Network Novice

I recently replaced my desktop with a laptop to join my old laptop which the kids now have. These run wirelessly off an old belkin router (no USB ports). Both are running on Vista. This leaves me with a 500gb external drive and an HP printer which I have to drag around whenever I want to print/backup. I also have an older deskstop in my garage which I have been playing with Linux (ubuntu) on.

I would like to make everything wireless but not certain about the Linux upstairs as the old box is quite noisy and it defeats the object of me replacing the desktop!

Can anyone suggest some options to enable me to achieve my wireless dream? I know I can replace the router/printer (haven't looked but I'm sure wireless hard drives are also available) but I want to see if there is something I can do before I get to that stage.

Many thanks in advance.

 

You can get a wireless card for your desktop and Ubuntu should support that OK.

Then get a USB to ethernet device for your hard drive and printer and plug them into your router and you can access them from any machine.