Buying a notebook soon!

1. Yes, most prebuilt packages have WIFI built in, but if you customize one, make sure to select something that supports your office's protocol (802.11g or 802.11a)

2. Yes, WIFI access points typically have enough power to reach 500-1000 feet, but only works well under 300ft.

3. Speed is relative, and ability to play games really hinges on the type of game you normally play. We need more information.

don't get walmart. the dell 1505 is good, and if you use one of the coupons on deal sites (like www.slickdeals.net) it gets even better.

1. Almost every laptop onthe market today comes with a LAN plug and a WiFi card. These two will let you get on the internet if you have a connection. The LAN plug is the same pplug used on desktops to connect to the net. WifFi is a wireless network adapter.

2. You'll need to be within range (usally about 100ft) of a wifi router or access point in order to use it. Think of it like the radio. If you drive too far away from the signal source, you no longer get to listen to that station. Same thing happens here, but instead of being a range of a couple hundred miles or so, we're now talking about 100ft.

3. What games? This is important for determining the graphics needs. What other applications doyou use? Even a modern celeron is quite speedy if all you are doing is browsing the net and working in Office.

4 & 5. That's pretty easy. Despite what all the fanbois and flamers say, they are all pretty reliable. Granted no company has a perfect track record and there are horror stories about them all, personally I wouldn't worry about it. Just research the specific model you will be looking into to see if there are many user gripes with it here in the forums. And remember, Sony, Toshiba Dell al those guys sell literally miliions of laptops every year. Just becasue you see somebody that had a problem with one or you hear of somebody's firends uncle that did, does NOT mean that everything by that company is crap.

How portable do you want it to be? Personbally I love my 14" notebook, but others have no problem carrying around a 17". Everybody has their own limits.

I suggest you go to a local BestBuy or Circuit cuty orsomething like that and look at the dffernt laptops. Things to pay attention to are the screen size & resolution and look at the glossy vs matte screens to decide what you like best.