Ensure that you can connect your laptop to your home or office PC if networking your machines is important to you. If it has a wireless network connector, make sure that it is compatible with the network at work or home. If you need to connect via an assortment of cables, check if the laptop has the available ports supplied with it. You will need UTP patch leads (usually CAT5 or CAt5e) with RJ45 plugs to connect your network adapter to a hub/switch or the adapter on another machine (the latter requires a cross-over cable).