Mixed wired and wireless LAN

Hi, new to group, and new to networking.
My challenge is as follows.
I am in a medical practice and want to have both a billing system and computerized patient record system.
I am not sure if it is wise to do the whole network wirelessly.
My main question is if I have a wired network, with a dedicated server for billing, how would I hook up a laptop wirelessly to this network to be able to share printing functions and demographic data from the billing server ? Could I do this simply with a wireless PC card in the server and a wireless PC-card in the laptop, or must I also have a wireless base station ?
Also, would I be able to run both billing and patient record software from the same server, or would (should) I have a dedicated server for each program ?
Would anyone recommend doing the whole thing wireless or just the laptop ?
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
Jim.

1. RE: Mixed wired and wireless LAN
jimgue Feb-27-01 12:53 PM
In response to message 0

Follow-up question.
If I need dedicated servers for the billing and patient records (small office - 3 workstations for billing, one for records) can I run Win98 SE or do I need 2000 or NT ?

2. RE: Mixed wired and wireless LAN
lbyard Feb-27-01 04:01 PM
In response to message 0

Jim, I would avoid wireless and run a cable to the notebook, or to various places that you want to use the notebook. Cable is usually cheaper, faster, and more reliable. Cable is harder to run, but you only do it once (unless you like to play musical chairs in your office). You will need to purchase a PCMCIA Ethernet adapter for the notebook. Buy a 100BASE-TX adapter vice 10BASET adapter. You should be able to run billing and records off the same server. I would think that most vertical medical programs combine the two functions in the same software or modules of the same system.
If you still want to go wireless for the notebook, you will need a wireless adapters for your notebook and server. Samples of wireless products are at http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/44/jump/wireless.shtml, http://linksys.com/products/group.asp?grid=19, http://dlink.com/products/DigitalHome/Wireless/. Larry

3. RE: Mixed wired and wireless LAN
jimgue Feb-27-01 06:59 PM
In response to message 2

Thanks, Larry.
The reason I want to go wireless is so I can go between 3 exam rooms seeing patients with the portable computer so I can print prescriptions, etc, and not have to hook the laptop up to wires.
In your wireless suggestion, would I need an access point also, or just the wireless cards/adapters you mention ?
Thanks again.

4. RE: Mixed wired and wireless LAN
lbyard Feb-27-01 07:35 PM
In response to message 3

The adapters can talk directly to adapters. Access points extend the range of the network. I think I would lean towards paying the $300 or so for an access point. Larry