On 29/12/2012 14:55, JohnW wrote:
On Saturday, 29 December 2012 14:42:57 UTC, MM wrote:
My Cat5 network at home works fine, but soon I shall be entertaining a

relative for several weeks, the relative has a laptop and wishes to

connect to my network.



I already have two TP-Link TL-PA211KIT 200Mbps Mini Powerline Ethernet

Adapters to run a PC downstairs via the mains, (Router and ADSL modem

are upstairs.)



I'm thinking of buying this:

TP Link TL-WPA281 AV200 Powerline Extender with Wireless N Access

Point



But as none of my three PCs is wifi-enabled, I've got no way of

testing whether the wireless part will work to my relative's laptop

(until said relative arrives, which is too late; I want to be able to

get it all up and running before then so that all relative has to do

is switch laptop on and it connects).



So what would I need to spend to buy something that would test the

wifi-connection to the "TP Link TL-WPA281 AV200 Powerline Extender

with Wireless N Access Point"? I suppose a cheapo Notebook thingy,

e.g. Acer, is about as low as it goes. I believe these all come with

wifi inbuilt as standard.



MM

You can get a wireless dongle for as little as £4.20 like this
http://www.amazon.co.uk/WIRELESS-ADA...6792811&sr=8-1

and use it on your laptop to test.

My son recently bought one of those (not that specific device, but an
equally cheap one off Amazon) as a stopgap at uni, to get his desktop PC
hooked up to the net; however he never managed to get it working; it
wasn't straightforward and he isn't particularly techie TBH.

I would strongly second the suggestion of getting someone who already
has an internet-enabled device (phone or laptop) to pop round and try it
out at your gaff - they'll presumably know how to connect their own
device, too.

David