Connecting desktop pc to internet

[watchingwaves]

I would like to move my home office into another room in the house but my desktop pc is currently connected to the internet via a cable to a telephone point (via a wireless router but I think thats probably irrelevant for the pc setup). The room I want to move into doesn't have a phone point. What are the options for connecting my pc to the internet apart from getting a phone point put in?

daring to make a few light-hearted comments.

Oh, it didn't look that way to me - jumping on advice to add a wireless dongle and questioning why anyone would suggest it looked somewhat provocative.

Adding that you're a big time Mac convert but suggesting most desktop PCs have wireless built-in, was maybe the time, while typing, to have decided not to post (it may be the case in France, assuming you are living there, but cannot be assumed).

It certainly would seem unlikely for the OP to question how to connect if it had been the case they had wireless built into the desktop to start with, eh?

No, CoteDAzur - I may have wider experience than some, but to be frank, quite a lot of network problems, in my experience over recent years, are to do with Wi-Fi with security, signal strength, and other issues.

""This program wants to run, do you want it to?" etc. "

Maybe a bit of a faff but intentional to reduce the instances of a bit of malware installing itself quietly, so a rather good move, after years of little nasties getting on PCs because someone went to a site giving away wallpaper, fonts, emoticons, etc and you had to install their software with lots of small print, but one or two clicks and it was done without this type of warning for the user.

"with a Mac, it all just works." to which I'd add " the way Apple requires, or you're stuffed"

Of course there are third party sources for software, but Apple has kept a stranglehold on what they allow users to do. It seems odd that they could "on a whim" decide some apps for the iPhone or iPad are unacceptable, not just warn the users that they disapprove, and why :

for example - there was a video/audio player and Apple decided it would be unsuitable for mobile networks, so banned it, without the users having a say... If I've paid extra for my 'unlimited internet' contract with my mobile network, why should Apple say I cannot use some App when I am buying just their phone... Oh, OK, I see, I'm buying their phone and their rules too, I suppose...

Incidentally, if you ever started a terminal session on a Mac running any version of OS X, you'll be in a linux environment.

Apple had presumably got to the end of the line when they had finished Mac OS 9 (and when that change to OS X took place, some people with very expensive software could not upgrade for months because the software firms presumably didn't get OS X to play with early enough and therefore drivers were delayed... all to do with Apple keeping control, I guess).

"I have a theory that this whole mac/pc thing really comes down to how individuals interact with their computers"

You could be right. Actually, that sounds like an interesting story from an old William Gibson novel. Or a new Neal Stephenson one. A sequel to Snow Crash, perhaps.

"Maybe a bit of a faff but intentional to reduce the instances of a bit of malware installing itself quietly"

It is still incredibly annoying. DH's laptop PC can't stop itself from asking every time "Skype is trying to connect to internet, do you want to allow it?". I mean, ffs, it's Skype. That's what it does. He cannot add Skype into the list of programs that can connect to the internet without Windows asking us about it, because, apparently, that list is full. So it asks. Every. Single. Time.

'"with a Mac, it all just works." to which I'd add " the way Apple requires, or you're stuffed"'

I don't have a problem with that. My problem is with things not working easily, quickly, and efficiently.

"if you ever started a terminal session on a Mac running any version of OS X, you'll be in a linux environment."

I doubt if I would ever start such a thing because I don't know what it is. Do you see what I mean when I say that you clearly know way more about these things than most people?

As for your earlier post, I would appreciate it if you could refrain from telling me what to post and how to post it. Thank you.

See, arsey.

Getting back to the original question, I recommended a homeplug over a wifi connection. I didn't have time to get into the reasons when I posted, but I can now.

The major advantages of wifi over homeplug are it's mobility and, if you already have a wireless router, it is cheaper to add. As we are talking about a desktop PC, mobility is not a significant benefit in this case and a homeplug solution is cheap enough for most people to afford.

The major disadvantages of wifi are reliability and security. Reliability is down to a number of factors, mainly interference, but also external factors may impact on signal paths in unexpected ways. Security issues with wifi are often due to poor setup, but older security systems have become vulnerable to attack over the years and a secure well set up current system may become insecure over time without any changes. As a homeplug signal is hard to access without access to your wiring, it offers better security.

CoteDAzur

It is still incredibly annoying. DH's laptop PC can't stop itself from asking every time "Skype is trying to connect to internet, do you want to allow it?". I mean, ffs, it's Skype. That's what it does. He cannot add Skype into the list of programs that can connect to the internet without Windows asking us about it, because, apparently, that list is full. So it asks. Every. Single. Time.

Then turn the notifications option down. It's not complicated. There's a setting in the control panel where you can decide what you get admin notifications for. Alter the notification settings and Skype won't do that any more.

I don't have a problem with that. My problem is with things not working easily, quickly, and efficiently.

They do. If you don't know how they work, that's not the computer's fault.

As for your earlier post, I would appreciate it if you could refrain from telling me what to post and how to post it. Thank you.

This from the person who had a post of mine removed. Classy.

You don't have the right to attack people with insults around here. It is in MN talk guidelines. This is not the same thing as telling someone "what to say and how to say it". Your post was removed because you managed to call me smug, incompetent, and some other insult all in one post.

"Classy"? Not really.

Thanks all - I got a usb wireless adaptor, set it up this evening and all is working well. I'm happy!

Good to see that, watchingwaves

For CodeDAzur: I'd never suggest what to post nor how to post it [in fact, I think I may have been doing exactly the opposite, wrt posting anyway], but will always recommend one stops digging a hole for oneself to fall in...