Wireless Dongle/Adaptor Query

Grrrrrrrrrr

The computer is NEW!!!! It is in a big box which is unopened!!!!

Saying that, i hope there is a computer in the box as my daughter will not be pleased if it isn't.

Richard
 
Not being funny now but most new machines have built in wireless no?

What is it EXACTLY?
 
The History Man":jxyore3o said:
Not being funny now but most new machines have built in wireless no?

What is it EXACTLY?

Bit overkill to buy a new computer just because it's not got WiFi, though.

And do desktops / towers come with WiFi these days? Mine are a couple of years old, laptops are a different matter, but plenty of usable PCs probably don't have WiFi - but fortunately, WiFi USB adapters are pretty cheap.
 
This computer is at least 2 1/2 years old but still boxed. My father bought it but never got the chance to use it. It may have wifi but i would doubt it - hence the query.

Richard
 
The ~1000 quid box (no monitor, keyboard, mouse. Just the actual computer) I bought last year doesn't come with a WiFi card.
The top of the range version of the same box, at around 2500 quid, also doesn't come with a WiFi card.
Does lots of other things really well tho!
 
Update - just home from Argos with the adaptor mentioned above. Once i get sorted (probably not today), I will report back - hopefully with a smile on my face.

Richard
 
Me again - I have set up the PC and have connected to the internet using an ethernet cable. The instruction book makes mention of wireless connections - how can i check if the computer has inbuilt wireless?

I have had a look at the control panel and i can 'see' our printer, which is wireless, so i am presuming it might have wireless capability but i could be wrong.

The options for connecting when setting up did not allow for the PC to search for a wireless connection which i thought was odd as it mentions wireless.

The PC is a Dell Inspiron - if that helps.

I am hopeful that i won't need the wireless adaptor, but we will see what happens.

Richard
 
Re:

The printer may connect wirelessly to the router/modem and the signal can travel through the cable to the PC. So seeing the printer doesn't mean that the PC has wireless.

Also, there are a lot of different Inspirion models. Without the exact number, it's hard to find out the specifications.

There is a way to check if there is a wireless adapter in there though.
If your control panel still uses the category view, go to "Control Panel -> Hardware and Sound -> Device Manager (top row)"
If it uses small or large icons, it's "Control Panel -> Device Manager".
Click the small triangle next to "Network Adapters". Your ethernet adapter will be listed there. If there's a wireless adapter built in to the PC, it'll show up there as well.
 
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