Tech question, from a non techie

[ODBAL]

So, my girlfriend got a laptop for Christmas.  She is able to get online at home, where her dad has a wireless internet setup.  At my house I have my computer hard wired into my cable modem, the old fashioned way.  My question is, what do I need so I can hook her computer up to the internet on a wireless connection and still keep my machine hard wired in to my connection?

I'll hang up and listen to your answer.

[Elfie]

I think a wireless router also allows you to hardwire in connections. Go to Best Buy, they should have several models to choose from.

[Shuffler]

Yup a router that supports wireless and hardwire. Then just go into admin and set it up on the router.

I use Linksys routers and find them very dependable. A WRT100 should work fine for your application but they do have others.

[MORAY37]

Just get a wireless router and follow instructions.  You can also get wireless modems that feature a "hard connection" and wireless laptop connection. (this is what I use at home,  personally)  Make sure that the GF's laptop has an internal wireless card, or you're going to have to get a card/receiver.  Most, if not all newer laptops have internal wireless modems. Obviously, since she's able to get online at dad's, you've probably got that side covered.

Also, make sure that you encrypt your network and protect it with a logon password that you change frequently.  Believe it or not, there are hackers that drive around looking for unprotected wireless networks.  It's also amazing to see how many are wide open.  I find it pretty reliable to get a hotspot when traveling anywhere there are more than a couple of buildings nowadays.

[indy007]

Her laptop will have a cat45 plug on it. Plug into that, make sure it works. You also have 2 options. Either replace your router outright like mentioned above, or, add a wireless access point to your existing router. Most wifi routers have both modes in them, and it just depends on how you want to set it up.

[Elfie]

Make sure that the GF's laptop has an internal wireless card

Should read the original post a bit closer.

She is able to get online at home, where her dad has a wireless internet setup

Obviously, it already has a wireless card since she can go online at home via her dad's wireless internet setup. 

[bcadoo]

When you are setting up your router, unplug your cable modem (and if it has a battery backup unplug the battery) for about five minutes.  Go ahead and get all the cables plugged in correctly, then power up the modem and wait until you have steady green on the cable light, power up router, then go through the setup of your wireless connection.

[ODBAL]

Thankya kindly fellers

[CAP1]

So, my girlfriend got a laptop for Christmas.  She is able to get online at home, where her dad has a wireless internet setup.  At my house I have my computer hard wired into my cable modem, the old fashioned way.  My question is, what do I need so I can hook her computer up to the internet on a wireless connection and still keep my machine hard wired in to my connection?

I'll hang up and listen to your answer.

i'm hardwired here at the shop. i have 2 computers on it. the linksys router is a wireless router, but it has ports on the back for hardwiring....thus when i bring my laptop here, it logs right onto the system.

[Vad]

...  At my house I have my computer hard wired into my cable modem, the old fashioned way. 

Am I correct you don't have any kind of router right now, and your Windows computer is directly connected to the cable modem?

[ODBAL]

Yes, I have my cable coming into my modem, then a networking cable into my computer.

[Vulcan]

Wireless router, before you plug it in read up on how to set up WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK. This is wireless security. Choose a good password, something with letters and numbers. Ignore the stuff on MAC address filters, hiding your broadcast SSID etc. Just make sure you use either WPA or WPA2.

[WilldCrd]

As mentioned earlier get a router that does both wired (ussually 4 pc's) and wireless.
Also VERY important once you get it up and running go into the router settings and set it up. set a user name and a password for the router then go into the wireless settings set a name for your SSID then set your WEP for atleast some protection.

The SSID is the name you give your router IE. ODBALL'S router
The wep is ussually set at 10 HEX digits you can increase this to 28 I beleive but for just basic home use 10 should be enough.  There are more advance settings you can setup if your really worried about hackers like MAC filtering . PM me if you want more info on this.
I tell customers I setup with FIOS that for the most part the regular WEP settings is good enough. IF a hacker REALLY REALLY wants in they will get in but unless you got something they really want they aren't gonna bother with you.

Personally I use the 10 key wep with MAC filtering. This tells the router which PC's are allowed to access it and the net by inputting each pc's MAC address. Anyone else it gives them the digital equivalent of the bird. With only yours and the GF's pc it's pretty easy to setup. Its when like me you have 2 wired desktops, 2 wireless laptops and 4 stb's that pull IP's from the router that it takes an extra 10mins to setup