Some questions about a tablet and wi-fi

Okay, I'm a computer/high tech idiot, so temper your answers/insults accordingly. My wife received a Polaroid V7 internet tablet as a gift. We know jack-squat about tablets. My basic question is this: how do I know if I even have wi-fi capability (is it on my PC already and I don't know it?) to begin with? Is this something you have to pay extra for? I'm totally confused here. Feel free to combine insults with advice folks, I'm a big boy.

Do you have wi-fi at home? If so then you can use any wi-fi equipped device (tablet, smartphone, computer, laptop, etc.)

The tablet runs Android, and is wi-fi equppied. So to use the wi-fi capability, as long as you have wi-fi at home is easy. Swipe down from the top of the tablet, you'll get a screen showing some basic info. Tap the square shaped icon at the top right to get into the menu. Tap the icon that is labeled "Settings", now you should see a menu, one of the items will be labeled wi-fi. If the little box the right is gray with a circle in it, the wi-fi is off. Slide it to the right it should turn blue and have a white line (looks like an "I"). The wi-fi is now on, tap where it says wi-fi, then if you have wi-fi select your home's wi-fi. If needed, enter the passcode/password. You should now be able use wi-fi to surf the net.

I'd be surprised if there were many tablets that didn't have wi-fi capability.

The Amazon page for the Polaroid V7 says it has wi-fi as a feature.

As for your PC, maybe also check its Amazon or other product description page.

I guess I didn't explain this too well. The tablet does have wi-fi capability. So what does that mean? Where do I get wi-fi? Does it come from my home computer (my PC that I am using as I speak?) Is it something I need to purchase separately? I guess I need a basic primer on what wi-fi means.

It comes from a wifi router. Your computer is connected to the router via an Ethernet cable, which is in turn connected to a modem that is plugged into the wall probably with a coaxial cable.

You can Google search the make/model of your router to see if it can do wifi. There's nothing extra you need to pay for, unless you need to get a new wifi router (typically <$100)

I think I may have had a router a couple of years ago. My kid used it for something. He has a Netflix account - he gets it through his Play Station. Does this involve a router/wi fi? Wait, I think my current Comcast box that connects the cable with my PC and cable box is also a router and wi-fi. How would I know, without calling Comcast and getting someone from India that I cannot understand?

I have a router I would mail you, but I don't think I have an AC adapter.

I might have a router already and not know what it looks like. Seriously, I am way, way behind the power curve with digital technology. That's why it's hard for me to learn technology - I'm such a slow learner people lose patience with me.

You have a router that brings the internet into your house. We need to figure out whether it does wireless as well as wires. Is there a box with cable running into it behind your computer?

Can you take some pictures of the equipment you have now, and post them? Somebody here can probably figure things out once we have that info.

There is a splitter with a coaxial cable bringing in my comcast cable/internet data. One coaxial cable goes to my router and the other cable to my box where I select TV channels. At the router, I have a thinner cable going to the back of my PC bringing in the internet computer data.

Not enough light where the box sits. For now I'm going to call the number that came with the tablet. I can draw a picture of my data arrangement.

Is the the box for your internet fairly new, last year or so? If so, it probably is a modem/router which would be wi-fi. If not fairly new, then it's most likely a modem only and would not be wi-fi.

Or can you look at the internet box, and write down the model number. From there it can be determined if it is or isn't wi-fi capable.

Is there an antenna on the Internet box?

No, I don't think you need to draw a picture. What you described is pretty standard. On the router, is there any kind of antenna?

Some routers don't have antennas, but most do. I'm not sure if the comcast modem/router has one.

He just has one computer, plugged directly in to it. I bet it's a modem only, no router. @oldfella1962: does the "router" have multiple ethernet ports? If so, how many?

UPDATE! After making a few calls between Comcast and Polaroid I found out that I do have wi-fi and how to connect when I am away from home. I was pretty close to "tapping out" but I kept my cool (despite Indian accents) Now I am writing everything down so I can practice and practice until I can do it right without having to call them. Also, I will practice with my wife so she gets it down too. That said my resting pulse rate is now about 15 BPM above normal. Thanks though for any and all help I got resolving this.

UPDATE II Electric Boogaloo Things were coming along when I was on the phone with the tech. But cut loose on my own? I'm sinking fast! The "quickstart guide" assumes that you have actually seen or touched a tablet before. So some basic questions: can you do like a "split screen" and see your simulated keyboard and the regular screen at the same time? And since I don't have a mouse to click, what do I use in place of a mouse to select things? I don't know if I'm explaining myself clearly. The stylus thing is really kicking my butt. Basically how do I get a tablet to act like a regular PC?
Are there videos (youtube or whatever) that show step-by-step how to work a tablet for absolute beginners?

Yes that's a good idea, then I can learn at my pace too.

Jesus oldfella!

Look on the brightside, once you get wifi working you'll be taking your tablet to bars, restaurants, hotels, etc, punching into their wifi and becoming a proper silver surfer.

Im guessing you dont have a smart phone?

I've got the wi-fi working, it's just figuring out how to do (on a tablet) everything I do on my home PC. Actually it's not my tablet, and I have no interest in it. My wife got it as a gift, so I'm trying to help her out as best I can. Of course it's like Ray Charles guiding Stevie Wonder through a mine field! No, I do not have a smart phone. Just a simple Verizon Samsung flip-phone. I use it just for phone calls (imagine that!) and the alarm clock and sometimes the calculator function. That's about all I need really.

Its a whole new world oldfella. Next thing you know, you'll be sitting in Starbucks with the old lady& she'll be battering in the stores Wifi password and instagraming pics of her latte to the world!

Color me unimpressed.

Due to being stationed overseas at the time when smartphones began taking over, I was a late adapter too. I bought my Note 2 only because T Mobile no longer sold the Razr in 2013.

I had a Razr as a work phone for a few years.

I hated that piece of shit.

It wasn't the best work phone; that would definitely have been the Blackberry. But I could download pics and create ring tones for it so I was happy with it til my boxer had a tantrum and bit through my screen.

Do you have a router set up for a wi fi network? The wireless comes from there. Just connect your tablet to your home network and you're good to go.