Wireless networks for beginners.
For some the idea of setting up a wireless network is a daunting task. Secured, unsecured, g, b, a, what does it all mean? How far will it go? How fast is it? These are all valid questions and the answers aren't too difficult to understand, so to start with this narrative will focus on the basic idea of wireless computing.
As so far as home computing, networking had not legitimately been an affordable option. The last ten years has moderately witnessed the technology that allows us to associate computers together come to be ready at uncostly cost. Soon everybody was sharing a printer at home and had more than one computer associated to their home internet connection.
Sending facts wirelessly over the air is not new, we have been watching Tv and listening to radio for more than 50 years, this medium sends facts via radio waves and your radio or Tv set decodes the signal back into something that we recognise as sound or pictures.
Mobile phones have been sending data over the packet radio assistance (Gprs) long before we started to see wireless routers. As with anything where there is a uncostly ask the technology soon follows, of procedure where possible. Networking computers using cables is fine but there are occasions when it would be highly high-priced to run cables. That cost rises even more if you need to associate two physically detach buildings.
The coming of wireless computing tool solved a lot of issues for example, providing internet way to computers in a listed building where you are naturally not allowed to drill though walls in order to feed cables to the next room or even across two buildings.
The cost of wireless is now comparatively uncostly when compared to cables and legitimately easier to set up. Now we can send data colse to our home using a wireless connection. You may have heard of the wireless that your computer or laptop and now even some mobiles use as Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi 802.11. The 802.11 comes from the Ieee. The Ieee set standards for technological protocols covering more than just It.
So now that we know that 802.11 is the identification for wireless what about the letters?
b -: The slowest connection. Transmits at 2.4 Ghz and can deal with 11 megabits.
g-: Transmits on the same frequency as b, but it uses a different formula to encode the signal and can accomplish up to 54 megabits, though in reality because of network congestion it only manages about 20-26 megabits of data throughput.
a -: a can send up to 54 megabits and transmits at 5 Ghz. A uses the same encoding as g.
There are other standards that will be covered in an additional one article.
Connecting to a wireless router.
Connecting a computer or gadget to a wireless way point or wireless router is easier than you might think. You only need a few pieces of facts and you're done.
You need the Ssid.
Security Key (if set, and you should set one)
Wireless compatible network card or usb adaptor if it is not already built into your system.
The Chanel Number
About 10 minutes.
Most wireless products come with software that will commence a wizard that will help you to associate to your wireless router.**
However here is the basic process explained. For this we are assuming that your computer has a wireless gadget installed and is using windows Xp assistance pack 2. The wireless router when you purchase is ordinarily set on channel 6 and the Ssid (service set identifier) is ordinarily the make of the wireless router. For example Netgear or Linksys. It is a good idea to turn this. I would not propose changing it to one that gives away your house name as any one that lives within range will then know that you are using a wireless connection. Doing this also helps you to identify your wireless network from others.
When using the windows wireless connection process it is straightforward to get connected. You need to make sure that windows is set as the default for wireless connections. If you have software for wireless connectivity that came with your system or wireless card or usb key, use that.
To check that windows is the default: *(Only for use if you are not using third party software)
1.Click start then left click on run and type services.msc.
2. In the services window scroll down to Wireless Zero Configuration.
3. Ensure that it is started and set to automatic. Once this is done you can close down the window.
Now to get connected.
1. Go to control panel and open network connections.
2. In the network connections window you will see a list of network devices.
3. Right click on your wireless connection and take view ready wireless networks. (It will also display the type of safety the network uses)
4. You will see a list of wireless networks; you should see your network. (This is the Ssid so if you changed it will be what ever you changed it to)
5. Left click on your network and then click on the associate button.
6. You will now be prompted for your network key. This is the safety key for your network *** enter it here.
Your network should now say connected.
***Security***
There are different types of wireless security. Here is a brief explanation.
Wep = wired equivalent privacy. This was once the accepted for wireless safety but it easy to find software that can hack Wep.
Wpa = Wi-Fi protected access. This is more acquire than Wep and uses (Tkip) temporal Key Interchange protocol to encode the passphrase that you use to associate to the wireless network. You should use this instead of Wep.
Mac = Media way Code. Every network gadget has a unique corporeal address, referred to as the Mac address. You can set the wireless router to allow or disallow safe bet mac addresses. A mac address could be copied by a hacker that knows what they are doing.
This concludes the basic wireless guide. For further reading look for the intermediate wireless article.
Quick Guide to Wireless