Understanding Wireless Networks

Sunday, January 06, 2008

As you may have noticed, everything is digital these days and soon they will all be wireless. It is important to keep updated with all the various methods of connectivity as it tends to change every now and then as technology gets more advanced. A lot of internet service provider companies make it sound easy to get connected, it really is easy but they tend to never tell you all the smaller details of getting the best possible connection without interference and security issues.

Like most of you guys out there, we had to find out the hard way about wireless internet technologies and what is the best ways to use them. Hopefully with this guide you will be able to understand wireless technologies more and get an idea what these companies are on about most of the time.

The wirerless network works on five different protocols. You may have noticed a number on your wireless router with the numbers 802.11 followed by an "a", "b" or a "g". These are the three most used protocols used today. Why do we use these three protocols anyway and not all five? Well here is the difference between them.

802.11a – Was released in October 1999. 5GH Frequency. Data rate is only 23Mbit/s to a maximum data rate of 54Mbit/s and an indoor range of 35m.

802.11b – Was released in October 1999. 2.4GH Frequency. Data rate is only 4.5Mbit/s to a maximum data rate of 11Mbit/s and an indoor range of 35m.

802.11g – Was released in June 2003. 2.4GH Frequency. Data rate is only 19Mbit/s to a maximum data rate of 54Mbit/s and an indoor range of 35.

The industry standard has been set to everyone using the 802.11g protocol but you can still use any of the other two protocols. They all have their disadvantages and advantages. Try to stick to 802.11g as it will offer you the best results for the time being.

When subscribing to an Internet Service Provider, it is best to check which type of connection you can use. In the United Kingdom, you can use a cable connection or an adsl connection. You will require a telephone line for the adsl connection and not for the cable connection unless your area does not have cable. In that case, you will need to use adsl instead. Remember just as you would get a different type of wirerless connection, you will need a router to connect to that connection (basically a modem). You can not use a cable router on an adsl connection and vice versa. Some of the newer routers support both methods of connection.

Once you have your wireless router installed and ready to set up your connection, keep these tips in mind as they will save you a lot of hassle and misery.

- Try not to do your online banking on a wireless network, it makes it easier for criminals to get a hold of your account details by hacking into your wireless network.

- Always make your network as secure as possible, you do have the option to choose between 64 and 128 secure connections.

- Use a random name with letters in your connection name to not make it too personal and easy for hackers to identify your connection with your address.

Signal Problems:

A lot of people have complained about interference on their wireless network connection where they do not have a strong signal. You can avoid this by not placing the router too close to a microwave. Buy a phone with different frequency settings as they interfere a lot. A Bluetooth connection is a big no-no for wireless networks.

You can buy a signal repeater off Ebay or any other shop for a few pounds to enhance the signal. Or you could buy a better antennae, but before you do that, eliminate all the smaller issues first.