Kathy, to answer your very last question: Instead of going Start > Run (which disappears instantly), go Start > All Programs > Accessories > Command Promp (that way it stays on the screen until you close it).

Here is another tip to avoid breaking the screen on a portable computer when carrying it around while it is working: Change the power settings so that the computer keeps running with the lid closed.

Start > Control Panel > Performance and Maintenance > Power Options > Advanced > Power Buttons > When I close the lid Do Nothing.

Colin

Thank you for those tips Colin, they will be very useful!

I also got a netbook for use when traveling, my choice was to get the ATT air card for mine that way no matter where I am I can use the air card to connect. It is secure and I am the only one using it. When at home I can either plug directly into my router with an ethernet cable or use my air card until I move to a wireless router in the future.
I had my cell phones with ATT anyway so I went with them but there are other companies that have air cards such as Verizon and Sprint, I did comparisons and the ATT and Verizon seemed the best and both are about the same price, there is a cost for the card but they had a rebate that paid fully for the card, I have a monthly fee for the card just like if it was a cell phone and in fact it does assign it a cell phone number. so anywhere you would have cell phone coverage you would be able to use it. I have not been anywhere yet that I did not get a signal.
For the price they want to charge you for that one week you could pay for your air card for a month.

Raven,
Thanks for the response! I have Verizon for our cell phones which are our only phones. I am interested in possibly getting one of Verizon's MiFi sytems...and using it for my PC's at home as well as my netbook. It costs about $60 per month after my initial investment for the MiFi (which would be $99), and if I can use it on my PC's, I could cancel my Roadrunner. Need to do more research on it first though...and have found nothing in this forum on the Verizon system!

I use Verizon's service as my sole Internet service. I live in a rural area with no DSL or cable, but luckily I have a Verizon tower just a little over 2 miles from my house. I use Verizon for my cell phone, so this seemed like a "no brainer" after using very, very slow dialup and then satellite for over 2 years. There is a very good forum about this service, where I lurked for several months just to educate myself, but they also sell these services, so I think I probably should not post their link here. You can e-mail me if you wish and I'll be glad to furnish it to you. By the way, I did not buy my equipment from this company.

I would suggest you visit the verizon forums over at BBR they have some awesome forums there and many verizon personnel hang in those forums in fact there is an actual forum where you can talk directly to verizon techs. Nothing is sold on any of those forums.

if you have a smart phone another option which they generally will not tell you about because you can get your data plan so much cheaper this way, you can tether your netbook through your cell phone and just buy a data plan to cover that. Check into tethering!

Here is a link that might be useful: BBR/DSLR

I do not have a smart phone. I just have a basic phone with basic internet access. Not quite good enough for my travel needs. But I made do, but I think I can do better. And, with a little research, I think I can get the portability I desire along with my home service for not much more than I am paying now. And not having to give my money to my current ISP anymore...would be an excellent plus! LOL

Got the router this morning at Walmart! I am typing this from the dining room on my new netbook with the wireless connection! So far so good! Installation was easy and both PC's and the netbook are doing fine! LOL Bought the Netgear Wireless G Router. It was one of the only ones that my Walmart had in stock!

and you did the security settings in it to make sure you are safe and not open to view to anyone out there?
How to secure your home wireless network
The ABCs of securing your wireless network (3 pages of great info)

and of course you used a super strong hard password not a real word?
Password cracking and recovery (lots of great info there)