Geek input and advice required!

JWADDICK

OK, I know this has been done before but please don't forget your dealing with an elderly chimp when it comes to I.T. and I cant find (actually be arsed to search for) previous threads.

My current laptop, for reasons unknown, has decided that it will no longer recognise my home wireless router and as a result will not connect.

As it's over 5 years old I've decided to bite the bullet and purchase a new one, so, my question is to you bright young things out there is, what is the best to go for?

Given my limited skills I dont really want to spend more than about £400. Is that realistic? What can I get for that kind of price, and what will it do? I really need it to run MS Office, to be able to access the net and to have a dvd recorder/writer.

I dont want to start another PC v Mac debate so preferably limit recommendations to PC's please (apart from anything else macs look to complicated for a neanderthal like me).

Cheers.

Absurdistan

i5 8 gig memory, can't go wrong.

Lurker

Most new laptops will probably do the job. You want to check if you already have the office licence / discs.

Can you connect to the wifi with another device?

JWADDICK

Lurker said:

Most new laptops will probably do the job. You want to check if you already have the office licence / discs.

Can you connect to the wifi with another device?

Yes, the phone and my daughter's ipad pick it up as soon as they're within 20 feet of the door but this fecking thing, no chance.

Absurdistan said:

i5 8 gig memory, can't go wrong.

Thanks for this but can I have a translation?:)

Lurker

I wouldn't go over 400, do you know any details of your old laptop? If it's five years old I'd imagine you could get a new machine with better spec for 300 or so. Assuming the old laptop could do all you needed?

cafcfan

I'm guessing that like-for-like things have got cheaper since you last bought.

So, unless you want gaming performance you've got a pretty good budget there. Maybe you'd even find something with a touch screen for a little more than £400?

As an example of prices, this is £299 but currently with a further £50 cash back from the manufacturer. ebuyer.com/660257-lenovo-essential-b50-70-laptop-mcc2guk

I assume you've got a MS Office licence key/disc? If not and you don't want to pay for it again, try something like Libraoffice which does everything Microsoft does but is free and you won't really notice the difference.

BTW Microsoft has said people with windows 7 or 8 will get a free upgrade to 10 when it comes out.

Absurdistan

JWADDICK said:

Lurker said:

Most new laptops will probably do the job. You want to check if you already have the office licence / discs.

Can you connect to the wifi with another device?

Yes, the phone and my daughter's ipad pick it up as soon as they're within 20 feet of the door but this fecking thing, no chance.

Absurdistan said:

i5 8 gig memory, can't go wrong.

Thanks for this but can I have a translation?:)

Laptops usually 3 choices, i3,i5,i7. This is the intel processor.
I7's are the fastest but use more electricity and run hot, so laptop won't last as long.
Unless you are doing rendering (graphics) i5 will be fine.
8 gig is the memory you should look for. Will mean you can open lots of windows without the pc slowing down.
Think manufacturers are pretty much the same these days, parts are made elsewhere. So just find the best priced i5 8 gig laptop.

ps as an interim solution, try using an ethernet cable from the router to the pc.

red_murph

JW.

I'm no expert at all but I got my new Dell about six months ago. I've had no problems with it at all apart from a couple of times when it couldn't connect to Wifi early on.

I wish I could remember the reason but I had to change a few settings and it's been fine since.

Rather than having to splash out, maybe see if your daughter or someone can help if poss by plugging your ethernet cable directly into the router from your PC. I know this isn't always possible due to location but it's worth a go if poss and might help narrow down the problem. Also maybe worth speaking to a local IT person.

Anyway, I'll leave it to others with much more experience than me to answer you properly. Good luck.

Valiantphil

Wifi button accidentally switched off ?????

JWADDICK

Absurdistan said:

<
Laptops usually 3 choices, i3,i5,i7. This is the intel processor.
I7's are the fastest but use more electricity and run hot, so laptop won't last as long.
Unless you are doing rendering (graphics) i5 will be fine.
8 gig is the memory you should look for. Will mean you can open lots of windows without the pc slowing down.
Think manufacturers are pretty much the same these days, parts are made elsewhere. So just find the best priced i5 8 gig laptop.

ps as an interim solution, try using an ethernet cable from the router to the pc.

Now that's what I call an answer! Simple, direct and designed for a muppet like myself! Thanks for the info.

Red_Murph, thanks but I've tried wiring it direct with the same result.

VP, that kind of ricket is really not beyond me but in this instance no joy with it switched on or off, cheers anyway.

swords_alive

JWADDICK said:

Absurdistan said:

<
Laptops usually 3 choices, i3,i5,i7. This is the intel processor.
I7's are the fastest but use more electricity and run hot, so laptop won't last as long.
Unless you are doing rendering (graphics) i5 will be fine.
8 gig is the memory you should look for. Will mean you can open lots of windows without the pc slowing down.
Think manufacturers are pretty much the same these days, parts are made elsewhere. So just find the best priced i5 8 gig laptop.

ps as an interim solution, try using an ethernet cable from the router to the pc.

