2 laptops from same router

[Hampshire Lass]

My OH and I are thinking of buying a 2nd laptop.....one each

What I'm wondering is if there are any problems with running 2 wireless lappies from the same router and also whether the connection and speed will be slow if we are both using the internet at the same time, in the same room.

Any advice will be appreciated. Best wishes HL

[jc26red]

Should be fine but alot depends on the broadband speed you are subscribing to and also what you are going to be doing on the laptops.

If you both want to stream video, say bbc iplayer or download music at  the same time then that takes up alot of bandwidth and it probably will slow everything else down (if not grind it to a halt!) 
If you find everything slows down even when you are subscribing to a high broadband speed, it might be the router isn't man enough to cope especially if its a few years old.  Like all technology, once you upgrade one thing it has a knock on affect to the next piece of equipment 

[roopat]

We are truly 'sad' people......but when student daughter and her fiance have been at home, we've had 4 laptops in use at the same time in our house, each using the same wi-fi router. There doesn't seem to be any problem regarding speed, but we have noticed on those occasions, we have sometimes had messages from BT warning that we are about to exceed our download limit. On a couple of occasions we have exceeded it and have had to pay an extra £5 that month.

When it's just OH and myself, we don't get that message, so no problems with 2 laptops.

Have just seen new post while I was typing - OH and I seldom download films or music, just short clips sometimes, so I agree it depends on your usage.

Pat

[Calverley Lad]

We run 2 laptops plus a desktop machine.
The desktop machine (used by my daughter runs modern games?) whilst my wife playing games on facebook.
The remaining laptop (me) used for general surfing and the odd game.
All running off a Virgin 20Mb down 1.1Mb upload, speed on laptops drop to about 18Mb at worst.
 Brian

[jc26red]

We're still waiting on our Virgin broadband upgrade in this area Brian, it was supposed to be June but now its July onwards.....
We don't usually have any trouble but do notice a difference if daughter's boyfriend is playing internet games with the xbox when we are trying to watch video...  but that doesn't usually coincide much and won't be a problem when we get the upgrade.

[Hampshire Lass]

Thanks for such prompt replies ladies and gents

It doesn't sound like we're planning on doing the impossible in that case.....probably I'll be doing "tree stuff" and OH playing games or generally surfing.

Thanks again......I hope my next "techie" question isn't going to be "how on earth do I connect 2nd laptop to my router!!!"    

Best wishes HL

[Calverley Lad]

Could you advise us on what service you are on - BT or Virgin?
(Virgin don't charge if you download too much, just cut your speed down @30%)
 Brian 
(Just praying if on Virgin you don't have a 'superhub' (combined modem/router), they are rubbish!)

[Hampshire Lass]

Hi Brian

Neither   

My ISP is southern electric and I have an zyxel 660HW router.

Best wishes HL    (she who isn't very technical 

[Calverley Lad]

Yes, but connected to a telephone line like BT.
You may have problems being on a phone line connection, will have to advise later.
 Brian