Possible to have a wireless network with one computer?

[drbootleg]

Hi,

I'm trying to solve a problem for a friend of mine. She has a Dell laptop, and wants to be able to get the Internet anywhere in her flat. She bought a wireless router/modem (belkin) and a wireless NIC.

At the moment, the router is connected to the internet, and uses a wired connection to the laptop. Is it possible to remove the wired connection, and use the Wireless NIC? Will it still broadcast the signal if it is not connected to any computer?

Someone please help...

Andy

[PrntRhd]

Is it possible to remove the wired connection, and use the Wireless NIC? Will it still broadcast the signal if it is not connected to any computer?
Yes,
It is also easy to share her connection with the neighbors if not secured.

[Erik]

You can setup a wireless network for as many computers as you like. As PrntRhd mentioned it is just as easy to have anyone within the area of the router share the connection if some steps are not taken to secure it.

If you already have the wireless card for the laptop and a wireless router you will have everything you need to get going. Just connect the modem to the router WAN port. Then go into the setup program, and configure the router for security etc. Check the instructions for some details. Basically if you just make it harder to connect to your network than the neighbors you should be pretty safe.

Then go to the laptop and install the wireless card as instructed, and configure it to match the settings that were made on the router.

Some very basic security tips:
change the SSID to anything other than default
change the administration password
don't broadcast your SSID
use some sort of encryption WEP or WPA
use MAC address filtering, choose only to allow the single PC