Installing the Wireless NIC

There are several types of wireless NICs to consider (as introduced in Chapter 6), including

PCI card—Installs inside a desktop PC

PCMCIA or ExpressCard—Plugs into a laptop

Integrated—Is already built into a laptop

USB—Plugs into the USB port of any computer

If you have a laptop, first check whether it already contains an integrated wireless NIC. If it does, then you are all set. If your laptop does not have a built-in wireless NIC (or if it does but not the wireless standard you want to use), then the best option is to buy a PCMCIA wireless card.

If you have a desktop (or tower) PC, check whether it already contains an integrated wireless NIC, because (although not that common) some are now shipped with one. ...

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