need a list of "new stuff" to buy.

[jimbo]

Can anyone give me a 30 second run down: I have a conventional desktop PC, montitor, scanner/printer. Vista Home Premium. Internet is AT7T DSL.
Here is what I want to do:

Add a laptop, which I can connect wirelessly to the internet and the printer at home. And is just the software firewall adequate security if you take the laptop to a hotel and connect to the wired hispeed internet??

[Redwood]

I don't know what equipment your AT&T DSL came with. If you are just hooked up with a hard wired single computer I will guess that you will need a Router with Wi-Fi. I bought a NetGear one at Best Buy for $40 a year or so ago looks like they have dropped the price even more.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/NETGEAR+...&skuId=5507043

I've got 2 desktops hardwired to it and one wireless laptop all sharing files, and a printer across the network.
Also the wireless is encrypted with password protection so strangers don't get on the network.

The laptop I have now has built in Wi-Fi but if you don't have built in Wi-Fi one of these adapters will work.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/NETGEAR+...&skuId=6825233
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/D-Link+-...&skuId=8040354

The software firewall is all I use.

[jimbo]

That looks fairly straightforward...thanks for the tips

[Redwood]

The equipment and installing it is pretty quick and easy... as far as plugging it in hooking up wires etc.

Setting up the network permissions on all the individual computers and getting them to talk to each other is the part that will have you pulling your hair out....

[jimbo]

That's where the Geek Squad comes in. My two daughters are both fairly geeky on these matters.

[augusta]

Jimbo: Everything Redwood said is good advice. Linksys or Netgear both make great wireless routers. Since you have such basic needs, whatever popular newest model is out there will do just fine for you. Make sure your router has encryption (most do nowadays) and your laptop has wifi (contains a wireless network card). You'll need to set the encryption on that router first thing, otherwise your neighbors (if you have any) can mooch off of your service.

If your printer is not a network printer (does not contain a network card) you'll need to make sure your desktop/printer is in close proximity to the router (you'll be plugging your computer into one of your free router ports and sharing your printer for use over the network). Unless you have a wireless network card on your desktop, in which case you wouldn't need to worry about being next/near your newly purchased wireless router.

Concerning firewall when plugged into hotel wifi: Yes, using Vista's built in firewall (and having it set to "on") will be just fine.

If you need any special help, don't hesitate to ask. You've helped me out a time or two here in the forum.

P.S. I am a pro in setting up and managing Windows networks. Computer Science major, and have been maintaining networks full time for over a decade.