An Introduction To Wireless Broadband
Years ago, a wireless was a radio. Now, having a wireless doesn’t mean you sit around listening to a box and trying to imagine pictures. It means wireless internet.
One of the most popular and well known wireless technology standards is Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity), which allows users to access the internet over a wireless Local Area Network. The speed and range of Wi-Fi, however, is severely limited. There is another wireless connectivity standard, called WiMAX, which is considerably more advanced.
This is how it works. First, the broadband Internet connection is plugged into a wireless router - basically, a small, cheap computer that does nothing except acting as the hub of your network. You then fit wireless cards into each one of your computers, either by opening them up and putting it inside or by plugging it in using a cable (such as USB) or a port (like laptops’ PCMCIA).
When you fit these cards and turn your computer (and the router) on, Windows should pop up a box asking you which wireless network you want to connect to. Your router should create a network automatically, generally naming it after its manufacturer (’netgear’ or ‘linksys’, for example). All you need to do is choose this network, and you’re on the Internet.
Wireless broadband access is usually no slower than plugging the modem in directly, unless you have very cheap wireless equipment and a very fast Internet connection. It also gives you the added advantage that your computers will be networked together wirelessly, too - so you can easily make your folders shared and access them from any computer in your house using ‘My Network Places’.
Tags: Internet
