# wifi for older windows laptop



## countrygurl (Dec 23, 2002)

i have a older (more than 6 yrs) windows laptop that I gave to my daughter inlaw for college what do i need to have the laptop be able to pick connect to the internet via wifi from college campus for school? I see wireless N usb
on ebay for under $10 but so many brands i dont know what i need to get


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

Brand doesn't matter. A $10 USB wireless adapter from eBay should work fine for her. Just be sure it's either wireless N or wireless G compatible.


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## countrygurl (Dec 23, 2002)

so this wireless n is a modem itself that will pick up a wifi signal when available (like at school or mcdonalds and such) no other modem is needed, because the laptops internal modem does not work any longer


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

countrygurl said:


> so this wireless n is a modem itself that will pick up a wifi signal when available (like at school or mcdonalds and such) no other modem is needed, because the laptops internal modem does not work any longer


Yes, it includes everything you need. Wireless N is also backward compatible to wireless G, so it will work with older hotspot hardware just fine.


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## countrygurl (Dec 23, 2002)

thanks for quick answer, are they all plug n play?


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

countrygurl said:


> thanks for quick answer, are they all plug n play?


They are all plug and play, but whether you will need to use a software driver CD depends on the adapter and your version of Windows. If it doesn't come with a driver CD then it will probably use the native drivers that are included with most contemporary Windows versions. If you have any difficulty with installation after it arrives just post back.


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## countrygurl (Dec 23, 2002)

one more ? please what is the mini wireless n usb will this work


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

countrygurl said:


> one more ? please what is the mini wireless n usb will this work


Yes, it will work fine for you.


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## Gary in ohio (May 11, 2002)

be carefull. I suspect your running windows XP and many of those ebay wireless N routers wifi dongles dont have XP drivers...


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

Gary in ohio said:


> be carefull. I suspect your running windows XP and many of those ebay wireless N routers wifi dongles dont have XP drivers...


Yes. I don't know why but I was thinking she was running Vista, but at 6 years old she would more likely be running XP. I should have asked, since XP could very well have driver issues with newer hardware.


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

What is it with XP? Probably, the better of the OS coming from MS in years.
And yet XP won't run with IE8 Won't run with IE9, geesh you sure would think they would have made sure those run with XP, instead IE8 and IE9 Both run with Vista? One of the worst OS IMO to come out of MS.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

arabian knight said:


> What is it with XP? Probably, the better of the OS coming from MS in years.
> And yet XP won't run with IE8 Won't run with IE9, geesh you sure would think they would have made sure those run with XP, instead IE8 and IE9 Both run with Vista? One of the worst OS IMO to come out of MS.


Since MS support for XP will end before too long, vendors are abandoning it. It's not that there's anything inherently wrong with XP, it's just that it's not cost effective for hardware & software vendors to support it any longer.


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## Esteban29304 (Apr 29, 2003)

I am using Windows XP with the mini USB wi-fi adapter & Verizon service. It does pretty well.


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