Wi-fi  Wireless Internet Made Simple
Author: Maxwell Z. Rubin

Just what is all this Wi-Fi wireless internet stuff they are
trying to confuse and torment me with?

It is actually quite simple, useful and most of all convenient.


All you probably want to do is to share your internet
connection throughout your home whether it be to other
computers or so that you can sit in your bedroom and wirelessly
surf the internet or send email. Perhaps as well you wish to
share files such as songs throughout the computers in your
house, apartment or condo.

Don't let them confuse with all this alphabet soup -  b , g , a
, 11 megabytes , 54 , 108.

To begin with most any of the systems are beyond overkill. All
will go faster than the even high speed broadband internet.
Most use the same frequency as the standard cordless phones
(2.4 GHz). . Be reassured the phones and the wireless internet
in most cases will co- exist and work well with each other.

The most common wireless setups wireless b and g use the
frequency most cordless phone use. G wireless internet is sort
of a faster b standard. What is important to know is that it is
all standardized. B will work with G and G products will work
with B. G is said to up to 5 times faster than B that is
assuming that you are relatively close.  G wireless is very
useful primarily if you are sharing large files between
computers. For ordinary browsing b wireless is still overkill
speed, faster as said than most broadband internet connections.
The usual stated range of these wireless products is 300 feet
indoors range and 1000 feet outside. The range is basically
line of sight. Heavy dense objects – primarily metal, metal
doors, metal foil insulation, heavy bricks and pipes and
objects such as furnaces, metal filing cabinets will block
reception to some degree. As well if the manufacturer makes
some ultra high speed claims remember that both the router and
wireless network adapters will have to be that brand and that
special computer networking hardware feature to work at those
high speeds and transmission rates.  Remember to that wireless
internet transmission speeds fall rapidly with distance.

Wireless internet is basically a radio setup with a transmitter
and receivers. The transmitter is a box that plugs into the
internet to share your internet connection. This is called a
"Router ". . Wireless routers are made by a number of
manufactures and the most widely known are the Linksys and
D-Link brands. All routers are fairly good now. Tech support
may be something to consider for setup ease. Routers are often
sold on sale at big box stores as a means of drawing customers
who already have at least one computer into their stores. It is
reasoned that if a customer wants to buy a router the odds are
good that he or she has more than one computer and once in the
store will make additional purchases .Perhaps they will be even
so fed up with the older computer as the kids have taken use of
the newer faster model that the customer will even buy a
additional new computer from the store.. The routers that you
will find on sale will most likely be the newer g standard
routers which will work with your B or G wireless network
adapters in your computers.


Secondly you will need a receiver to receive the wireless
internet signal at the computer end. You will have several
options depending on your setup. If your laptop is a newer
model then you may have a wireless "network adapter:" already
built into your laptop. If you have an older laptop you can
install a PCMCIA wireless network adapter into the credit card
sized slot on your laptop. If you have a desktop computer you
will have several options. If you have the abilities and are
allowed by your warranty to open your computer case then you
can install a standard PCI wireless card. The advantage of the
PCI cards is that they almost always work, are screwed in so
that they cannot be dislodged to stop working. The disadvantage
is that the antenna of the card is hidden behind the metal of
the computer case limiting reception.  Another option is USB
wireless adapters. Not only can the USB wireless adapter be
installed without opening the case but as well with a USB
extension cord the YSB network adapter can be lifted away from
the computer to a higher more open place.

Several points on setup to make your life easier. After all
networking is often called "Voodoo Science ". First if you are
buying both the wireless adapters as well as the router try to
buy the same brand, There will be easier setup , perhaps faster
speed and tech support will not be able to blame the other
vendor's product for setup issues. You can tell tech support
even after the return period of the store: "I guess the
products are defective and have to be replaced ". There will be
no issue of blaming the other vendor's product. Case closed.
Secondly most of the routers are setup by a "web based
interface ". Some will come with an install disc as wizard.
With others you will enter a web address usually 192.168.x.x
and a password. To enter this setup interface. The instructions
and passwords should be in either your instructional manual or
disc that came in the box with your router. If you have a
standard cable broadband account then just follow instructions
if you have a DSL type of broadband internet connection then
you will need the paper the phone company gave you with your
internet account name and setup password. The type of
connection that you set up in the router for DSL connections is
called "POPE" The connection internet connection password is
most likely different than your email password. This internet
connection password is of very little value to anyone else. If
you do not have this information phone your DSL provider tech
support.

Next install the wireless adapters. Windows XP has its own
wireless utility program installed. With previous versions of
windows (Windows 98, 2000 and ME) you will have to install the
utility program that the manufacturer provided on the install
disk.
Most of his install manuals have 2 different sets of
instructions – one for Windows XP, the other for the remaining
operating systems.

When you setup the router you will be given a choice of whether
to turn on the security features so that other people can drive
up in front of your house and freeload your internet signals.
It is anyone's choice whether they wish to use this feature or
not.
Believe me there will be no shortage of wireless internet
connections for those freeloaders – estimate is 60 %. You can
say to yourself if someone wants to waste gas to sit in front
of my home to download songs or whatever good for them . If you
wish to turn on the scrambling to sign onto your internet it
will be in the advanced wireless or wireless security section
of your router control panel. There are a number of choices.
Most common is a setup called "WEP" (Web Enabled Protection)...
This is available in a standard 64 bit or more secure 128 bit
WEP settings. 64 bit setup is easier. 128 bit has you enter a
long string of characters twice. Lots of fun with mistakes on
entering those digits correctly. The easier to use security
setup routines will allow an easy to use phrase code generator.
For example in the phrase code generator you enter the word
Badgerlinux. The number / character code will then be generated
that you must enter both the router and wireless adapter ends of
your system. WEP is considered by purists not as secure as a
newer system called WPA. Not all of the older hardware supports
WPA. You may look at it as – if someone in my area can break
into my WEP protected wireless system then that is the least of
my troubles.

Lastly the biggest problem with wireless internet networks in
neighbors. That is right neighbors.  It is estimated that 40 %
of wireless products are returned to big box stores. There are
12 available channels available in the wireless router
settings. For convenience and to aid setup most brands of
routers place the default channel of their routers as channel 6
right in the middle of the 12 channels available. It does not
take much a signal at all to confuse your wireless adapter. You
will see signal strength of your wireless route signal but you
will unable to get a solid internet connection.
Worse yet this phenomenon of no internet connection may be
sporadic. In many cases you will not be able to even spot the
culprit in your wireless configuration software.
Remarkably wireless internet signals can travel a fair distance
and may even appear to come out of nowhere. Worse yet the
interference may be on sporadic. And as said it does not take
much of a signal at all to leave you with no internet
connection.

The answer is simplicity itself. "Change the Channel ".  There
are 12 available channels in your router setup control panel.
The next 2 choices for wireless channel selection are at the 2
ends of the spectrum – channels 1 and 11. However it may simply
be a matter of trial and error.

Wireless internet is rather amazing, you can surf the world,
download songs, send email and transfer files conveniently at
high speed and at some distance away from your internet
connection. In addition you do not have to call or pay
electrician to string the internet network wiring in your home.
And if you wish to move the computers or even move just pickup
and make the move.

If in the end you are having troubles on setup do not feel
afraid to call tech support. Someone in India or the
Philippines will be more than happy to assist you. Remember in
the end you have the ultimate threat of all , that is to take
your new Wi-Fi wireless products back to your store of
purchase.


About The Author: Max Z. Rubin Agricultural Chemist Linux as
well as vintage computing http://www.vintagecomputermanuals.com
http://www.badgerlinux.net