Cheapest way to make my laptop wireless?

[Pastore]

I have a wired Linksys 4 port and just got a laptop. I want to be able to move it around the house with out wires. I was looking at solutions, but it looks to me like I am going to have to get a WAP for around 100 bucks, and a NIC for another 70 bucks. Is this right? Is there a cheaper way to do this? Thanks

 

[JackMDS]

Yeah you got it right.

If you shop carefully you might find deals, and shave $20-$30 of the total price.

However it depends what you mean by moving around the house. One or two walls, and 20-50? all of them should work OK. More walls, and more distance you will need the ?Upper End? of the Entry Level (these are the gizmos with the Lucent ? Orinoco chipset), which is more like a total of $200. A good upper end combo could be the Linksys WAP11, and the Orinoco Gold.

 

[Pastore]

Thanks jack, thats what I thought. It is a relatively small house, 900 square feet. I would pick this setup in a second if it wasn't for the fact that I am leaving for school in January, and wouldn't really use the wireless once I left my house.

 

[JackMDS]

Take a look at this thread.

Staples Deal, after coupon's concoction.

Belkin Wireless set $110 (Belkin is just a good as the rest of the low Entry Level Wireless).

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.cfm?catid=40&threadid=871868

 

[Rallispec]

sounds like my setup Beast,
d-link 614 gateway, and then a wireless NIC for my laptop