Wireless internet access

[scem0]

I was wondering what steps I need to take to get wireless (Satellite?) internet on my laptop. I have no knowledge on wireless internet.

The computer is an iBook (500 MHz) btw.

[MacsRgr8]

There is a difference between "wireless networking" and "internet via satellite".
If you want tot internet via the satellite you'll be needing alot more than Airport. Satellite internet is a good alternative if there's no DSL/Cable internet service in you area. For consumer satellite internet, there stiil is usually somekind of dial-up internet connection necessary via the telephone-line for your upload data.
If you want your iBook "Wireless" connected to the internet, there are many possibilities...
First off: you'll need an Aiport Card (see it as a receiver) in your iBook.
Second: Somekind of transmitter is needed. A Wireless ethernet-hub, or so. Example: If you have a 56k-modem dial-up connection to your provider, you can let an Apple Airport BaseStation do the dial-up, and "route" the data via the air.
Another example: If you have a DSL connection, you can get a Wireless DSL-modem / router to do the BaseStation functions; routing the internet connection.
Good luck, and fun! :)

[ibookin']

I think what he means is mobile web. A way to do this is through a cell phone, but unless you want to pay through the nose ($80/month for unlimited access), you won't get more than 14.4Kbps, and even then it'll use the cell minutes. If you want more info reply and I'll describe my experience with this (pretty good, but slow).

[MacsRgr8]

Yes, could be.
Well he's got three options! :)

[scem0]

Sorry I couldn't respond. I was having account difficulties (and I had to study for finals :().

I was talking about mobile internet not wireless local internet (like Airport).

Originally posted by ibookin'
I think what he means is mobile web. A way to do this is through a cell phone, but unless you want to pay through the nose ($80/month for unlimited access), you won't get more than 14.4Kbps, and even then it'll use the cell minutes. If you want more info reply and I'll describe my experience with this (pretty good, but slow).

Hmmmmm...... this sounds nice. Can you use the phone while surfing? How does it compare speed-wise to 56k dialup?

There is a difference between "wireless networking" and "internet via satellite".
If you want tot internet via the satellite you'll be needing alot more than Airport. Satellite internet is a good alternative if there's no DSL/Cable internet service in you area. For consumer satellite internet, there stiil is usually somekind of dial-up internet connection necessary via the telephone-line for your upload data.

Sorry for not clarifying. How would I go about getting satellite internet access? And How much would it cost. I haven't been able to find much on the internet. What components would I need?

Thanks.

[vniow]

Originally posted by scem0
Sorry for not clarifying. How would I go about getting satellite internet access? And How much would it cost. I haven't been able to find much on the internet. What components would I need?


So far all the satellite internet companies are Windows only because they use special software to connect to the USB modem (why didn't they use ethernet? Idiots.) and they've only bothered to write it for the Windows platform, the modem itself is about the size of a regular cable/dsl modem from what I've seen so its most definately not designed for portability.

All the wireless internet thingies I've seen (and I may be wrong here) for notebooks are PC Card only and your iBook doesn't have one so unless you can somehow use your cell-phone to connect to your iBook, then I'm afraid you're out of luck...http://forums.macrumors.com/attachment.php?s=&postid=252654

[scem0]

okay, thanks. I guess I will investigate using my phone. :)

[mrjamin]

doing it over WAP is not a good idea as it's well slow and very expensive. I plan on using GPRS + bluetooth (when my new phone decides to turn up). 3G would be very cool (384kbit/s on your mobile - schwing!). GPRS is certainly a lot cheaper and faster, you pay per Megabyte downloaded - in the UK some providers are as cheap as 50p per Meg.

[scem0]

Is GPRS mac friendly?

[mrjamin]

Originally posted by scem0
Is GPRS mac friendly?

certainly is, all the stuff you need is here (http://www.taniwha.org.uk/)