this can't be right !!

I'm recently brought my wife a laptop, she said we needed to get a router because she needs to get online after work often now and my daughter hogs the computer from her. she brought a linksys router without me despite me telling her not to, now my question is since all of the guides and people that i've asked said that I would need network adapters for both the desktop and the laptop, but she told me after I brought home the adapters that she was able to get online without them. Plus when I tried to connect the adapters my desktop wouldn't recognize it (I'm using a wireless network, and usb network adapters) all by linksys I know this can't be right. Can someone explain to me what's going on. THX !!

 

Wireless, all hardware is made by linksys

 

another question I also have is anything I or my family do is it safe to surf the internet like this or is anthing we do risky information wise or tothe machine (crashes) things of that nature?

 

your wife's laptop probably already has a network card in it so you don't have to buy a network adapter for your laptop to connect wirelessly. (unless it's a very cheap laptop). and your desktop does not need a network adapter if you connect via an ethernet cable from the router to the ethernet port on your desktop.

so here is your basic set up:

modem-->router-->desktop and the wireless signal is picked up by the laptop.

you don't need a network card for your desktop unless you want to connect wirelessly.

 

he is totally right, most laptops have wireless cards built in, so return the ones you buy

=

 

ok so both machines are wirelessly connected already ? great but the only thing I need to know can both machines albe to send files and data to each other? two, I didn't get any sort of prompts on how to wirelessly upgrade the security on either machine. how do I go about doing this? And both responders were correct I did hook up the modem to the desktop via ethernet cable to the desktop. I tried to send a job to the printer and got zero

 

I meant that I hooked up the router to the desktop, my bad! I'm now concerned with the machines being totally connected and how secure that they are None of the default passwords on the laptop or the router were changed that I know of how do I go about doing this? Also now my wife wonders can she use her machine in coffee hotspots now ?

 

connect like this:

modem-router -wireless to laptop
-pc - printer (USB cable)


now make sure that you shared the printer (start, printer and faxes, right click printer and go to sharing)

now go on your laptop and add the printer (start, printers and faxes, add a printer)