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A wireless network is a very flexible technology enables you to connect multiple devices, such as PCs, entertainment centres, gaming consoles and security cameras to each other and in multiple locations in your home. The term wireless networking refers to technology that enables two or more computers to communicate without network cabling. Strictly speaking, any technology that does this could be called wireless networking. However, it is critical that wireless networking devices should all comply with the same standard, so they can communicate with each other. The development of the cross-vendor industry standard known as 802.11 has enabled manufacturers to produce a number of affordable wireless solutions that are growing in popularity for use in homes, businesses and schools as well as sophisticated applications where network wiring is impossible, such as in warehousing or point-of-sale hand-held equipment. Is there more than one type of wireless network? There are two kinds of wireless networks: a. An ad-hoc or peer-to-peer wireless network consists of a number of computers each equipped with a wireless networking interface card. Each computer can communicate directly with all of the other wireless enabled computers. They can share files and printers this way, but may not be able to access wired LAN (Local Area Network) resources, unless one of the computers acts as a bridge to the wired LAN using special software. (This is called "bridging"). b. A wireless network can also use an access point, or base station. In this type of network the access point acts like a hub, providing connectivity for the wireless computers and other devices. It can also connect (or "bridge") the wireless LAN to a wired LAN, allowing wireless computer access to LAN resources, such as file servers or existing Internet Connectivity. This type of wireless network is easier to set up, because the base station or ‘router’ controls the network and the transmitter is much more powerful. Many wireless routers also allow you to connect wired devices such as a VoIP telephone adapter, a network printer, or another PC located in the same room What is 802.11? Wireless networking hardware requires the use of underlying technology that deals with radio frequencies as well as data transmission. The most widely used standard is 802.11 produced by the What is MiMo? Multiple-input and multiple-output or MIMO is the use of multiple antennas at both the transmitter and receiver to improve communication performance. MIMO technology offers significant increases in data throughput and link range without additional bandwidth or transmit power. It achieves this by higher spectral efficiency (more bits per second per hertz of bandwidth) and link reliability or diversity (reduced fading). In other words, MiMo technology offers higher bandwidth for the transmission of data and had better penetration over distance and around obstacles. If you want to transmit high volumes of data such as video over a network or you need to install a wireless network in a difficult location, this is the technology for you. Can I mix wireless equipment from different manufacturers? Because most wireless networking hardware vendors support the 802.11, standard they can inter operate, but setup is often easier if you stick with one vendor. If my computer is connected to a wireless LAN, can it communicate with computers on a wired LAN as well? Yes, but you will need some sort of bridge between the wireless and wired network, such as a wireless router with wired network ports. What is the range of a wireless network? Each access point has a finite range within which a wireless connection can be maintained between the client computer and the access point. The actual distance varies depending upon the operating environment. Rather like a mobile phone, there will be dead spots in any location where the radio waves are distorted by environmental features. However, a range expander device will usually fix the problem. Also it should be noted that when operating at the limits of range the performance may drop, as the quality of connection deteriorates and the system compensates. Typical indoor ranges are 150-300 feet, but can be shorter if the building construction interferes with radio transmissions. Longer ranges are possible, but performance will degrade with distance. Outdoor ranges are quoted up to 1000 feet, but again this depends upon the environment. Again, range expanders can be used to extend the basic operating range of a Wireless network. How many wireless networked computers can use a single access point? This depends upon the manufacturer. Some hardware access points have a recommended limit of 10, with other more expensive access points supporting up to 100 wireless connections. Using more computers than recommended will cause performance and reliability to suffer. Can I have more than one access point? Yes, multiple access points can be connected to a wired LAN, or sometimes even to a second wireless LAN if the access point supports this. In most cases, separate access points are interconnected via a wired LAN, providing wireless connectivity in specific areas such as offices or classrooms, but connected to a main wired LAN for access to network resources, such as file servers. If a single area is too large to be covered by a single access point, then multiple access points or extension points can be used. Can I use a wireless network to interconnect two LANs? Yes. Wireless networking offers a cost-effective solution to users with difficult physical installations such as campuses, hospitals or businesses with more than one location in immediate proximity but separated by public thoroughfare. This type of installation requires two access points. Each access point acts as a bridge or router connecting its own LAN to the wireless connection. The wireless connection allows the two access points to communicate with each other, and therefore interconnect the two LAN's. What about security? To protect against any potential security issues, 802.11 wireless communications have two forms of encryption, WEP and WPA. These provide privacy comparable to that of a traditional wired network. The WPA is the most secure as it can be set to periodically generate a new security algorithm - for example, every 30 minutes. In addition, each network device has a unique ID code called a mac address. Most wireless routers can be configured so that they only allow devices with a specified mac address to connect to the network. It is also possible to operate the wireless network in ‘stealth mode’ by turning off the ‘Station Set Identifier’ (SSID) that is broadcast by the base station to enable you to identify a network. The combination of these 3 security features makes a wireless network just as secure as a wired network. Can I use a wireless network to share an Internet connection? Yes. Does it need an expert to install a wireless network? If you know about computers and networking, a wireless network is not too difficult to set up and it can be a lot of fun. Otherwise, it is best left to an expert. Expect to pay around $99 labour charge if you also buy the equipment from the same technician doing the installation. If you buy your own equipment, then $99 is about the going rate for a good quality wireless router. What is the best brand of wireless networking equipment? Price tends to be a good indication of quality. I have found that most devices will work well enough, but the cheaper brands tend to be less easy to set up. My personal preference is for Linksys equipment as it is manufactured by Cisco Systems, the biggest manufacturer of network systems equipment in the world. Conclusion A wireless network enables you to share data between connected devices and they can all share the same Broadband Internet service over one secure network. You can surf the Internet using your laptop from any location in the home and even out in the garden. You can use your computer as a wireless TV and radio station, streaming sound and video to your entertainment system using a wireless media adapter. There is even a wireless radio device that you can plug into any location in the home and receive music from your computer using a wireless network.
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