Wireless Internet for Laptops
In the early days of mobile computing, laptops required additional external hardware to connect to wireless signals. Now it’s all but guaranteed that any laptop or netbook you buy will come wireless ready—all the parts you need to connect to a Wi-Fi connection are included. However, not all laptops can connect to all networks out of the box.
Wi-Fi Laptops vs. Mobile Broadband Laptops
While almost every laptop you can buy today will come Wi-Fi ready, meaning there’s no additional hardware required, that’s not the case for mobile broadband connections to 3G, 4G, WiMAX or LTE networks. Usually you’ll need a USB-powered dongle or a mobile hotspot device to connect to those networks. There are some laptops that come with mobile Internet technology built in, but these are often only offered through the network providers and require a contract. For example, you can buy an HP netbook through Verizon that connects to their 3G network (provided you sign up for their mobile broadband plan).
If you don’t want to buy a laptop through a carrier, you can always get one at any computer manufacturer’s website or an electronics store and then purchase a USB-powered dongle or a wireless hotspot device to access mobile broadband services. Some carriers offer pay-as-you-go or even pre-paid mobile broadband access.
Is my laptop Wi-Fi ready?
That depends; did you buy it within the last five years? Then it probably is. You’ll have a hard time finding a modern laptop that requires external hardware to connect to a Wi-Fi signal. Here’s an easy test you can do to see if it can pick up Wi-Fi signals. Go to a shopping center near your home—preferably one with a coffee shop and/or a major bookstore—and open up your laptop. If you have a windows machine, you should see the wireless signal scanning icon in the bottom right corner of the task bar. If you’re a Mac user, it will be in the top right. Your laptop should automatically scan for networks (note: some laptops have physical Wi-Fi switches, if yours has one, make sure it’s switched to the on position). If it scans and you see a list of networks available, your laptop is Wi-Fi ready!
Wireless related questions to ask when buying a new laptop:
What will I use this laptop for?
-If it’s something you only use at home, a mobile broadband connection might not be important since you’ll likely have a home wireless or wired network to connect to.
Do I need to access the internet often?
-If you’re someone who needs a connection to the Internet at all times, or you travel a lot, you might want to look into getting a mobile broadband ready laptop through a wireless Internet provider, or picking up a mobile broadband device.
