The world of wireless is making our communication options amazingly vast. We can now have computers networked and on the internet in almost any room of our offices and homes without stringing wires everywhere. We can now have PDA's that are connected to the internet wherever we walk. And, hotspots are showing up at coffee shops, bookstores, and other places all over the country. It's becoming an integrated communication universe!
This month's Tech Tip is about Wireless Routers for your home or office. The technology is becoming more and more efficient on a daily basis, and reaching farther and farther distances freeing up the need for wires. There are lots of options you can buy on the market from different companies to different versions. Some of the more well known companies are: Linksys®, D-Link®, and NetGear®. Each of these we have found provide a decent product and are fairly comparable to each other.
As to versions, the choices vary based on the distance and strength of the signal you wish to have. Usually distance is the prevailing factor that will guide your choice. There are two major formats: WiFi 802.11 and BlueTooth. In general, most of the routers on the market are WiFi so we are going to use this format to outline the options. WiFi is more prevalent in home and office routers, while the more powerful BlueTooth is more commonly used in PDA's and outdoor citywide situations.
Wireless 802.11 b: less than 100 ft, 2.5Mpbs to 4Mbps
Wireless 802.11 g: just over 100 ft, 54Mbps
Wireless 802.11 g (super/extreme): up to 300 ft, 108Mbps
Wireless 802.11 pre-n: over 350 ft, over 125Mpbs
In terms of setup, normally you need to hook up the new router, configure your computer to communicate with it, and then your external devices (like laptops...) need to have a wireless card that receives and transmits the signal back and forth with the router. Most of the routers come with detailed instructions on how to set it up, but we highly recommend you have a computer repair company install it for you so that you are setting it up correctly. If you don't secure your wireless network, then someone driving by your home or office could actually break into your computer system. So, having the proper security is an essential thing to have someone do for you.
