Was told that these do exist, so thought I'd see if anyone has any more detailed info about them, price, where from, and how they work (security, etc)

With the imminent arrival of a wireless modem "livebox" from Wanadoo, I want to be prepared for it. As its going to be connected to the telephone I fear I will have to wireless my two PCs upstairs, leaving the modem in the hallway - Would be cheaper (maybe) than using a router.

So? Any advice on USB wireless (as opposed to PCI wireless, which is what I thought the only option was)

I use a USB WiFi dongle on my PC downstairs.

It's a netgear 54mbps (802.11g) one and was pretty cheap iirc.

Works well!

Does any USB "dongle" (I love that name, sounds kinda rude ) allow wireless connection then?

Just wondering if I were to get 3 or 4 of these dongles, how each one is setup and obviously I don't want anyone outside my house with a dongle within range of my livebox to be able to access it too.

Do you have to get each PC to program the dongle to see the livebox only?

(obviously if I get a Netgear one, I wouldn't want it to only talk to netgear wireless routers - It has to do comms with my Wanadoo livebox)

Basic low speed USB wireless adaptors are available from Dabs for less than

I'm hoping the livebox doesn't need hardwiring to a PC to work. I want it to just sit downstairs and send out wireless to my 2 PCs, and the other PC downstairs, and the one laptop with wireless.

If it needs to stand by a PC, it could be fun when we want to use the telephone to make calls. May have to run an extension from up here down to the hallway. :(

Have a look here:

http://help.wanadoo.co.uk/resultDisplay.do?gotoLink=144&docType=1006&contextId=316%3A144.171&docPropValue=kb154&clusterName=DefaultCluster&contentId=fbbdc3d4-4f14-4ed6-8cd9-cfc4fd8fe960&responseId=7fc004a3f2245237%3A100ebec%3A108d49eb5e5%3A24d&groupId=1&answerGroup=3&score=879&page=http%3A%2F%2FESERVER_78348c7f-e8cb-4005-bc62-3ca716d66dc6.xhtml&result=2&excerpt=How+do+I+install+a+Livebox%3F&resultType=5002#Goto144

Seems livebox only requires WEP encryption so that is all you will need from your adaptor(s)

You will need to set up a wireless connection on each PC using the same WEP key.

Pretty much hits the nail on the head. Thanks

Now I just need to find a job lot of USB dongles.

Been using netgear usb wireless adaptors ...been fine so far and they are high speed WG111t 108 mbps

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0006OQZKE/203-7564110-8652723

The Belkin ones I were talking about Jason were about £15 from PcWorld and have done the job perfectly.

Can you get a device to sit with a USB (Epson) printer and connect to it/priint over a wireless connection? I'll soon have the need to do this if possible.

Can you get a device to sit with a USB (Epson) printer and connect to it/priint over a wireless connection? I'll soon have the need to do this if possible.

I think a printer needs to be hardwired to a PC or router. The USB dongle plug IN to a USB port, whereas printers tend to have their own plug, and a USB lead to plug into a USB port - no USB port for a dongle to plug in to. A very modern printer may have USB ports, but I'm not aware of it.

I guess the PC with the printer installed can be "dongled", then a laptop accessing over wireless should be able to print to that PC's printer, if printer sharing is setup?

I could easily share the printer from the fixed PC - but dont want that on all the time.

I need to be able to rpint web pages etc. from my wireless equiped laptop.

After reading up on these dongles a little bit it would appear that with every PC dongled you need to install the dongle software on it, from a supplied CD. I suspect the only way to achieve what you want is to have a networkable printer with an ethernet port on it, and have it connected to a wireless router you can access with the laptop.

Gooch, don't you need one of those Print Servers? They plug into the printer and then allow it to be wireless. I can't get my HP PSC1215 wireless as the HP doesn't support this function apparently.

I could use a wireless print server but wont that then mean I can access my wireless LAN?

Can you get a device to sit with a USB (Epson) printer and connect to it/priint over a wireless connection? I'll soon have the need to do this if possible.

Yes you can...you just need a wireless USB printer adapter, which will then plug into the USB port on your printer.

They'll either be Bluetooth or 802.11 - the latter is what you want if you want it to connect to your wireless LAN.

Rob.