Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Sharp Canadian
I have a question about laptops in general, I have never used laptop internet so im wondering how it works? Do I have to pay a service provider a subscription fee or monthly?
|
You have to provide your own internet service, be it through a dial-up connection or broadband (cable, DSL, etc). If you have a broadband service, you can buy a wireless router which will broadcast the Internet connection around your home. Then you can connect to the Internet through that router's connection wirelessly from any compatible device. These routers generally have a range of about 150 feet indoors (up to 300 outdoors); it's not like a cellular phone service that works miles within an antenna.
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Sharp Canadian
With an ibook It has Built-in AirPort Extreme & Built-in Bluetooth 2.0+EDR what is this? and how does it work can I go to my school libary and get internet or my house? Is there a site that gives alot of information about laptop internet?
|
AirPort Extreme is just Apple-branded marketing-speak for IEEE 802.11g. But what's IEEE 802.11g? It's the "standard" specification for wireless networking that operates at 54 Mbps. If you get a router as mentioned above that supports 802.11g (nearly all of them do) and you connect that router to a broadband connection (like a cable or DSL modem), you'll be able to surf wirelessly around your home.
Another way to connect when you're not at home is through wireless "hot spots." A lot of small shops now provide free 802.11 service. Just down the street here we have a Panera Bread and a Bear Rock Cafe that provide free wireless Internet access to customers. Also, many schools are implementing wireless networks too. Most universities have some kind of 802.11 infrastructure set up or are in the process of setting one up.
How do you connect to one of these hot spots? Well, with an iBook it is as simple as opening it (the computer) and you're done! It will automatically check for usable signals and if it finds one, it will ask you if it's okay to connect to it. If the network is password-protected, it'll prompt you for that too.
Bluetooth, however, is something completely different. Bluetooth is a short-range (~30 feet) and slow wireless protocol. It's used in cellular phones, wireless keyboards/mice, digital cameras, and some other devices. Why bother with Bluetooth if 802.11 is faster and has a greater range? Well, 802.11 requires a significantly greater amount of power for transmission. Bluetooth was specifically designed for low-power devices like cell phones.