B or G

[baker]

My daughter has saved up her money and bought a PC. Now she wants to be able to surf. As much as it pains or scars me, I need to hook her up wireless. I've added memory into a PC and it was simple and believe it or not, things are fine. Is a PCI wireless card as easy or should I find one of those USB adapters? Also, is G that much better than B? Any help is appreciated as I'm about as clueless as I can be on the wireless. :oops:

[Dave Beauvais]

If you were comfortable installing the RAM, a PCI card is no more difficult. Simply follow the instructions provided with the card and I doubt you'll have any problems.

I have 802.11b at home, but if I were buying new wireless gear today, I'd almost certainly go with 802.11g, instead. Since g will accept connections from b equipment (and vice-versa) it's the most versatile solution. Be sure to check the manufacturer's Web site for firmware and driver updates. Since 802.11g was so recently standardized, firmware updates for routers and access points have been coming out somewhat regularly.

[Falstaff]

I'd just get an internal card, it would be easier than having a USB cable and external device, I know I have a hard time with dozens of wires connected to the back of my PC. As for tbe b vs. g debate, you can check out the stats at Linksys (http://www.linksys.com/edu/wirelessstandards.asp). I would reccommend b if she is only going to be browsing the web. B is faster than any Broadband connection (unless of course you live in S. Korea), so unless you plan on setting up networking in order to share files, go with b.

[bigkingfun]

The physical installation of the PCI card isn't really any harder than installing memory. The biggest difference is with memory, you normally don't have to do anything after it's installed, the computer just recognizes it. With the PCI card you'll have to load drivers and configure it to recognize the wireless network. You would have to do this with a USB wireless adapter too, so it's going to be similar either way.

One thing to consider with a USB adapter is that it's a little more portable. If you ever want to hook a different computer up on wireless, even temporarily, you can just unplug it and move it to another machine - no need to open the case. The USB adapters can be placed a little more freely if you have any reception problems too. The PCI card's antenna is pretty much stuck at the back of your computer.

As far as G vs B, G is faster but it depends on what you're sharing whether it will matter. If you're sharing your internet connection, most broadband internet run at something less than 4 Mbits, so even the 11 Mbit that B offers is faster than necessary. If you expect to do any kind of large file transfers between your computers or anything else that uses a lot of bandwidth locally, G will be better.

Having said that, the price difference between B and G (in Canada at least) is not that large anymore, so G isn't going to cost you much more.

[baker]

Gentlepersons:
Thank you. :clap: I think we'll go G. My 13 year old daughter has chosen the USB adapter after reading what you folks had to say. She also said, "When I get a laptop, I can use it their too." I'm not sure where she thinks she's going to get the money. Actually, I don't think she trusts me taking the case off her computer.
Thank you!