# Can a desktop pc use wireless hotspot?



## designer (Aug 19, 2004)

My son just started college, his roommate can pickup a wireless connection in their room, I guess it is provided by the apartment complex. He needs to access textbooks online and the campus PC lab is always full. No money to go buy a laptop but he has a desktop pc here at home. Could he get that to work like a laptop? What would it need added?

It is a Dell XPS running XP, it hooks up to the high speed at home so it has some sort of network card. 
Thanks


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## RichieC (Aug 29, 2007)

Yes, you can buy a wireless card for a desktop. They cost around/less than $100.

Are you sure that the signal they would be poaching is provided by the complex and not a neighbor?


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## designer (Aug 19, 2004)

Not sure, I've told him to ask someone at the office about it.


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## donsgal (May 2, 2005)

designer said:


> My son just started college, his roommate can pickup a wireless connection in their room, I guess it is provided by the apartment complex. He needs to access textbooks online and the campus PC lab is always full. No money to go buy a laptop but he has a desktop pc here at home. Could he get that to work like a laptop? What would it need added?
> 
> It is a Dell XPS running XP, it hooks up to the high speed at home so it has some sort of network card.
> Thanks


You can pick up a wireless dongle on ebay for wireless reception for less than $50. You just plug it into the USB port and you have wireless. 

donsgal


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

You can get a pci card that lets you use pcmcia laptop cards. One of those plus a new $15 pcmcia wifi card would work and probably cheapest way to go. Just depends on how cheap you can find the pci to pcmcia card. Look on ebay they do have them.

Hmm, quick google and here is place selling pci to pcmcia card for $15. http://www.buyextras.com/sypcitopchoc.html?gclid=CKOJqL-Lv48CFQ5lQQodMS1WRA So $30 total to get wifi on your desktop! Thats the way I would go.


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## Gary in ohio (May 11, 2002)

IF the desktop has a wifi card then you can use it. I would make sure that the wifi hotspot is truly provided by the apartment and not just the neighbor's wireless router.


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