Driverless USB WiFi dongle?

[koocha]

Hi all

Just wondering if there was a USB WiFi dongle that is driverless under XP/OS X?

Looking at providing some USB dongles for guests at a hotel to use the wireless internet but don't want to be faffing about with drivers/support.

Thanks

[burtie]

http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?...7708&doy=19m10

There is a few on the maplin website

[koocha]

Ta for that. Saw the ZyXEL one too for £35.

Hoping to use ZyXEL stuff everywhere else in the venue too.

Sitecom are alright though, aren't they?

[UltraMagnus]

Look at the FAQ, doesn't support Mac

And what do you plan to do if one of the guests uses linux?

[burtie]

Lol i did not see that sorry op but like i said there are LOADS of others on the maplin site.

And yes what about linux?you could put up a sign saying mac/xp wifi only maybe.

[Agent]

Chances are, if they are using Linux, they will know how to connect to the wireless network anyway....

[koocha]

Chances are, if they are using Linux, they will know how to connect to the wireless network anyway....

That's what I was thinking.

What's that Apple say though..."It just works". In my experience, it doesn't.

[cougarslam]

wired on xp now that did just work

[koocha]

Where are all these other driverless dongles on Maplin? The search brings up loads of results, but I can only find the one that's actually driverless (the Sitecom one)

[directhex]

what you're describing as "driverless" is actually anything but - the device is 2 in 1 - half usb wireless adapter, and half USB memory stick. when you insert it, drivers for windows-only are installed from the stick-part. assuming you run the right version of windows.

i repeat, this is NOT a driverless solution, it's a "CD-less" solution with potentially lower compatibility than a regular device

fr'example, no the maplin site they say 2k/xp only - don't ever expect any guests to use vista?

[UltraMagnus]

why do you want to do this anyway?

surely anyone that wanted to connect to hotel wifi spots would have a wifi enabled laptop!

[directhex]

why do you want to do this anyway?

surely anyone that wanted to connect to hotel wifi spots would have a wifi enabled laptop!

and anyone without wifi on their laptop is likely to be running something other than xp or 2k

[koocha]

why do you want to do this anyway?

surely anyone that wanted to connect to hotel wifi spots would have a wifi enabled laptop!

You'd think so, but I know never to assume anything

and anyone without wifi on their laptop is likely to be running something other than xp or 2k

XP has been out for many years now and wifi wasn't standard in laptops 'til a couple of years ago really. I personally think it's entirely possible

[UltraMagnus]

Wouldn't a PCMCIA card work better if you want less hassle with drivers? usb is really not for networking. generally speaking, if you find one that works well with linux then it should work with just about anything.

and, before anyone says anything about newer laptops having expresscard instead of PCMCIA, i am sure any laptop with that slot will have wifi!

[koocha]

Wouldn't a PCMCIA card work better if you want less hassle with drivers? usb is really not for networking. generally speaking, if you find one that works well with linux then it should work with just about anything.

and, before anyone says anything about newer laptops having expresscard instead of PCMCIA, i am sure any laptop with that slot will have wifi!

I haven't had any experience of PCMCIA cards. Don't they need drivers then?

[directhex]

I haven't had any experience of PCMCIA cards. Don't they need drivers then?

yes. as do USB devices, except in the case of the poorly-supported xp/2k-only devices you're intent on buying, which need drivers, but include them on part of the device. assuming you have autorun enabled on external drives