WIFI Confusion

[JWITTMAN]

I am new to this wireless stuff and I hope someone more knowledgeable can help me. I thought if I bought a WIFI card, I would be able to subscribe to a wireless service and bingo - I'd be surfing the web.

So, I contacted Verizon Wireless first and the tech support guy said absolutely, you can use your NZ and WIFI card to access our mobile web. For only $6.95/month you can add this service and use your plan minutes to surf. He said call us back after you buy it and we'll get you set up. I told him twice that it was a Sony Clie PDA that I would be using and he said no problem, that will work fine.

So, I purchased a WIFI card for my NZ. I called them back to get the Network ID and information needed to connect. This tech support person said that Verison does not currently support WIFI. Cancelled my Mobile web service.

So now I've been looking around the web some more and it seems that I totally misunderstood this WIFI business. It looks like I have to be within so many feet of a wireless hotspot?? Am I right in thinking I will not be able to wireless surf the web from my house?

[profvisor]

What do you use to surf at home now? If you have a cable or dsl setup at home and add a wireless router, that will get you surfing from your clie. Do you have a PC at home you use to access the internet? If so, what service are you using? The wifi card only has a certain range. It can't connect you to a service provider unless there is a wireless antenna (of sorts) within the area. So, first you need some sort of service that provides internet access.

[jwittman]

Thanks for the response. That's what I figured. I am still using dialup service at home. What I wanted was to be able to get on the web on my Clie from anywhere and the Verizon guy led me to believe I could. Oh well, I guess I will return the wifi card and wait for Verizon to come out with a bluetooth phone. Unless...how much are those wireless routers and where would I find one of those?

[n2ifp]

Originally posted by jwittman
Thanks for the response. That's what I figured. I am still using dialup service at home. What I wanted was to be able to get on the web on my Clie from anywhere and the Verizon guy led me to believe I could. Oh well, I guess I will return the wifi card and wait for Verizon to come out with a bluetooth phone. Unless...how much are those wireless routers and where would I find one of those?

You can get a cable, Clie to Cellular phone to have anywhere access.

http://www.thesupplynet.com/

Routers are sold at most stores like Best Buy, Circuit City, Staples, and so on. They vary in price, depending on what you want to setup. Usually around a 100 bucks.

[jwittman]

That's what I need Larry. Thank you!!