Laptop Network Cards...Too many choices...

[kcj]

I just purchased a laptop that doesn't have a network card. I have been looking around at Best Buy but I'm unsure which brand, model, etc... is what I need. Do you have any suggestions wrt which brand/model of network card seems to be most compatible with the UA Wifi? (I also have a Linksys wireless-g router at home which I'll need to connect to)

Important to me:
1. To be with the least amount of frustration in my connection to the UA Wifi while I complete my program; 2. Most bang for my buck.

Thanks in advance!

[dparm]

Any modern laptop wireless card can get on UAWiFi. If the laptop was 4+ years old I would be worried, but at this point anything you get will work.

If the card supports 802.11a that's an extra bonus for UAWiFi, but not a requirement.

[kcj]

Hi Dan-
Thanks for the response. Suppose my laptop is ~4 yrs old...(I purchased it from my company recently, once it had $0 book value--they wiped the drive so it's kinda like starting over with a blank slate). I was just gonna get a card that goes into the slot on the side...btw, it's a Compaq Evo N800c. Your thoughts?

[dcv]

The big thing to get is a card that supports WPA Enterprise, as that is the encryption scheme used by UAWifi. So long as you find a card that says "WPA Enterprise" or better yet "WPA2 Enterprise" on the box you should be good to go.

I just did a quick search of bestbuy.com, and I was surprised to find that a number of wireless cards sold today still don't even support WPA-PSK out of the box, much less WPA Enterprise!