Wireless

Welcome to the Wireless computing page, this is guide to computer products that are wireless which means they have no wires and are therefore much more convenient to use. Wireless computer products include mice, keyboards, laptops, speakers and ADSL routers which offer wireless networking and give wireless broadband Internet access all over the home. There are many brands that offer wireless products such as Netgear, Linksys, D-Link, 3com, Microsoft, Kensington, Logitech, Creative and lots more.

Wireless computer products are very popular because they are easier to use, computers have allot of wires so reducing the amount is always a good thing. It also means you can move around much more freely, for instance with a wireless mouse and keyboard you can move away from your computer or with a laptop with a wireless adaptor you can move anywhere you like (within range of an access point or router) and still connect to the wireless network.

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A wireless network is just like a normal network, it allows computers to connect with each other and share files and other recourses, the most popular being the broadband Internet connection. Wireless networks use radio signals to connect the computers, this means that they can be a good distance apart and still communicate. The huge advantage with this is that you do not have to lay network wires all over your home, you can easily have one computer upstairs and one downstairs and have them networked in no time. Each computer on a wireless network will need an adaptor, many computers and laptops have wireless adaptors built in but if not all you have to buy is a simple PC card, this will connect to the wireless network for you.

A wireless network needs a wireless router to function, a router is a device that connects computers together with all computers connecting to the router and then the router sending the information to the correct computer. Most wireless routers have 4 ports available for connecting computers with ethernet wires, this is good for computers that are very close and is called a switch, you can buy a switch as a separate piece of hardware if you need more than 4 ports. Then there is an antenna which broadcasts the wireless signal to any other computers within range, the ranges are normally large with access several rooms away or outdoors easily possible.

A good feature with wireless routers is a built in ADSL modem, with a built in ADSL modem you can plug your broadband connection into the back of the router and then any computer on the wireless network can use this broadband Internet connection. This has many advantages, each computer does not need a modem to access the broadband connection and you only need one Internet connection for all of your computers, broadband is easily fast enough to sever many computers so getting a wireless router with a built in ADSL modem is a very good idea if you are wanting to share your broadband connection with several computers. There are many brands that offer wireless routers and they include Netgear, D-Link, Linksys, 3com and many others.

There are also a few other wireless networking products available, the main one is the access point. An access point is like a router but it extends a network instead of creating one, if you are finding that you don't get a very strong signal in certain parts of the house then you can get an access point which will take the network traffic it receives and then re-broadcast it giving you a bigger range for your wireless network. As well as an access point you can also get a switch, this is for extending a network using wires and are useful if you have allot of computers that are close together, that way you can use the switch to connect all of the computers to the network instead of having to get wireless adaptors for each computer.

Setting up a wireless network with Windows XP is quite easy, all you have to do is run the wireless networking wizard and follow the instructions, one important thing to remember is to make sure that all of the computers have the same workgroup name, you enter this in the setup wizard and all computers must have the same value for the workgroup or they will not communicate with each other. Another thing to look out for is if you have a firewall installed they can often block the network traffic, all you have to do is allow the network within the firewall settings and you should be fine. When you have your wireless network set up there are a few things to consider, the main one is security as anyone will be able to access your files and Internet access if they are within range, for example neighbours or other nearby people. To make your network secure all you have to do is choose a network key, this is like a password and means that anyone connecting to your wireless network will need the network key to gain access. Windows XP will save the network key after the first time you access the network so there is no need to keep re-entering it, most wireless routers also have a built in firewall which should protect you from any other external attacks.

Another great thing about having a wireless network at home is that most modern laptops come with a wireless adaptor built in, this means that they can connect to a wireless network automatically so will not need any wires at all as long as the battery is charged. This gives you a wonderful amount of freedom, with having no wires at all it means that you can go to any room in the house and even out in the garden and still use the network and the broadband Internet connection. Having a laptop with a built-in wireless adaptor really is a great addition to a wireless network, it's great sitting outdoors in the garden or relaxing on the sofa and using your laptop with access to the Internet and all of the network files. Some laptops (especially older laptops) do not have a built in wireless adaptor so if you are buying a laptop and have a home wireless network then make sure the model you are buying has a built-in wireless adaptor, if you have an existing older laptop then you can buy an external adaptor but they are not ideal as they have to be attached to the outside of the laptop or inserted into the PCMCIA slot which can cause problems with parts sticking out.

The other popular wireless products are the mice and keyboards, mice and keyboards are close to the PC but having wireless models does have some advantages such as being able to move away from the PC. A wireless mouse is also easier to use as it is not attached to the computer, this means that it will move more freely and be easier to use. The main other reason for buying a wireless mouse or keyboard is just that they are cool, they look very nice when next to a nice FTF monitor and can give your computer that added touch, this is the main reason that most people will buy a wireless keyboard or mouse. Wireless mice and keyboards are offered by many manufacturers such as Microsoft, Logitech, Kensington, Creative and many others, Microsoft models are the most popular as they offer the biggest selection of wireless mice and keyboards and have some very nice designs.

So buying wireless computing products and make your life allot easier, especially with home networking. A wireless router can share your ADSL broadband connection will all of the computers in your home, even the laptops that have wireless adaptors. Wireless products are also getting cheaper, there are many shops that offer cheap special offers so have a good shop around to see if you can find a good deal. There are many brands that offer wireless products including 3com, Microsoft, D-Link, Kensington, Linksys, Logitech, Netgear, Creative and lots more.

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