internet???

[sarren]

Now that Dragonfly has started her university course** she's needing the internet. A lot.

So what are my options here? Hooking Bunny's comp up too? I'd either need a second phone line or a hub thingy, is that right?

Or what about if I get a laptop and go wireless internet? Is that something seperate? And no, I'm not thinking I'm making excuses to get me a laptop, why do you ask?



**Not even news like this inspired Dragonfly to post to her livejournal. I give up.

Comments

[zebra363.livejournal.com]

Not even news like this inspired Dragonfly to post to her livejournal. I give up.

Tie her up, make her do it! It'll give you some practise for when you have to force me into a new fandom.

And I completely understand needing more internet access, but can't offer technical advice.

[cricketk.livejournal.com]

See, I spend hours at your place on Sunday and still come away not knowing that Dragonfly is starting university.

There's something wrong with that.

[black-samvara.livejournal.com]

err rough maths here based on own experiences.

2nd phone line: ~$30 per month + calls + cost of dialup account.
Initial outlay to get a new phone line was $173 last time I looked.

Broadband: ~$50 per month, no call cost - can go cheaper if you are willing to use iinet for local calls as well.
Initial outlay ~$150 for 4 port hub + $88-100 to connect.

Wireless: same as broadband with with more expensive toys.. I think. Ask juffles He knows all "..could install it in a blindfold with one hand down my pants."

Having said that ascetic_hedony needed a $50 network card in his laptop and my baby bro did all the techie stuff.

[strangedave.livejournal.com]

Don't go two phone lines. It probably won't work out very attractively compared to broadband etc.
A cheap hub (actually, these days probably a cheap switch, which is better) can be obtained for probably under $100, a cheap wirelesss point for not much more. Then if you are using dialup, you need to set up some software to share the dialup connection (eg Windows XP Internet Connection Sharing, or equivalent).
You do need wireless for the laptop though, which adds another $50-100 or so. But wireless laptops are fantastic (four of them here at Florence Road, and we love it).
Little routers that do wireless, 4-port switch, plus maintain the internet connection continuously (and firewall etc) are common, and nifty, but mostly designed to work with broadband not dial-up.