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Wireless
Internet Hub
The wireless router will be the
centerpiece of your wireless internet access setup. It will decide how far your
signal will reach, and how fast the connection will be. More advanced routers
will also have built-in wireless security and firewalls.
Wireless routers transmit a signal, much as a radio stations transmit radio
waves. In radio, you have different bands (e.g. AM or FM) and different
frequencies. |
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Wireless routers transmit in one of two different frequencies - 2.4GHz and
5.8GHz. Think of these as radio stations. But that's where the similarity with
radio ends, because wireless internet routers have another attribute - the speed
with which they transmit the signal. This speed is measured in
megabits-per-second (Mbps). To put this speed into context, dial-up internet
has 56 Kbps, or 0.056 Mbps. DSL has speeds up to 1.5 Mbps and cable goes as high
as 3½ Mbps. If you have a fast broadband connection
coming into your home, you want your wireless internet network to take full
advantage of this speed. There are currently three main protocols for wireless
internet routers, and one more coming soon.
- 802.11b - This is the most common band for wireless internet. It
transmits in the 2.4GHz band and transmits at a theoretical top speed of
11 Mbps. That's faster than the fastest broadband connection so your
wireless internet will be just as fast as if you were directly connected to
the modem. This signal can be transmitted as far as 300 feet, although
the speed at the periphery will be slower. Still, this makes a very good
option for home networking needs. Many b-routers are selling for $10 after
rebate.
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802.11a - These routers
transmit in the 5.8GHz frequency and have output rates as high as 54 Mbps,
or about 5 times as fast as 802.11b. The problem is that the higher 5.8GHz
frequency doesn't travel as far as that of 802.11b. Maximum distance is
usually only 60 feet or so and not good for wall penetration. This
protocol was mostly created for businesses and warehouses where they need
higher speeds not just for internet access, but also to speed up data
transmission between computers in the network. You will not find many home
wireless a-routers, because of the limited range.
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802.11g - This is the
newest protocol and is the best of both worlds, having the 54 Mbps
speed of 802.11a and the 300 ft range of 802.11b. It also transmits
in the 2.4GHz frequency. Using this router, you will have internet speeds as
fast as if directly connected and you will have enough speed to transfer
data between your computers very, VERY fast. You can do things like store a
movie on your main computer, and watch it wirelessly on your laptop. Some of
the newer g-routers transmit at speeds of 108 Mbps, but only under certain
conditions.
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802.11n - This is the
next connectivity technology, and will be available in late 2005 It is
supposed to offer speeds as fast as 300 Mbps and to further
distances. Some current g-routers say that they are pre-n, because they
intend to offer an upgrade when the n-standard is released. N-routers will
be very expensive and hoping that companies will follow through on their
upgrade promise makes this a bad decision at this time.
B-routers are being phased out, so
their price has dropped precipitously. However, G-routers are the best option
for those looking to setup wireless internet access at home. Bargains are
published often, and we list them in our Tech
Deals section when we find them.
Deciding which router technology to get is only half the story. Wireless
routers don't only send the signal to your computers, but everywhere
within a certain radius. You need to have a router which gives you an option to
have security so only you can connect. Or let's say you don't mind sharing your
internet connection with your neighbors, your router should at least prevent
your neighbors from accessing your personal files. This is accomplished with a
firewall, and most new routers have a built-in firewall. Make sure the
one you get has one.
One last point to be made about routers. Notice that the 2.4GHz frequency
that b- and g-routers use is the same as that used by many cordless phones on
the market. Some think there is a possibility of interference between the two.
No need to get into why interference should not be a big problem but you can do
a few things to limit the possibility. If you don't have a cordless phone yet
and are planning to get one, then get a 5.8GHz model. It is newer and is far
from the 2.4GHz of your router. If you already have a 2.4GHz phone, then just
place the base station far away from your wireless router. Ironically, if you
have an older cordless phone, it uses the 900MHz band and will not interfere,
but those phones have problems of their own.
Once you buy a wireless router and connect your modem to it, your internet
signal will float in the air waiting to be picked up. For your laptops to pick
it up, you'll need a wireless adapter. For other desktops to pick it up, they'll
need a wireless adapter. For a PDA to pick it up...you guessed it. We will next
learn about wireless adapters. |
