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    Networking Question, may be dumb

    Discussion in 'Dell' started by samureye, Oct 16, 2007.

  1. samureye

    samureye Notebook Guru

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    Connecting my Inspiron 1520 wirelessly. Have an old Dell wired to the router. Does the PC plugged into the router have to be on for me to get access to the internet wirelessly? I'm new to this, so I had to ask and the old laptop is getting pretty hot being on all the time.
     
    samureye, Oct 16, 2007
    #1
  2. vespoli

    vespoli 402 NBR Reviewer

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    Sorry, I'm kind of confused. Let me say what I think you're trying to do, and then you tell me if I'm making sense.

    You have some type of modem plugged into a router. You then have run an Ethernet cable from the router into a desktop. You want to know if the desktop has to be turned on to get internet.

    No, the desktop doesn't have to be turned on.

    However, you DO need a wireless router to allow the notebook to communicate via 802.11.
     
    vespoli, Oct 16, 2007
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  3. samureye

    samureye Notebook Guru

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    Right, I have wireless set up, with a Belkin router. I just want to know if the PC that is plugged into the router, if that has to be on for me to get internet. If I take that off, will the laptop I am on now, wirelessly, still be able to connect?
     
    samureye, Oct 16, 2007
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  4. Thaoster

    Thaoster Notebook Consultant

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    You don not have to connect or power on any machine connected by wired to the router in order to use the wireless on the laptop. The connection is done by the router so wireless will be always on unless you turned it off in the router. Just make sure you don't power off the router! :)

     
    Thaoster, Oct 16, 2007
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  5. chelet

    chelet Notebook Deity

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    Where is the wireless signal coming from?
    If you have a wireless router, you don't need the PC to be on.
    However if your router is not wireless, and you are using an ad hoc wireless connection between a wireless NIC on the PC and the laptop's built-in wireless card, then you do need the PC on.
     
    chelet, Oct 16, 2007
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  6. samureye

    samureye Notebook Guru

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    Sweet, it works. Thanks guys!
     
    samureye, Oct 16, 2007
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