Wireless Intro - Wireless Concepts - Wireless Benefits - Wireless Limitations - Common Problems and Solutions

    We've all heard about wireless and its impact on today's society.  Wireless is a trendy "buzzword" that is easy to say, but ignores the underlying complexity of the technology.  When we talk about wireless here, we will be exclusively talking about wireless networking on Windows and Macintosh computers.  Most every laptop built today comes with built-in wireless connectivity.  Wireless was meant for portable, mobile laptop computers, but it can be used on desktop systems as well (although, as you'll see later, PC Buddies does not recommend this).

    A wireless network allows computers to connect to a network using radio frequencies.  Years ago, before wireless, to connect to a network you needed to be physically connected to it via patch cables or a dial-up account.  With wireless, if you're in range of a wireless hot-spot you can (in theory) connect to that network through the use of your wireless adapter and the local hot-spot.  Typically, your computer's wireless software notifies you of the presence of a wireless hot-spot.  Sometimes it notifies you very subtly, sometimes it's very obvious.  This depends on what software you use to control your wireless adapter and network connections.

    Once you detect the presence of a wireless network, you identify the network by its SSID, or name.  The name of the network allows you to know which network you're connecting to.  Once you identify the network you want to connect to you direct your wireless software to attempt to connect to it.  If the network is "secured" you'll be prompted for a "network key".  A "network Key" is simply an encryption code, or pass phrase that the owners of the hot spot have set to keep out unwanted users.

    Before wireless, networks were a lot more secure than they are now.  To connect to a network you had to physically connect to it.  With wireless, you simply need to have a wireless adapter and be in range of the access point (an access point is a device that broadcasts the network wirelessly.  With this convenience comes a huge security risk.  Now, anyone can connect to an improperly secured network simply by being in range of an access point.

    As strange as it may seem, if you ask any major software vendor the best way to secure a wireless network, they'd tell you flat out "Don't use a wireless network".  That's the easiest and most efficient way, but obviously it negates the convenience of wireless, so the next step is to enable and configure even a basic encryption for your network.  Some newer routers will do this for you at the pres of a button, but you should be aware of the different types of security\encryption and how to use it.