Can you get wirelss internet on a desktop PC?

[vanimal]

I have a PC inherited from my DB, fairly new (maybe 2 years old).

Before I lug upstairs and set it up, does anyone know if there is any chance of it having wifi broadband connection? Or is that only ever an option with laptops?

I don't have a telephone cable running upstairs into the room, and only really want it set up for internet use.

you'll need a dongle to plug into your computer to send and recieve the wifi to you wireless router. Phone your isp (if they provided your router) as some give them out free, otherwise you'll have to get one from pc world or another computer shop!

Its very unlikely to have wireless built in.

Your best bet is to either get yourself a USB wireless adapter or a homeplug.

Like this:

USB

or

Homeplug

The USB wireless is cheaper and suitable if you know you get a good wireless signal upstairs in your room. The homeplug is a better bet if you have old thick walls or a large house where wireless may not work.

Good luck

Some machines have PCI cards (I was given a Philips PC with wireless installed) but the majority don't.

As Niceguy2 indicates, there are options such as using a USB dongle (though you might want to consider a 1 metre USB extension so you can move the stick around for best signal.

Poundland does a cable for a quid, rather than spending much more in some PC store.

As it is a desktop, I would personally recommend using HomePlug style adaptors, though obviously you need a pair (there are a few routers with one built in but tiny number compared just ADSL/ just cable connection, with or without wi-fi)

Wi-Fi is cheaper, HomePlug connection is guaranteed to be fast (and no conflict if more than one machine is using wi-fi).

In some households a laptop or desktop/nettop might be used to play movies on a big TV.

Wireless may work fine for most but I am personally far happier with cable or HomePlug for such a connection - wi-fi has lots more ways to go wrong, in my view :)

I'm just off to buy that 'value' product for myself, to connect up some kit in the garage with the house. Yes, it could be done with wi-fi, but I plan to have a dozen machines running out there in due course...

Oooh - thanks for these, I had no idea these gadgets even existed!

The USB wireless adaptor looks like it connects to the internet itself, whilst the homeplug thingy looks like it would connect to the home wifi, which is probably faster, is that right?

Our wifi connection in this room is fine, as I am using the laptop here at the moment, so the USB sounds like the best bet. But only if it jumps onto the home broadband, and not if it just provides this 54Mb connection itself.

Is this one a better bet?

Have I got this all wrong?

The USB devices being talked about connect to the Internet via your own wifi router only. They do not connect to the "Internet itself" like a 3G dongle from say Vodafone would.

After that, to be honest they're all much of a muchness. The one you linked is a good one. It says refurbished but it still has a 1 year warranty and given the cost is £18 its not a huge risk. Plus Cisco are THE biggest network hardware manufacturer in the world so you'd assume they know a thing or two.

I know NetworkGuy doesn't like Wifi but if you are sure you can get a decent signal in your room then the USB seems like the sensible way forward.

Agree, sensible solution and generally cheaper. Would still say if there's a problem getting a signal, using a USB hub or extension cable is worth a try, just to get the wi-fi dongle clear of the PC box.

No need to try any cable unless the signal strength is low, or connection intermittent, of course.

Thanks for all of the advice, I have bought that Cisco one, will see how that goes.

Signal is absolutely fine in this room, so hopefully the Cisco device will do the job.

Thanks again!

My desktop is a year old and I connect wirelessly without a dongle.

The Acer Revo, eee box, and a number of other media-centre type machines do have wireless, but it is still relatively uncommon for most desktops to already have wireless as standard. I suppose that with so many homes now having a wireless router, it might be the case that manufacturers will switch to include it, in place of an ethernet (cable) adaptor, but so many machines have that on the motherboard, it may be a while before the end of an ethernet port as standard!

I'd be interested to know what PC you bought, please, BaresarkBunny, if only to know one which comes with it as standard.