| A network allows a single broadband
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| | If you already have a wireless network
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| account to be shared throughout the home.
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| | that uses 802.11a or 802.11b, two older
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| Unfortunately, such networking is
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| | standards, consider upgrading only if you
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| impractical with dial-up Internet
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| | find the range, speed, or reliability of
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| service--one of several reasons you might
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| | your network wanting.
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| want to consider broadband.
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| | At the other end of the spectrum are
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| WHAT'S AVAILABLE
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| | routers that use early variants of the
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| Home networking is getting a boost from
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| | latest Wi-Fi standard, 802.11n.
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| improvements in the range, speed, and
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| | Frequently referred to with terms such as
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| cost of wireless networks. If you own a
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| | "MIMO," "Super G," or "pre-n," such
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| laptop computer that has wireless
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| | models might not be compatible with the
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| capability, a wireless network now allows
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| | actual "n" standard, which is due in late
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| you to surf the Web at broadband speeds
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| | 2006. They also require that you buy
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| from most places in your house, yard, or
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| | matching networking adapters, even for
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| apartment. Leading brands of wireless
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| | computers with built-in 802.11g
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| routers include D-Link, Netgear, and
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| | capability.
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| Linksys. Wired networking is far from
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| | Consider one of these new routers only if
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| obsolete, however, since it still
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| | you have range problems that can't be
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| provides the most secure and reliable
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| | solved in other ways. In our tests, they
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| connections. Indeed, for many households
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| | were better at penetrating walls than
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| the best solution for sharing a broadband
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| | 802.11g routers, and some offered data
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| connection--or a printer, music files, or
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| | speeds that were twice as fast. But they
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| digital photos--among multiple computers
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| | were just as likely to interfere with (or
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| might be a network that includes both
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| | receive interference from) cordless
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| wired and wireless.
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| | phones and other devices.
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| Ethernet, or wired, networks. Wired
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| | Consider whether and how you'll share a
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| networks are very secure by themselves,
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| | printer. A network lets you avoid the
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| with no special security measures
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| | cost of putting a printer in every room
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| necessary. They are reliable, and usually
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| | by sharing one. To do this, you can use a
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| immune to interference. They offer the
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| | printer with built-in network capability.
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| fastest data transfer--up to 94 megabits
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| | It's possible to share a non-networked
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| per second for the common 10/100 type,
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| | printer by attaching it to the network
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| enough for virtually any data
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| | via a print server, a device that costs
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| application.
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| | $70 to $100 and is the size of a large
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| IMPORTANT FEATURES
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| | paperback. There may be issues of
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| One drawback is that you can't easily
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| | interference with some printer-management
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| move your computer around the home.
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| | software, however. Any PC connected to a
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| Routing cables throughout the home can be
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| | printer can also serve as a print server
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| a hassle or expensive. Price range: $50
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| | for the other computers on the network,
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| to $100 for one router and a cable to
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| | though you must leave that computer on
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| connect two fairly new computers. Also,
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| | when you're printing.
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| there might be additional costs for
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| | Consider networking issues for other
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| routing cable through the home. Wi-Fi,
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| | devices. An increasing number of devices
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| 802.11g (wireless). There are no cables
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| | that typically connect to a single
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| to connect or rout with a wireless
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| | computer--PDAs, printers, and video-game
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| network, and there are minimal
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| | consoles--are now Wi-Fi compatible. If
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| installation costs. Mobility is the
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| | you plan to connect any of them to your
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| key--the wireless network supplies
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| | network, make sure they're compatible
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| signals virtually anywhere around the
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| | with the network security you set up.
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| home. You will need to take additional
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| | Check whether you need to buy adapters.
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| steps in terms of security, without which
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| | Every computer on your network will
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| your data are vulnerable to hackers.
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| | require an adapter to allow it to
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| Thick walls can reduce signal strength,
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| | communicate with the network; the
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| which might vary in different areas of
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| | question is whether it already has one
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| the home or even within a room. Wi-Fi
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| | built in. If you're using Ethernet to
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| networks might interfere with cordless
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| | connect a computer bought within the past
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| phones, baby monitors, and other wireless
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| | three years or so, the adapter will most
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| devices. These networks are only 25
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| | likely be built into the unit. The same
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| percent as fast as Ethernet, but they're
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| | applies to recent-vintage laptops, which
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| still fine for typical networking uses,
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| | should have built-in 802.11g capability.
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| such as Web surfing and e-mail. Price
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| | If you need to buy a network adapter for
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| range: $200 or less for a router and
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| | your desktop, you can choose either an
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| client cards to allow two computers to
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| | internal PC-card version, which requires
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| use the network wirelessly
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| | opening the computer case for
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| HOW TO CHOOSE
| |
| | installation, or a USB version, which
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| Plan your network. You'll probably want
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| | plugs into a USB port. Laptops can use
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| to locate the router near the source of
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| | either a PCI-card or USB adapter. In all
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| your broadband service--usually a cable
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| | cases, the cost should be no more than
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| or DSL modem. The router and the modem
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| | $60.
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| will be connected by an Ethernet cable.
| |
| | Resist professional installation help.
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| But the connections between the router
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| | Computer retailers might try to sell you
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| and the computers in the network might be
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| | on professional installation for your new
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| either wired or wireless.
| |
| | network, starting at a cost of $150 or
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| Choose a wireless router. That is the
| |
| | so. But wiring aside, today's networks
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| official term for the models that support
| |
| | are so easy to set up that you shouldn't
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| both Ethernet and Wi-Fi. Even if you
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| | take them up on their offer if you're
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| don't need wireless capability now,
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| | comfortable with technology.
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| acquiring it costs little extra (perhaps
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| | Network gear usually comes with
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| $10 or so) compared with a wired model,
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| | instructions and access to free 24/7
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| and might spare your having to replace
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| | technical support. And you can always
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| the router if you want to add a wireless
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| | come back to the retailer for help in
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| device to it in the future.
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| | troubleshooting the network if necessary.
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| Stick with the 802.11g wireless standard.
| |
| | Shop by return policy. For all your best
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| Wi-Fi is continually evolving, with new
| |
| | efforts, the network equipment you've
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| standards designed to increase broadcast
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| | bought might not be compatible with your
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| range and speed, thus increasing the
| |
| | home. For example, your walls and floors
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| network's ability to handle new types of
| |
| | might be especially resistant to wireless
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| information. The name of the standard is
| |
| | transmission (which might be the case if
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| usually listed on the router's package,
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| | they have a lot of moisture, metal, or
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| as a letter suffix to the technical term
| |
| | other highly conductive material in
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| for Wi-Fi, which is 802.11. Currently the
| |
| | them). Before you buy, check the store's
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| most common standard is known as 802.11g.
| |
| | return policies. Consider a retailer with
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| We think it's the best choice for most
| |
| | a generous one.
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| people.
| |
| | Copyright © 2002-2006 Consumers Union of
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| The 802.11g networks we tested all had
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| | U.S., Inc.
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| sufficient range and speed to provide
| |
| | For the latest information on this and
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| coverage throughout most homes. The data
| |
| | many other products and services, visit
|
| speeds we measured fell short of the
| |
| | Find More
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| standard speed for 802.11g. But all
| |
| | Home networking with Easy Deal
|
| routers were much faster than the typical
| |
| | ShopNdeal.
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| speed of a broadband Internet connection.
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| |
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