PDA wireless connection

[longarm]

Mrs Longarm just purchased me an ipaq 4150 to replace my old trustworthy (but tired!) Psion 5mx. Very impressed so far but I'm a bit confused with the wireless connection bit. What I'd like is to connect the ipaq to my home PC via wireless so I can use the broadband connection from said pc. The ipaw has integrated bluetooth and also WLAN 802.11b (Greek to me!) but what are the benefits of each and which would be easier to set up and more importantly which would be faster and/or cheaper and what bits would I need to puchase. Hope someone can help.

[cribble]

I went through the same process with my IPAQ 2215 (with a plug-in wireless modem,which you won't need, having the 802.11b built in?), and a desktop running XP.

I found the Bluetooth was easy (intuitive) to set up but would only go through about one wall (desktop in the basement, connected to broadband) - not a drama, but not all that flexible.

I then took a (Netgear) wireless router and connected that to the ADSL modem (using a wired connection from the router to the desktop). The IPAQ can now talk to the internet via the router/ADSL modem, and the desktop via the router. The downside is I can't Bluetooth the desktop any more, but I put that down to incompetence. Also, its not a big deal since the PDA can share with the desktop using 802.11b.

Gut feeling is that the range is better with 802.11b, and its more flexible. Make sure your wireless router (the one that connects to broadband) has the latest software, otherwise the PDA/router wireless link may become unstable and crash. Also, pay attention to encryption: don't let the scum into your system.

[Mishandled]

I wouldnt bother with a bluetooth connection. Stick with Wifi, as not only is the bluetooth connection short range (about 30 feet without walls, and much less with walls), it is very slow indeed and surfing the web would be like the old days of 9600 baud. Just my opinion though.

[longarm]

Thanks for the replies so far. If I went down the WIFI route what would be the best low cost soloution to allow a connection. I've tried looking on various sites and the choice seems bewildering.

[Memetic]

The least cost route depends on what you already have. (He stated very obvioulsy!)

So do you have a USB "modem" for your broadband connection or a router?

If you have a router does it have more than one network cable port on it?

If in doubt post the make and model.

Memetic.

P.S. if you have a USB modem for broadband does the PC it is connected to have a network card tha tis not in use?

[longarm]

Okay I've got a USB Broadband modem (USR Sureconnect) and I haven't got a network card. Would a pci wireless card be the best soloution or would I require more?

[Memetic]

That should do it as assuming that you are running windows you can set the PC to share it's internet connection via the network card.

However you will need the PC on when ever you need the wireless link active.

I know this can be done, but have not done it, so anyone else want to jump in here?

Memetic

What model of Sureconnect? I have just had a quick look out of curiosity and it seems some of them have ethernet and USB.

[longarm]

Its a USR Sureconnect ADSL USB Modem Mod-9000 serial number USR019000 if that helps.

[IO540]

I've never met anybody who has managed to get ICS (internet connection sharing - a feature of windoze which enables another PC to get internet access through an internet-connected PC) to work.

I've tried it myself with a bluetooth PDA, with no luck, same with a wifi PDA.

ICS is best avoided. If one needs internet access on a PDA, get a broadband (assuming you are on BB) router with wifi (Linksys do nice ones), set it to Infrastructure (non Ad-Hoc) mode, get a wifi card for the PDA if not internal already (one can get a compactflash one for about £50) and it "should just work" (famous last words)......

[Memetic]

IO540 I agree, getting a WiFi router is the preffered route for the flexibility it offers. It all depends on how much longarm wants to spend.

Longarm, looks like the 9000 does not have an ethernet port so no option to just add an access point to it.

Another option might be a USB wireless adaptor if you have a spare USB port, they are less than £20 and take moments to install.