# The upside of one of my latest tech purchases



## ancientmariner (May 7, 2020)

Now with the home isolation and my age, my laptop became a small footprint desktop so to speak.  I hardly ever traveled much before the outbreak so a laptop was not a necessary need for my use.  I have worked with computers neigh onto 55 years now.  Both from wiring boards to the latest technology, still like a permanent location for use.  My SIL who was a tech for HP for many years said one time to me that it makes no sense to him to chance using wifi technology when you have a much better connection through your modem/router's via ethernet cable.

I read a blurb (internet truism) that the ISP's use your wifi routers as a marketing tool by hacking/throttling down your bandwidth to entice you to purchase higher bandwidth.  Don't know if it is true but not so unbelievable, remember it's all about money.  As case in point my new laptop had trouble accessing my wifi router, possible reasons: OS (Linux), distance from laptop to router, quality/age of equipment, or the aforementioned ISP interference.  Can't say, I then decided to purchase a wifi extender after checking all.  $22 later and configuring it by connecting through the available ethernet port I was able to access the web at a sustained rate and haven't lost connection since everything is almost instantaneous.

I explained my theory to my SO and received the expected bored blank look.


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## JaniceM (May 7, 2020)

ancientmariner said:


> Now with the home isolation and my age, my laptop became a small footprint desktop so to speak.  I hardly ever traveled much before the outbreak so a laptop was not a necessary need for my use.  I have worked with computers neigh onto 55 years now.  Both from wiring boards to the latest technology, still like a permanent location for use.  My SIL who was a tech for HP for many years said one time to me that it makes no sense to him to chance using wifi technology when you have a much better connection through your modem/router's via ethernet cable.
> 
> I read a blurb (internet truism) that the ISP's use your wifi routers as a marketing tool by hacking/throttling down your bandwidth to entice you to purchase higher bandwidth.  Don't know if it is true but not so unbelievable, remember it's all about money.  As case in point my new laptop had trouble accessing my wifi router, possible reasons: OS (Linux), distance from laptop to router, quality/age of equipment, or the aforementioned ISP interference.  Can't say, I then decided to purchase a wifi extender after checking all.  $22 later and configuring it by connecting through the available ethernet port I was able to access the web at a sustained rate and haven't lost connection since everything is almost instantaneous.
> 
> I explained my theory to my SO and received the expected bored blank look.


Well, tech-savvy I am definitely not..  but if you don't need a laptop for "portable" reasons, and you're on desktop with modem/router, why bother with wifi at all?


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## ancientmariner (May 7, 2020)

I said my new laptop has morphed into a small footprint desktop. I can't convince my SO to allow me to put in a desktop, she doesn't want the mess. Money! I've already spent $400 plus on the laptop.


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## hollydolly (May 7, 2020)

ancientmariner said:


> I said my new laptop has morphed into a small footprint desktop. I can't convince my SO to allow me to put in a desktop, she doesn't want the mess. Money! I've already spent $400 plus on the laptop.


 You got a new laptop for $400 dollars?... wow,  that was a bargain...


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## ancientmariner (May 7, 2020)

hollydolly said:


> You got a new laptop for $400 dollars?... wow,  that was a bargain...


I seldom do anything more than the usual 7 or 8 things that the majority of users do.  Email, occasional pictures, notes, surfing, budgeting, banking, simple games,,,etc.  Don't need a lot of storage, the cloud is adequate hence smaller HD.  Sit close enough so that a 15 inch display is overkill.  Multitasking with several tech toys is not something that interests me.  Watch enough streaming with Netflix & Amazon, so a DVD player is not a necessity.  4GB is enough, don't use touchpad or touchscreen they get in my way.  

I don't need the bells and whistles that excite others.  Linux will run easily on a basic model PC with minimal chance of problems and no blue screens of death.  All needed apps are 'free' I like simplicity [KISS], Gates and Jobs are not my gods, being a minimalist is a lifestyle that suits me.  The new PC I bought was $369 on Amazon with free shipping & no sales tax also I dislike Google's version of Linux (Chromebook).


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## C'est Moi (May 7, 2020)

I'm trying to figure out the "upside" to your latest tech purchase?   Is it that you bought a wifi extender?  

We have a 2-story house and I had to buy a wifi extender a couple of years ago because Netflix was pixelating on the downstairs TV.  (Modem/router is upstairs so signal degraded.)  They are quite handy gadgets.


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## In The Sticks (May 7, 2020)

I've built 3 computers in my life, all desktop.

What started out as a way to save money rapidly escalated into "If I'm providing my own labor, I may as well install quality components."  I learned quite a lot.  I've never opened up any laptop to mess with the innards.

This will tell you how dependent I've become on technology:  I have a laptop with Linux installed on it solely as a backup I can use to get on the web when my main laptop breaks down.  I have no way to seek out either repair or replacement without the internet.  And this is from a guy who refused to upgrade his dial phone to touch-tone!  (Really used to anger my friends.)


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## ancientmariner (May 7, 2020)

C'est Moi said:


> I'm trying to figure out the "upside" to your latest tech purchase?   Is it that you bought a wifi extender?


Yes, most things I purchase have configuration hoops to adapt them with a Linux system, the answers are out there but require a little research, not the extender.  Plug n play first time.  Great add on, does what I had hoped for.  The upside?  Saved me from upgrading the wifi card.


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## Em in Ohio (May 7, 2020)

ancientmariner said:


> Now with the home isolation and my age, my laptop became a small footprint desktop so to speak.  I hardly ever traveled much before the outbreak so a laptop was not a necessary need for my use.  I have worked with computers neigh onto 55 years now.  Both from wiring boards to the latest technology, still like a permanent location for use.  My SIL who was a tech for HP for many years said one time to me that it makes no sense to him to chance using wifi technology when you have a much better connection through your modem/router's via ethernet cable.
> 
> I read a blurb (internet truism) that the ISP's use your wifi routers as a marketing tool by hacking/throttling down your bandwidth to entice you to purchase higher bandwidth.  Don't know if it is true but not so unbelievable, remember it's all about money.  As case in point my new laptop had trouble accessing my wifi router, possible reasons: OS (Linux), distance from laptop to router, quality/age of equipment, or the aforementioned ISP interference.  Can't say, I then decided to purchase a wifi extender after checking all.  $22 later and configuring it by connecting through the available ethernet port I was able to access the web at a sustained rate and haven't lost connection since everything is almost instantaneous.
> 
> I explained my theory to my SO and received the expected bored blank look.


Ditto to your SO - You lost me at footprint!


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## MarciKS (May 7, 2020)

I haven't had any trouble with the speed on my wifi router. They also placed a hotspot nearby if I need it.


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