Mobile computing

Apologies to all if this is covered in another forum, looked but could not see it.
I am very wary of wireless connections & routers. I spent hours in the attic chiselling torough brick so I could run an eternet cable from the top room of the house to the bottom. I'm so wary that I've not investigated them or kept up to date with what's new in the world. Times change and now I need answers faster than I can dig through the mass of information that's out there
I now have a need to use a computer to access the internet while shopping at markets / yard sales / car boot sales and the like.

So, I have a laptop and it has wireless connectivity, specifically 'Integrated 802.11b/g wireless and optional 3G module'.
What I need to know is
- if I am in the middle of a field will 802.11 guranatee me a connection or do I need to spash out on some 3G stuff?
- what do I need to do to make either connection secure, indeed can either connection be made secure?
- how does it all work, is it really free internet connectivity?
- I am thinking of buying an ASUS minibook 8g to take on my travels, it's solid stats so should be more robust. Anyone got one and would you recommend it?

Sorry it's a big shopping list, can anyone advise?
Thanks in advance

 

:wave and welcome to MG's..

try posting HERE in the Networking forum.

i think thats your best bet for advice.

good luck.

 

Thanks - have done just that