What Does A Router Do For A Laptop And Is It Easier Than Wireless Connection?

A router establishes a connection to the internet and keeps it going. Instead of typing your ISP password into your laptop and click "connect" or "dial up" every time you want to use the internet, you type the password into the router once. From that moment on your router will make sure your laptop has internet access whenever you turn it on.

No password needed, no clicking on "dial up" needed,Just switching on the laptop and voila you are online. Provided, of course, you have DHCP enabled on your laptop and provided you have a connection between your router and laptop.

This connection can be established via wireless or wire. Most SOHO routers come with wireless, though, which makes sense to use with laptop computers as you don't have to fiddle around with wires.

Suggestion: You should get yourself a good WLAN router (e.g. of DrayTek or LinkSys), set it up and use it over wireless connection with your laptop.