Dell Truemobile - how useful??

[Aristotle]

Hi,

I am about to get a Dell Inspiron 8200 with an internal wireless LAN
card.  What can I do with it?  So far I seem to be seeing bad reports
all over regarding range.  Should I just keep the wireless LAN card as
some sort of backup or short range blue-tooth kind utility?  I was
hoping I could get involved in a community based wireless LAN.

What will I need to participate in a community based LAN - say spread
over a few suburbs?