laptop upgrade

[DAve]

I could use some advice on a laptop upgrade, if anyone has the time.

Looking to increase the memory from 192 to as much as possible for an OS upgrade from 2000 to XP. The laptop (compaq presario 1215) has a free slot of SO-DIMM PC133, 144pin. Hopefully enough for a 256 Mb chip anyway.

I would like to wirelessly connect this to my main PC too, but unsure how to do that. I've not got a wireless router, but a 20m ethernet cable would probably be OK as a temporary solution.

Questions:
memory) are SO-DIMM chips all the same? There seems to be a massive variation between scan.co.uk at £20 and priceless at £40, for example.

wireless) can I just buy two wireless USB dongles and connect them that way?

Cheers.

[Captain_Caveman]

http://www.crucial.com/uk/store/listparts.aspx?model=Presario+1215EA

crucial is your friend. According to it best you gonna get is a 256mb stick and I would be inclined to say there should be no difference however don't quote me on that.

Wireless networkyness would work with 2 usb wifi cards but its more of a faff (and more expensive) than if you can find a cheap Linksys router and pcmcia card bundle for 40 quid. We used to do them at work but like all things with a chance of sellinbg, we discontinued it. E6300 for 189.99 instead anyone?

[CaNNoN_FoDDa]

I dont use wireless hardly at all, but i have used a computer that was on a usb dongle connection and it was horrible. Maybe that was just my incredible luck and skill, but i would recommend against dongling if you can avoid it.

[YegaDoyai]

is there any reason you want to shift from 2k to xp, the majority of changes are cosmetic.

[DAve]

crucial is your friend. I would be inclined to say there should be no difference however don't quote me on that.

cheap Linksys router and pcmcia card bundle for 40 quid.
Cheers, I''ll try and look some memory out in the near future. will keep ou posted on how that works out.

is there any reason you want to shift from 2k to xp, the majority of changes are cosmetic.
Mostly to turn the laptop into a PVR box. I've been using GBPVR on my PC, and wanted to offload it to the laptop. GBPVR doesn't quite work on win2000, hence the upgrade. If it was just for occasional use, I would have probably stayed with 2000, it's a nice OS.