ADSL Wireless Router

[DoctaD]

Ive been looking for the answer to my question for a while now, to no avail... maybe someone can help me here.

I have a PC and a 1MB/s ADSL connection... when I want to go on the 'net I go to "connect to" like a shitty dial-up connection, but it connects me instantly.

So if I buy a laptop and a wireless router, is the router going to be able to let my laptop use the internet connection without the desktop PC being plugged in?

Will it have my username/password stored in Flash memory or something, or always be connected? I want to buy a laptop buy having to have my desktop online in order to use my laptop anywhere would seem kinda pointless.

Any help guys?
-DD

[Stone]

It'll be always on. You input your settings through a web configurator, usually by going to 192.168.*.1 (the star being 0 or 1 or 2). It'll be always connected then. Get a router that has wireless and ethernet, that way you can connect your desktop to the router by ethernet and your laptop will connect using wireless. Use the software for the hardware wireless though, I've had problems with XP's wireless software. I have a centrino laptop and when I open it, it connects. I don't have to type my SSID (even though broadcast is turned off) and it has my wep encryption key stored so I don't have to type it everytime I try to connect.

When buying a laptop, I'd recommend using the Dell Outlet Store (http://www1.euro.dell.com/content/products/compare.aspx/notebooks?c=uk&l=en&s=dfh). My laptop is worth over 3,000euro, I got it for 1,600.

[EDIT:] If you buy a wireless router, make sure it has 802.11g

[DoctaD]

Awesome, thanks.

[Biovore]

I'd be inclined to go a Pre-N style router as opposed to g.

As for not having to type in the ssid, disabling only disables 1 of 5 brodcasts of the SSID, its so useless, that i dont even worry about it, in fact wireless and secuirty couldnt organise a root in a whore house.

We do lots of long range wireless here, i have my mast out the back somewhere, we normally use a WAN setup via a VPN link. Works so much nicer than having to deal with bullshit WEP and WPA.

If you're dumb enough to use a link which can be picked up else where, you deserve what you get imho.