Help - how do you connect a pc to wifi if it isn't wifi enabled?

[looseddaughter]

Ds1 has had his pc next to the router in the sitting room for months and we finally ordered a dongle, tested it and then moved the pc upstairs where the dongle stopped working. Could this be because it's now too far away from the router and if so what's the effing point of it?!

Can anyone help - we're getting desperate and thought we were finally free of ds's inane Roblox conversations in the sitting room!

It could be too far. Have a look for a wireless extender or repeater on amazon.

Do you mean that the PC does not have a WiFi card, so you've bought an adapter? Can you get a wireless signal for other devices in the new location?

Bring the pc back down and check it's still working near the router. Then move it further away.

Sometimes repositioning the router can make a difference - eg if there's something like a water tank or a cooker on a line between it and the device you want to connect to. It's worth having a play. Can you check the strength of the signal around your house using something more convenient than the pc to move about, eg a phone or tablet?

Thank you for responses.

I know nothing about this stuff - don't even know what a wifi card is! The pc had to be physically connected to the router with a wire. We bought the dongle (like a usb thing) and unplugged the wire and the pc connected to the internet, but now it's further away from the router it doesn't work. Alexa and phones work in that room fine so there must be a signal. Just reluctant to spend £30 here and there not knowing what I actually need!

Had a look at boosters so may get one but if other stuff works in the room would that be a waste? Have also seen on google that tethering might work but it won't at the moment as his charger wire keeps coming loose - aarghh!

I've got a thing that plugs into the router and a mains socket then in the room where the PC is there's another thing plugged into a mains socket with an ethernet cable into the PC. No idea what it's called but somehow works through the mains plugs instead of wifi. I used that description in the compter shop to buy one and he knew what I meant - even though I didn't! 😂

He's got it working through a hotspot with his phone now though that will obviously eat all his data, but would that suggest that the signal is fine in that room? I've come up here with my laptop and still got 5 bars on my wifi...

That sounds ideal fairydust may see if I can find a shop tomorrow.

www.amazon.co.uk/TL-PA4010KIT-Powerline-Configuration-Required-UK/dp/B01BECPIMC/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?dchild=1&c=ts&s=computers&ts_id=430576031&keywords=Powerline+Network+Adapters&_encoding=UTF8&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1609261668&sr=1-3
Is the sort of thing fairy is talking about.

He's got it working through a hotspot with his phone now though that will obviously eat all his data, but would that suggest that the signal is fine in that room?

If it's eating his data then the phone is using 4G not WiFi.

Ah, interesting, Errol. I'm just quoting ds and know nothing about hotspots either! He says hotspots don't work with wifi and if he switches to wifi it disables the hotspot?

Thank for the link @PastMyBestBeforeDate.

@fairydustandpixies

I've got a thing that plugs into the router and a mains socket then in the room where the PC is there's another thing plugged into a mains socket with an ethernet cable into the PC. No idea what it's called but somehow works through the mains plugs instead of wifi. I used that description in the compter shop to buy one and he knew what I meant - even though I didn't! 😂

You are talking about a pair of HomePlugs.

Pretty sure dongles work off the mobile phone signal, not WiFi. But you said mobile phone works so that’s probably not terribly helpful! Assume you asked the pc to connect to the dongle, put in password etc after you moved it? Just check it’s definitely pairing with that and not trying to find WiFi.

If he's using his phone as a hotspot it won't be streaming your wifi to the dongle, it is streaming his phone's data (3/4G).

You probably need a dongle with a stronger aerial. Or some kind of wifi repeater as the others have suggested.

Princess you can get dongles which use a sim card to get mobile data, like a phone, or you can get dongles which act as a wi-fi receiver for the computer. I think the OP has bought the second type, if she got it to connect fine to the wifi downstairs.

Ah thanks BertieBotts. We live and learn!

I think what has happened is that the wifi signal is a bit weaker up in the bedroom. The phone and Alexa can still pick it up, but this dongle needs a strong signal to connect so it's too weak for that.

I'd go to somewhere like Curry's and ask them for a dongle that will pick up a wi-fi signal from downstairs.

TP Link is what you need. I use these through my house as my PC has no WiFi and they work great. More reliable and stable than a WiFi connection, especially if it's for online gaming. 👍🏻

Yes, I guess that must be it, Bertie, though my laptop does show 5 bars but I don't know how reliable that is. The product linked to looks good but I think going into a shop and talking to someone would be good at this point.

Thanks all.

There is videos on YouTube of how they work if you want to check. Honestly, best thing invented! (For me anyway lol)

Yep, TP link is what you need. They send the internet signal through the electricity wires. You can get Wi-fi ones or non Wi-fi- where you just plug in a network cable.