Now that's what I call an answer! Simple, direct and designed for a muppet like myself! Thanks for the info.

Red_Murph, thanks but I've tried wiring it direct with the same result.

VP, that kind of ricket is really not beyond me but in this instance no joy with it switched on or off, cheers anyway.

Valiantphil said:

Wifi button accidentally switched off ?????

Wasting your money on a new one, most likely. The wifi is just one small part of the machine. Just to be clear, i think when VP suggests 'accidentally switched off', that's on the laptop, not the router. Mine has a button that easily snags on my cardigan and switches itself off- very common and easy mistake to make. Find the button or pressy nipple- like thing and give it a couple of presses- i get a message on screen saying 'wifi enabled'/ 'wifi disabled' accordingly and yours may be similar.

Lurker

Might be a button on the keyboard too. Often FN + F11 or something. If you get the make and model we should be able to find it

Essex_Al

Just purchased a 4gb Toshiba in the Curry's sale £229 fitted with Windows 8, so far so good!

soapy_jones

Why do manufacturers take such delight in making sure the wifi button/switch is in a completely unique position compared to anyone else? It's like they take pride in fucking you up...

JoshrewCAFC

Absurdistan said:

JWADDICK said:

Lurker said:

Most new laptops will probably do the job. You want to check if you already have the office licence / discs.

Can you connect to the wifi with another device?

Yes, the phone and my daughter's ipad pick it up as soon as they're within 20 feet of the door but this fecking thing, no chance.

Absurdistan said:

i5 8 gig memory, can't go wrong.

Thanks for this but can I have a translation?:)

Laptops usually 3 choices, i3,i5,i7. This is the intel processor.
I7's are the fastest but use more electricity and run hot, so laptop won't last as long.
Unless you are doing rendering (graphics) i5 will be fine.
8 gig is the memory you should look for. Will mean you can open lots of windows without the pc slowing down.
Think manufacturers are pretty much the same these days, parts are made elsewhere. So just find the best priced i5 8 gig laptop.

ps as an interim solution, try using an ethernet cable from the router to the pc.

I think buying a 8 gig ram laptop would be a major waste of money looking at what he wants to use the laptop for. 4 gig would be fine.

Would also advise against buying a Dell, parents and sister have Dell laptops and both have very poor wifi that fails to connect often, whereas all our other wireless devices are fine.

PL54

My wife spent an hour or two with our Dell laptop and Samsung notebook the other night cleaning them up and results were great.

They're slower already though so we are going Apple I think. The Ipads and Ipods get canned by the kids and never play up.

Different use I know

PL54

Couldn't help but notice the cardigan reference above - quality

A-R-T-H-U-R

JW
Have you tried turning it off then turning it on again?

;-)

soapy_jones

A-R-T-H-U-R said:

JW
Have you tried turning it off then turning it on again?
;-)

Ah the fabled Microsoft diagnostic procedure!

WestCountryAddick

Valiantphil said:

Wifi button accidentally switched off ?????

This is probably the issue. I've lost count how many times my missus has complained that she can't connect and when I go to look at it she's switched off the wifi. Look on the F number keys at the top for an icon that looks like a radio transmitter. When you've found it hold the FN key down and then press the key with the radio transmitter icon. Then try to connect to your wifi.

cafcfan

JoshrewCAFC said:

Absurdistan said:

JWADDICK said:

Lurker said:

Most new laptops will probably do the job. You want to check if you already have the office licence / discs.

Can you connect to the wifi with another device?

Yes, the phone and my daughter's ipad pick it up as soon as they're within 20 feet of the door but this fecking thing, no chance.

Absurdistan said:

i5 8 gig memory, can't go wrong.

Thanks for this but can I have a translation?:)

Laptops usually 3 choices, i3,i5,i7. This is the intel processor.
I7's are the fastest but use more electricity and run hot, so laptop won't last as long.
Unless you are doing rendering (graphics) i5 will be fine.
8 gig is the memory you should look for. Will mean you can open lots of windows without the pc slowing down.
Think manufacturers are pretty much the same these days, parts are made elsewhere. So just find the best priced i5 8 gig laptop.

ps as an interim solution, try using an ethernet cable from the router to the pc.

I think buying a 8 gig ram laptop would be a major waste of money looking at what he wants to use the laptop for. 4 gig would be fine.

I tend to agree. Unless you are buggering about with 4k video files or huge databases, it's just not necessary for everyday use.

See this article which explains. pcauthority.com.au/Feature/375815,how-to-how-much-ram-do--you-really-need.aspx

Interesting that in their tests they never exceeded using 4gb. So unless you intend doing something with heavy RAM usage, why bother paying for it?