Computers & Tablets

[offurnrep]

Hi, I'm new to having a laptop and was wondering if I need a D wireless card to access the internet at airports and planes.  I just bought a HP from Best Buy.

[NoNoBadDog]

The wireless built in to your laptop will work with any open wi-fi hotspots in airports.  Note that in many, if not most cases, access is not free.  Also, on airplanes, internet access is not available on all flights, and when it is, it is pretty expensive.

[xl]

While airports do you spend most of your time in?

• Each airport has different costs and different speeds.
• Once connected, the first site I visit is http://www.speedtest.net/ .  If it's less than 1Mbps download, I avoid videos or multimedia sites.
• don't forget to disable file sharing to avoid getting compromised.

Your HP laptop will have a wireless card... just need to flip the switch on the side.

[offurnrep]

Thank you.  This was very helpful.  I have a desktop computer that is set up with a wireless hub but we can't remember the Key pin.  What we all (my two daughters and son-in-law) thought it was doesn't work.  Is there a way to do a "forgot key" so we can change it?

[xl]

Hmm....

• if you forget your key, you can login to your router to change the key to a new one.  Then update all your devices to the new key.
• If you forget your router id/password.... then you are in trouble..... there's usually a reset switch for you to reset your router settings.  Note this will unlock EVERYTHING.  Do you mess with this if you don't know what you are doing.

If you not locking down your wireless with SSID suppression, WPA2 encryption and MAC filtering, you might get a knock on the door one day and explaining to the police why you are distributing adult content in your neighborhood.

http://digitallife.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/03/09/6227119-is-a-criminal-using-your-wi-fi

[SoMeAm]

Hello Linda,

Thank you very much for purchasing an HP notebook.  Your posting was also appreciated as indeed the wireless information provided by the Best Buy Forum partners was indeed helpful!

Regards,