Why have a Wireless Network?
By using a wireless network, you can share your Internet connection between computers that are not in the same room, without running wires from one room to another or from one end of the house to another.
Wireless Networking Flavors
* 802.11b – 11 Mbit/second, the original “consumer” wireless. This is the most common variety.
* 802.11a – 11 Mbit/second, but on a different frequency for better penetration of walls.
* 802.11g – 54 Mbit/second, compatible with 802.11b, but one person with a “b” card can slow entire network
Wireless Networking – Distances
The nominal maximum distance for 802.11b (the 11 megabit/second version) is 100’ indoors. In practice, this is a function of where you place the router, how many walls & how much glass the signal has to go through, metal window frames and ductwork between the router and the wireless client and whether you’re using the default antennas or optional hi-power versions. If you want to maximize the distance, you should place the router on a high shelf or in another high position.
However, a directional antenna can change all that — a 21 dB Yagi directional antenna can give a usable distance of 14 kilometers. Also, there are simple fabrication directions on the Internet. In other words, distance from you neighbor isn’t enough.
The Hook-Up
Getting your wireless network set up is often not much more difficult than setting up a wired network. The easiest and best approach is to have Windows XP (either Home or Professional, but I prefer Professional) on the computer(s). Windows XP is much more robust on networking than any earlier version of Windows. XP handles many updates and changes without requiring reboots, also.
Continue reading Wireless Networking
