Re: One or two questions.

"donut" <me@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
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"pmj" <post@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
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"donut" <me@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
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"Jeff Gaines" <jgaines_newsid@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
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On 15/03/2007 in message <55sjhtF25ktp0U1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
donut wrote:

Will someone tell me please.
I have a desktop with Win XP and Cable internet connection.

1. Can I connect a Vista laptop?.

It will depend on whether or not Vista drivers are available for
the cable modem,

But you would only need USB Drivers for it if you were going to use
the USB Connection & it's really not a good idea (& is more hassle)
to use USB for it.

When I signed up for TW (BlueYonder) the engineers came and put in
a cable from the footpath to the house and into the study, they made
the connection with USB and I have not tried to alter it.

I wonder why they used the USB Connection between the Cable Modem
& the PC?

Maybe it was an old PC that didn't have a NIC (Network Interface Card)
with a standard Ethernet (RJ45) Connection in it - almost all recent
PCs do have one though.

& you can get an Ethernet NIC for about a fiver these days, if you have
a PC without one.

When I got this Win XP Desktop I set it up and just used the same
modem and cable that was originally fitted.

Yep, fair enough I can see why you would have done that - if you don't
know any different, (which you wouldn't have done) you're likely to
just stick with what's gone before.

What Make & Model of PC do you now have?
If it came with WinXP, then it's almost certainly got a normal NIC
(Network Interface Card) with a standard Ethernet (RJ45) Connection
on it, either built-in to the MotherBoard or as an Add-in (PCI) Card

You will need an Ethernet Connection of some kind to Connect whatever
sort of Router you get - although you *can* (if you wanted) use a WiFi
Connection on a Desktop PC (as well as a Laptop), but your PC may not
have a WiFi Card in it (some do, but most don't). If you want to Connect
it (the Desktop as well as the laptop) using WiFi, then you can get a
WiFi PCI Card to fit into the PC, or get a WiFi USB Dongle - they are
available for less than 20 Quid.

Far better to use a standard Ethernet (RJ45) Connection - & if the
current Cable Modem happened not to have Ethernet, (which it does
have
actually), then you can easily get the Cable ISP
(Telewest/Blueyonder -
now VirginMedia) to supply a Cable Modem wit han Ethernet Connection.

I have looked at the leaflet (quick reference guide) left by the
installing engineer. It says Ethernet OR USB and shows an ethernet
cable position on the modem and on the back of the tower.

Yep.
& has your PC got an Ethernet (RJ45) Socket on it? [*1]
Just have a look - it will look the same as the one on the Cable Modem

[*1]
Or just Post back with the Make & Model of the PC.
But anyway, even if it doesn't have an Ethernet (RJ45) Connection at
the mo (which is very unlikely) it's dead easy (& cheap, as I mentioned
above) to get one for it.

... BUT I do not have an ethernet cable.

No probs!...

... Can I buy one at Maplins? or somewhere

Yes!
:-)

You can even get them at places such as B & Q & ALDI/LIDL etc.
They really are "Commodity" items these days.

... and what would I ask for? ...please.

A standard ("Straight through", as opposed to "Cross over" [*1])
Ethernet RJ45 Cable.
They are usually available in a choice of Lengths - normally 1 2 3 5 10
& even 25 Metres

A 2 3 or 5 Metre one is normally about a fiver, depending on the Brand

You definitely don't need to pay for any fancy Packaging or anything
which claims to be special.

[*1]
In fact many Routers will work with either a "Straight through"
*or* a "Cross over" Ethernet Cable, but if you have a choice, go for
a "Straight through" one - if there's no choice, then it will almost
certainly be a "Straight through" one.
"Cross over" Ethernet Cables are normally only used for Connecting
PC to another PC & so aren't as widely available.
The S"traight through" ones are what is needed for Connecting a PC
to a Router (& for Connecting the Router to the Cable Modem

The Router will come with (usually just one) Ethernet Cable, (to Connect
up the PC to it) so you only need to buy one to Connect the Cable Modem
to the Router (if the Cable Modem didn't come with one, or if you've
put it in a "safe place" <g>)
You will also need another Ethernet Cable, if you decide you want to
Connect the Laptop using a Cable, but if you use WiFi, then you won't
need another one

There are also two CD's - one blueyonder installation software,

You don't need any of that!
:-)

So long as you have a normal, standard Ethernet NIC in the Machine,
that's *all* you need.

