Router help.....

[Jim Oaks]

Hey all,

I have a Toshiba Satellite laptop that I use every day that has a kyocera kpc680 wireless card from Alltel. It's also setup from the factory for wireless connections. Don't know much about that. I just know how to use it if I go to hotels that offer it.

Anyways, I want to get a new laptop and give Vanessa my Toshiba. I don't want to shell out another $70 a month for a wireless card for her laptop. How would I use a router so we can both have internet access off of this kyocera kpc680 internet card? I've never seen a router setup before. Any suggestions? Can I just buy a router from the stor (Best Buy?) when I buy the new laptop?

Also, not crazy about Vista. How hard is it to find a laptop with XP?



Thanks.

 

[Roadkill]

Jim, I have never seen a wireless router that can interface a PCMCIA wireless cellular card. If there is one it would not be cheap and would not be a user friendly setup. If I sat and did some figuring I might be able to figure out some options. None of them off the top of my head would be a simple plug and play setup though.

 

[smokey]

I have to agree Roadkill on this one. I know of no way of doing this.

 

[superdave1984]

You would have to set up internet sharing which is not really reliable nor easy. Would you get a discount if you had two cards?

 

[Jim Oaks]

My internet card uses a ExpressCard 34 or Type II PCMCIA card slot

Here it it:

http://www.kyocera-wireless.com/kpc680-pc-card/

 

[Jim Oaks]

I read THIS forum discussion, and it looks like I would need this router:

http://www.kyocera-wireless.com/kr1-router/index.htm

Router is well over $200

 

[cebailer]

ICS (internet connection sharing) is quite reliable, i have used it many times and am using it right now off an alltel usb tranciever, what version on vista are you useing, and also do you ever remove the card from your PC ?

 

[cebailer]

also on the note of finding a new laptop with XP, you can buy them but there is little support, im my experience vista works well once you get used to it, I have my MCSE in 2003/XP so it took a bit to get used to for me but i like it now,works 100x better if you turn off the sidebar, that thing, as nice as it is , will even slow down my quad core gaming machine

 

[Roadkill]

I read THIS forum discussion, and it looks like I would need this router:

http://www.kyocera-wireless.com/kr1-router/index.htm

Router is well over $200

Well, makes sense since both are Kyocera. It looks like it would be your best solution, except for the cost that is. I would say go with the router and stay away from ICS.

 

[Jim Oaks]

ICS (internet connection sharing) is quite reliable, i have used it many times and am using it right now off an alltel usb tranciever, what version on vista are you useing, and also do you ever remove the card from your PC ?

What is ICS?

My Toshiba now has Windows XP. Looks like I'll be stuck getting a laptop with Vista when I buy the new one.

I've taken the card out a few times and placed it back in, but never used it between computers. Had it out to put my computer in the carrying case. I thought about switching it between computers and sharing, but I'm concerned it will wear out from being inserted and removed so much.

 

[Mark_88]

ICS is just an acronym for Internet Connection Sharing...

I think it would be difficult to wear out one of those cards, but I've actually seen them destroyed by someone trying to insert them into things they shouldn't have been inserted into (no, not parts of the female or male anatomy...just card slots that were not the same)...

If you have an install disk for XP and you get the same type of laptop you can install XP on the other one just as easily...

 

[Jim Oaks]

How hard - and expensive - is it to find an XP install disk?

 

[Mark_88]

Not hard to find them...places like Staples started restocking them...and they're around $129 CDA the last time I priced one...

I was kinda surprised by this, actually, because all the stores that I went to last year said they could no longer get the disc...but now they can...something to do with a large outcry about not liking vista...but I'd suggest calling local computer stores...they probably have them or can get them...otherwise, contact Microsoft directly to see if they can sell you one...or, at least the service pack disks so you don't have to download them...

 

[Jim Oaks]

It looks like the CradlePoint CTR-350 router will work for me as well.

It's here:

http://www.cradlepoint.com/support/ctr350

I had found a discussion on this setup here:

http://www.evdoforums.com/thread8012.html

The CTR-350 seems like a good option, but looking at the photos of it, I don't understand how my Expresscard modem hooks to it. It lists the KPC680, but the KPC680 is an expresscard and this just takes USB.

EDIT: Never mind. Read the fine (red) print. I would need a USB to Expresscard adapter. Looks like I need this:

http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?sku=A2869010&cs=04&c=us&l=en&dgc=SS&cid=39888&lid=1022050

HELP!

 

[Mark_88]

Well, that would work...you just have to swap out the accessory that way...or buy two and hot swap it when needed...only $20...that's probably cheaper than the ExpressCard...