Don't know your WEP from your WPA ? Wondering what the fuss around 802.11n is all about ? Don't know which cards to get to talk to your base station ? Hopefully this article will help.
Wireless networking in theory is very simple. You buy a wireless Broadband router and your lapop will not need to be plugged-in when you want to surf the Internet. There are a few tech terms that abound though and a couple of common tripping hazards. Let's do the tripping hazard bit first:
Modems and Routers
When you buy Broadband from your chosen provider, they may give you a free USB modem to get you onto the Internet. It will work using a little bit of software on your desktop and it will generally work well. Note however that you are not using a NETWORK connection. You are using USB, the same thing that plugs in your iPod, printer and possibly your gamepad or mouse.
If you goto PC World and pick the first, cheap Broadband wireless router you see it will not work. Why ? becasue it will have some network ports but nothing USB. You will not be able to plug your modem into the router. Bugger.
You need to do this one of two ways:
- Ensure your broadband provider gives you a proper router with a networking (Ethernet or "RJ45") port
- or buy a complete modem and router and wireless device.
My advice to you is to do the latter because you will have one box with twinkly lights and if it stops working it will be because of the box with twinkly lights. Keep it simple unless you like playing guessing games.
Techno Terminology
This site is not wikipedia but here are the common things you will be reading on the side of the boxes in PC world and what they mean:
802.11b – Slow/old wireless technolgy. Don't buy it
802.11a – the BETAMX of the wireless world.
802.11g – A nice, reliable 54mbps of wireless access. More than enough for most people
802.11n – The future, but not standardised so it may be a bumpy road.
RangeMax/SuperG – Terms used to describe proprietary technology to boost the speed
MIMO – (Multiple-In, Multiple-Out), As system to solve wireless dead-spot areas in the home. Part of 802.11n
Belkin – This equipment will drive you to tears and then melt
Linksys – Reliable but maybe a bit more expensive than some other options
Centrino – A marketing pitch by Intel. Nice to have but not at all essential. In theory makes things easier for you.
Netgear – Trusted provider of home networking equipment.
WEP – A security standard. Good enough for most people but not unbreakable.
WPA – Solid security but not supported by every device.
SSID – The identifier of your wireless network as opposed to your neighbour's one.
DHCP – Technology that means you don't have to worry about IP addresses and stuff like that.
What to Buy
I have at home a Linksys WRT54G device because I have a proper ADSL router (from Zyxel) and I know how to make them behave. You should not buy this though.
Buy something from linksys that starts WAG in the title and you will get an all-in-one device. The WAG54GS will set you back about £50 and you'll never have a problem with it.
For fans of Netgear, you should grab a DG834GT off the shelves.
Matching Up
If your laptop has a built-in wireless network card, you can run at the speeds set by the standards. For 802.11g in the devices mentioned above, that means 54Mbps and below. However, if you need to buy a network card for your laptop or desktop/tower PC, ensure you buy a card from the same supplier as the router. If budget stretches, buy the one that supports the same "RangeMax" or "SuperG" extensions so that you get the best wireless possible.
For example, Linksys do the WMP54G which is £15 worth of network card but by spending £40, you get WMP54GS which can be 35% faster. But at more than double the cost you have to ask yourself how much that means to you.
Netgear lovers, choose between the WG311 and the WG311T with a similar price and speed differential.
Setup
If the vendor has done their job properly and you are using Windows XP SP2 or Vista, all you need do is drop the card into the PC and Windows will see the wirless router and allow you to run setup. On older versions of Windows and with equipment like the stuff Belkin provides, you cannot use the Windows wireless networking tools (Control Panel, Network Connections) but instead have to use a little program with a garish interface to configure everyhting. Try using Windows first. Pop the CD in if you get nowhere.
Wieless routers are generally easy to setup by plugging a laptop into the network port, configuring everything using a web-browser and then firing up the wireless afterwards. If you don't have a computer with a wired network port, you can save a lot of time by taking the router to somebody that does.
Security
During setup you will be asked about security. You MUST use it. Do not leave it open or anybody can crawl around your network and more importantly can use your Broadband connection for their own purposes. Use WEP for simplicity or WPA if all your equipment supports it.
Don't forget to write-down the following information:
- Your SSID
- Your WEP Key
- Your admin password (don't leave it as the default – that is asking for trouble)
The Future
802.11n will eventually be ratified and settle down. When we all have HD TVs and want to stream Rocky XXVI from our media server to the living room, we will need this kind of technology. Or we might just skip the wireless thing altogether and go for Powerline networking.
As more things use the spectrum (bluetooth, WiMax, Microwave ovens, kid's toys), wireless networking may very well become less reliable and force us to actually wire-up our houses. For those concerned with radio waves and health effects, this is the preferred option.
Me? Well the server you read this from sits in a shed (yes, a shed) connected using a linksys WMP54G 802.11g wirelss network card to a linksys WRT54G which is wired via a couple of switches to my firewall and router. My laptop, the living room "Lego Star Wars II machine" and Julie's Nabaztag are the only other wireless users thanks to good old WEP.
But you don't need to make it anywhere near as difficult for yourselves as that.
Enjoy