No need for any Software or Drivers or anything.
The Router just Plugs into the NIC & it "just works".
:-)

... and the other Motorola Cable modem Installation CD-ROM

You don't need that either!
:-)

That is only needed if you were using the USB Connection, which you
won't be.
It *does* have the Manuals (User Guides) etc, on it as well though,
so keep it handy, in case you need to look anything up.

... which lists the contents as:- USB Drivers/`Installation
Assistant/User Guide/Uninstall
USB Driver/Contact Information.

Yep.
(see my comment above)

So - if I get an Ethernet Cable would I need to uninstall the
USB Drivers?

No, not really.
They just won't be used.
But you can if you want.

& remember, when you use the Ethernet Connection (instead of the USB),
you can (if you ever want/need to) Plug the cable Modem into the PC
directly, rather than through/via the Router.

What I'm saying, basically is just use Ethernet, rather than USB
& you will be able to do all you want with no probs or hassle.
:-)

<snip>
I understood I would need a Router and Dell

Ah, OK - so it's a Dell.
What Model is it?
Just so we can check that it *does* have a normal Ethernet NIC
(Network Interface Card) in it.
The Manual for the PC will also confirm that.

(Don't worry if it doesn't have, cos you can very easily & cheaply
get one)

... site suggest contact with the ISP to find which router they
recommend.

It's not really anything much to do with the ISP!
:-)

The choice of what sort to use is really up to you!
& not the ISP.
It really depends on what you're going to use it with (you've already
said a Desktop PC & a Laptop) & how you want to use it (& you've
already said that you were thinking of using WiFi, I think)

So, what you need is a standard Router (*not* an ADSL Modem Router)
with WiFi (also known as a "WAP" - Wireless Access Point)
They are clearly labelled.

It's a "DSL/Cable WiFi Router" that you want.
& *not* an "ADSL Modem Router"

Any of the standard makes (Belkin, Netgear, D-Link, Linksys, 3Com,
Buffalo etc,) will work fine.

Don't get bogged down with fancy stuff (unless you want to spend time
& effort learning all about the fascinating different things you can
get!)

If you really want to have things like "Extra range", then you can
get them, but you don't really need anything that offers you "Extra
Speed", cos even a standard WiFi (802.11g) Connection is actually
still faster than the Internet Connection & anyway, you only get the
extra Speed if the WiFi Adapter you are using is the same type (which
it won't be, if it's built-in to a Laptop)

Any extra Speed than some WiFi Routers offer would *only* be noticeable
when Transferring stuff between the PCs (Desktop/Laptop) & *not* for the
Internet Connection.

... ATM I am not looking to go back to Dell (although I cannot say
that I have been dissatisfied with this machine at all - my gripe
with them is that they bundle stuff which is not required and although
they say they build the PC to order, they will <not> omit stuff not
required).

Yep, I can understand that.
But many of the large Suppliers (& even the small suppliers) of Laptops
are like that.

At this point in time I am looking at Toshiba.

Do you mean for the Laptop?

That should be fine!
:-)

Toshiba make some good Laptops.

One of my children (well they are all over 20 now!) actually has
a Toshiba & it works fine with the WiFi & also with an Ethernet
Connection.

If you go for one of the "Qosmio" ones, they have a *really* good Screen
- 1920 x 1200 Pixels, 17 inch!
:-)

But they are expensive - over 1500 Quid.

They also do plenty of less expensive ones.

Look for the number of *Pixels* on the Screen (the Resolution)
& not just the "Size" of it.

Thanks pmj - no doubt I shall have to come back for more advice
before I am finished :-))

Yep!
Go & have a look in your nearest Electrical/Computer place (Maplins/PC
World etc, & see what they have in the way of WiFi Routers & how much
they are.

& Post back with any suggestions they come up with (if you ask them)
& plenty of people in here will be able to comment on the suggestions.

HTH

--
pmj


.

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