Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[pauls]

Morning I know Iam being lazy but I always get the right advise on here and a lot quicker than me spending hours looking through google.  The question is I have bought a laptop which I intend to use in my extension.It will not be moved about , bought only for space. I am connected to the internet via bt homehub. My question is would it be easier to network my laptop using a cable or should I setup the wifi. please bare in mind I am not computer savi. If I network it is it just a case of plugging in a new cable and running the network wizard on the pc?

Thanks Paul..

[Kevin Wood]

A wired connection is always the best option, IMHO.

[Martian]

Morning I know Iam being lazy but I always get the right advise on here and a lot quicker than me spending hours looking through google.  The question is I have bought a laptop which I intend to use in my extension.It will not be moved about , bought only for space. I am connected to the internet via bt homehub. My question is would it be easier to network my laptop using a cable or should I setup the wifi. please bare in mind I am not computer savi. If I network it is it just a case of plugging in a new cable and running the network wizard on the pc?

Thanks Paul..

Forget the network wizard, just plug the cable in.

[Andy H]

A wired connection is always the best option, IMHO.

Yes (but)
We use our laptops while sat on the sofa. I had to replace the leads several times because the plugs broke (the little latch broke off because it isn't designed to be plugged and unplugged every day) and sockets are a little wobbly now in the laptops.

Since I set up a wireless router (using WPA2 encryption) the leads have remained unused & we haven't noticed any delay due to the WiFi.

If you use a wired connection it should 'just work' (the PC should automatically get it's network settings from the home hub)

If the homehub incorporates a wireless router there should be some instructions from BT about how to turn the WiFi on and then you will need to type a PSK (pre-shared key) into your laptop WiFi settings (the PSK is often set up by BT and printed on a card on the back of the Homehub).

[Kevin Wood]

Obviously sitting on a sofa is one of the scenarios where a wireless connection is best, but, for the OP's machine in a fixed desk location, I personally would wire it.

Wireless LANs don't often come very close to the speed at which they are marketed, and, with the emergence of ADSL2+ and fibre, internet connections are approaching the point where a wireless LAN is the weakest link, especially if you are contending with another half a dozen wireless LANs in the neighbourhood.

Internet connection aside, if you find yourself transferring data between machines on your local network it'll be painfully slow using a wireless LAN compared with each machine having a dedicated wired connection to the switch.

Just my opinion, and, of course, you've always got to balance the effort required to run a wire against the convenience of using wireless. Your mileage will almost certainly vary here.