm thinking of for suggestions. Thanks!

[Amethyst]

Don't buy the cheapest one but the most expensive isn't always best either. I would say don't get D-link wlan card I haven't anything but bad about them. You are propably going to get pcmcia-wlan card or are you going to get laptop with integrated wlan. I can recommend you Zyxel, they have really good customer service and their products work like they say. I had free wlan internet for a 4months as home connection thanks to local pioneers. Wlan can be very good but it's working is based on many things. Like if there are roof made of baking plate and it's in right direction it might cause so called ghost effect and connection won't work properly. This can usually be fixed with direct point antennas but they are much much expensive than omni antennas. And wlan connection isn't insecure if you use 64/128-bit Wep Encryption and you have firewall software on your computer. Thought at least here you can't plug your computer anywhere without firewall if you'r using XP. If you connect unsecured computer with XP you are infected with Sasser in 15 - 40 seconds.
Oh yeah, wlan is the same as wifi.

[cOrE_dUmPeR]

I am a total evangelist for the IBM Thinkpad (in particular the T series). They are the MOST well-made laptops..

I have a T23 and a T30 (err, strike that, my ex got the T30 in out split up ) If I could justify the expense, I would not hesitate to replace my T23 with a T40 (or even a T42).

They don't come with built-in cameras or gizmos or MP3 ID3 tag LCDs or any of the other crap found in many other consumer laptops (like HP, Compaq, Sony). What they do come with is just plain good engineering. They are solid, very reliable and lightweight. And this IMO is why Thinkpad totally dominates the Enterprise, excellent mobility features and reliability.

They have a hot-pluggable UltraBay which I use ALL the time, a great docking system which I use daily, and drop-protection (which mine does not have, but any of the new ones do).

If you are looking to make a fashion statement however, the Thinkpad is probably not a good choice, as it has a plain "business" look to it. But for *my* geek-like purposes, I'd much rather have something that worked right ALL THE TIME, than something that looked nice.

Yes, I know it sounds like I work for IBM sales (I don't), I just really love their laptops. So do several of us in the Brotherhood.

Last time we went to Vegas (or a couple of trips back, you know those weekends are usually fuzzy) there were only 3 of us, yet somehow we packed 4 Thinkpads, and yes we used WiFi everywhere we saw a WiFi sign, and quite a few places we didn't.

my 2 cents...

[cOrE_dUmPeR]

BTW, don't bother with ones that DON'T have built-in WiFi. The reception is generally better with built-in WiFi than with with add-in PCMCIA cards, becuase many laptop makes will embedd the WiFi antenna in the lcd panel which when in use will be upright as opposed to the plugin which just has a nub sticking out on the side of your laptop.

Not to mention that when putting and taking out your laptop from a backback (or carryon) several times a day as I used to do, you will have to keep popping out and putting in the WiFi card for fear of breaking the antenna off.

my other 2 cents