I want to get a wireless card for my laptop. Where do I start?

I will be doing some traveling this summer, and want to get a wireless card for my laptop so that I don't have to pay for the service at hotels or try to find a local dialup number. My laptop is wireless enabled. I don't know enough about it to shop knowledgebly. I don't even know the correct terminology. I guess I am not explaining myself very well. I want one of those things that you put in your laptop and it provides the service. It might work through your cell phone, and you get it through a cellular company.

Public Comments

1. if your laptop is wireless enabled then you dont have to buy a wireless card, it is preinstalled, that is all a wireless card does is enable wireless in your lappy, you just need to scan for available wireless networks and log on
2. Get something 802.11b and 802.11g enabled (they'll usually just shorten this to b/g). Most of them really boil down to one of three popular chipsets underneath anyway, so there really isn't too much difference. If you have Windows XP, you really don't even have to worry about brand at all... if you're on Windows 98 (I hope you're not) then get a brand name so you make sure to have decent drivers.
3. The wireless enabled means you already have a card. You may still need to pay for the service at some hotels, the wireless range is quite limited, you may need to use their wireless system.