Usb to ethernet adapter.

You can get one on amazon for cheap.

I have not seen a computer in recent past without an Ethernet port (except my very think ThinkPad X1).

So either get the manufacturers Ethernet adapter (I have one) or as noted above a USB to Ethernet converter.

You are unlikely to have RJ11 sockets on your computer.

Also, you can put a router at the cable modem and plug both computers into the internet. The cable modem may have a router built in.

Does your laptop have a Wireless card?  It will have either Ethernet or Wireless.

Does your modem include a router and Wi-Fi?  If not get a Wi-Fi router and add it to the modem. These are quite inexpensive.

Then leave the tower computer hooked up by Ethernet and connect the Laptop with Wi-Fi.

my laptop uses a regular phone line...

I have not seen such a laptop now... if it only have a port for regular phone line, it means that your laptop only have a 56kps modem which I have used in year 2003 or earlier.

If my guess is correct, your laptop has USB 1.0 port and a PCMCIA slot only.

The laptop is a Presario 1600 purchased for over $1100.00 many years ago. It works as it has been tested.
This will be used out of the USA but the place we'll be staying does have wi-fi but I do not think this laptop accepts wireless.
In all it's previous use it was used with dialup service. It worked fine in the hotel room with a step down converter I have to lower 220 volts to 110.
Nothing but basic internet and e-mail, and music CD's. That's it's intended purpose now.
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Home cable modem (or pc) does allow wireless because a visitor had a lap top and bought a wireless router so their laptop would work in the bedroom.

Make and model of laptop please.

Vintage Compaq Presario 1600 is the model and make.

Your notebook might have USB port but its OS should be Windows 98 which means that USB to WiFi adapter will NOT work for sure as only Windows XP driver is bundled.

Also, it is unlikely that you can upgrade the OS by any means. So, using PC card is the only choice.

I have an old IBM ThinkPad notebook running Windows 95 and have purchased such a PCMCIA card before for connecting to network.

You might consider a more modern used laptop that will be much better for travelling

Nick - see about a Windows 7 used laptop. This will allow modern security and is about the only thing you should travel with.

Public Wi-Fi can be very dangerous.

Hmmm ....

I missed that PC card slot.  So he could get a PCMCIA card and get networking that way ...

I have a Presario 1690 and it does not have built-in Ethernet or Wifi and it is definitely Windows 98.  I do have a PCMCIA card for an Ethernet connection.  If yours is Windows 98, it won't have a modern web browser either and maybe not an acceptable anti-virus.  If that is the case, I would Not take it overseas.

The battery is charged and we leave the unit on to see how many hours we get from a charge. The refurbished ones on Ebay are $12.99.

This will be used in a third world country same as it was over 10 years ago. We used internet cafe for web browsing and the laptop for music, DVD, and one specific program. It worked fine but I think the dialup cost was about $1 per minute for the phone bill and that was in a hotel.

This time the home owner has wi-fi but I do not know what it means. It could be wireless that is not working well, etc. If we got the pcm card would we have to be in the same room or in a different room but all doors open to receive the signal since this will not be like a modern hotel in say London?

They said we could use their wi-fi for free. And maybe at infrequent times maybe use their computer.

Other than this one time event we do not need a laptop here in the USA. The $150 Dell was being sold by an individual on Craigslist and they did not say what O/S.

I guess no one noticed in my question where I said that this laptop had two O/S on it.

What 2 operating systems does it have.

10 years ago there might have been dial-up. Now it is all standard "G" Wi-Fi or above.

The 2nd OS is XP but it is not fully loaded.
I'm not sure if a third world country would no longer have dialup. Poor people in these places who happen to afford a home phone won't have wireless.
I'm sure the internet cafes are not wireless.

You should check before travelling to be sure

You'd need a PCMCIA wireless card if they have WiFi.

These exist for XP but are rare for Windows 98.

If the machine has USB then there are USB WiFi adapters but can't say if they will work on Windows 98.  USB support wasn't good for 98 but it could be done.

You can have a look of my previous comment which suggests a PC card WiFi adapter which has Win 98 driver.

Also, your notebook should support Windows 2000 and if you can locate an ISO file for it, you can try to load it as a second OS instead of XP.

Also, most third world countries are using WiFi now in major cities and people there normally use a basic Android tablet with WiFi to surf the Internet.

Where will you go and how long you will be there?

Vietnam and 10 days. I really have no use for a laptop here in the USA so buying a new or used one may not be good since it would only be used once. Unless there was more travel which is doubtful and if it was, it would be many years in the future.

I'd be surprised if an internet cafe would have 20 computers and all be fed by wi-fi.

My laptop appears to need another battery OR just plugged into the wall outlet while being used. I remember charging it in the wall and then using it by battery until it ran down close to low and then charge it again. This was not inconvenient at all. Charge it, use it an hour, charge again, etc.

It does have a USB port.
I'll look around for the cards that are compatible with Windows 98.
I accidentally due to ignorance tried to install XP. When booting I get a choice of Windows or Windows XP. When I choose XP it asked for the disc.
I choose Windows and it begins to load 98. This laptop was mainly for night time use, in the hotel and I used an internet cafe for all other internet use.
This trip not in a hotel but the home owner does have wi-fi so they say.

RJ11 and RJ45 were mentioned above.
................Compare those two to what I have or do not have.

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I do not use my current one for CD's. It has not been turned on in 10 years. It does charge up and battery works for a period of time. If needed the laptop could be plugged into the wall during use. It's the internet in that country that does not exactly tell me what I might need. They may be rural and wireless signals poor, etc.

I will consider a used W7 laptop and may acquire some time end of Dec. or early Jan.

Hi Nick, the used Windows 7 laptop is working. It had not been turned on for a few months and so it took a couple of days to get Windows Updates running but they are running and it is fully up to date.

For travelling, it has Intel 3965 "G" Wireless, RJ45 LAN and RJ11 modem. The modem was used for faxing some years back but not used for a long time. The wireless works (it is updating Security Essentials now), the LAN connection works. and the DVD works (auto play just asked what to do with a DVD I stuck in it)

So it generally looks like a "GO" project.

auto play just asked what to do with a DVD......

Aaah auto play works.....joke...

Thanks.

It was a data DVD so it had to ask.

I just washed the laptop and started it again.

Credits:  All functions see to work. Many jacks and outlets on the machine. Working DVD.
Debits: Display is LCD and not as bright as my later machines with LED display, battery is knackered but will go for 30 minutes thereabouts, front corner chipped (where the hard drive is inserted. Hinges replaced once and seem OK. Heavy (6.5 pounds).

Here is the one and only one I could find on Ebay. There does not appear to be an RJ45 port according to images seen.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Compaq-Presario-Port-Replicator-QuikDock-1600-Series-and-1270-1805-1810-/201216177033?hash=item2ed96b3389:g:GDcAAOSwkZ9UYm1~

Google does not like the way Quik is spelled either.

So choices are PC card, or a USB adapter, use the dialup service at the location, get a replacement laptop, etc.

All you want in terms of connections is on the T61p

The USB adapter first comment remains a question as I have not been able to get the location to get me an image or webpage to show "their" internet cable. They may not even have a modem, not sure.

Thanks. I will ship your new machine this weekend or the first of next week.

Sounds good thanks.....