Quote:
Originally Posted by MelodyL
Hi.
I know her. She's not calling her cable company. She just wants to get a laptop, plug it in and go on the internet. She's 77 years old, still works but has never been on the internet. I can just see her getting on the phone with Cablevision and getting wireless routers.
So when she gets the laptop, I assume it will come with the necessary software and a built in modem. She'll call me up (this is assuming she didn't get one of her children to do this, but honestly, it's the grandkids who have the computers, not the children).
So I'll go over and we'll plug in the laptop to the electrical outlet (you have to plug this in right??) Don't want to waste the battery that's inside it.
So after we plug it in, I'll just bring up whatever internet provider software that she has already loaded on the laptop. Then we'll set up her account.
She doesn't need to involve cablevison, or anything like that, or get a router, right??
All she needs is to plug in her laptop, turn it on, bring up the internet software and create the account and go online....right??
Please tell me I'm right.
Thanks much
Melody
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if it were that easy...LOL
she needs an internet provider. Whether that be AOL, cablevision, whomever, she'll need one.
She is the one that has to decide whom. Just like you decided on verizon.
She also has to decide if she wants to go fast or slow. Slow is via phonejack. which can also be connected to DSL but that's considered an upgrade.
She can go through cablevision and connect through cable.
This is where speed comes in.
you have your basic 56kpbs through the phone jacks.
Then you have 1meg through most faster phone services now, then you have up to 3 megs with standard DSL (they are working on speed)
or you have cable that is 3megs up to 10 megs depending on the cable company.
Then you have the new kid on the block. Fiber optics. 50 to 100megs???
If she doesn't want to call cablevision, she'll have to plug it through the phonejack and her laptop more than likely will have AOL as a bundle software. Especially if her laptop is Compac or HP or something like that.
I can't imagine she can just plug in and go via ETHERNET. Now, as I've said, she can turn on her wireless and then she'll probably find someone's wireless router around that she may be able to log on to. But that's illegal.
If I am correct, verizon gave you a CD to program your ISP set up. She can't use your ISP unless she uses your disc and you'll have call verizon and give them the OK, so I would probably scratch that idea, IMHO
But you know what? Miracles happen all the time. Give it a shot, and if it works for her that she can log on to
highspeed internetand can bypass an internet provider, please let me know cause then I am going to have to ask you how you did it. I am being serious about this. LOL And I am being serious cause I always wonder about IO's and AI and such. I have worked on many computers and I SWEAR on my left testicle that they are ALL different and have a MIND of their own...I hope I don't lose the bet...
if she's going to go through dial up, just remind her of how slow it would be...LOL
Good luck
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PS, I just want to add that routers can be either wireless or regular. A lot of companies are giving away wi-fi routers these days to be competitive. If she's the only one in her home using a computer, she would NOT need a router. Just a modem.
It's about communications.
Let's see if I can put my thinking hat on and explain better.
OK, remember the old times when we have to call someone, there would be an operator?
Let's call her Cindy. You then tell Cindy whom you want to call and she'll connect you. She does that at her switch board and let's say she connects you to Ethel.
So, let's say your computer's modem is called, Anna.
Cindy = high speed modem
switch board = connection to internet
Ethel= internet
anna=your computer modem
so, Anna is calling Cindy and Cindy is switchboarding to ethel
so it's like laptop talking to modem, modem calling internet, when you hear ethel, you are on the internet
hope that made better sense.
Now, you throw in a wireless router, we'll call him "tom cruise"
and your laptop has a built in wi-fi modem, we'll still call her anna.
So, anna radios tom cruise, tom cruise yaps at cindy, cindy switch boarding to ethel. Voila, you are talking to ethel.
same as laptop talks to wi-fi router, router talks to modem, modem connects to internet.
(not exactly but almost. LOL)