Here is an article I wrote for a company when I was a freelance writer.
thought some of you would like to read up on wireless.
Want to go Wireless?
Seems like everyone these days are loosing the line for more mobility. Like the advancements in phone technology (cell phones), computers have done the same. Well I’m here to tell you all the good points and bad points about going Wireless.
What’s right for me?
Wireless comes in a couple different speeds 802.11b running at 11 Mbps (Mega bits per second), and 802.11g running at 54 Mbps. Now depending on how much traffic is on your personal network meaning “how much transferring of data between your computers within your network”, will be the decision factor in what you should get. If you only have one computer or laptop and wish to be anywhere in the house and get connected then 802.11b would work just fine. If you are the person that thinks they work for Microsoft and need that extra few Mega bits pushed thru then go with the 802.11g, but realize you are going to pay a lot more for that little extra transfer rate. Won’t having a G Wireless network get you faster transfer speeds over the internet? No, the internet runs any where from 56 Kbps to 266 Kbps depending if you have dial-up or cable, and we all know that a Kbps is much smaller than a Mbps. So unless you have fiber optic cable running strait into your home, running with a B WIFI will be fast enough for that gamer in the family.
How do I secure my WIFI from Hackers?
Well if you know how to read a manual then you are on a good start towards securing your WIFI connection. Normally when you secure your WIFI you need to do this from inside the Access Point and this can be achieved by typing in the IP address of the Access Point. Normally the IP will be 192.168.1.1 and you should get a log in box pop up. Check your manual for the correct default password and user name. Once you are in you should see a tab up above that says security, click on this. In the security tab, you can choose to secure your WIFI using encryption. The higher the number encryption level the more secure your WIFI will be. The encryption you choose will also need a key that you can specify, type in a key that you will be able to remember or you are going to be up some creek with out the paddle. This key will be needed when you go to connect your computer to the Access Point later. I also strongly suggest you also change your default password and user name also in the Access Point so that Hackers don’t go in and change the setting. Once you have all this set and you spent some time looking around your Access Point now you are secure and your computer will tell you this much when it asks you for that Encryption Key you made earlier.
Why can’t my computer connect in my bedroom?
Their could be several different reasons to this problem. One, your to far away from the Access Point and cant pick up the signal. Two, you may have a interference problem caused by EMI or RFI so move your Access Point away from any power cords, lights, radios, microwaves, or anything else that could cause interference. You may not know this but brick walls can also interfere with your Wireless connection. My best suggestion is to place the Access Point in the middle of the home, so that the signal can make it to all areas of the house.
How can a Hacker find my Wireless?
With a good old soup can and a free software tool (that I will not name here) and the information on how to build a cantenna (www.cantenna.com) is all you need to sniff out that wireless signal, and if you weren’t smart enough to secure your Access Point then you’re in for a treat. This type of Hacking is called War Driving; having first hand experience in War Driving, I can tell you that it is very effective at finding Wireless connections. But let’s not be too paranoid over Hackers and wireless for if you follow my guide you should be somewhat safe. I say somewhat because even the best encryption can stop a determined hacker.
