| More and more people want internet access at | | | | unauthorized persons from accessing your |
| home, and accordingly the number of computers | | | | network, by setting a password for access. Not |
| in the home requiring an internet connection is | | | | only will this help to prevent strangers from |
| increasing. But who wants cables running all over | | | | seeing the contents of your hard drive, it will |
| their home? Cable modem wireless routers allow | | | | ensure that you do not pay for bandwidth being |
| multiple computers in the home to connect to the | | | | used by an unauthorized person. |
| internet without mess or fuss, and without the | | | | Where should I install the device? |
| danger of tripping over a multitude of cords. | | | | If you live in an apartment or condo or a small |
| These devices provide fast and reliable access to | | | | house, it may not matter where you install the |
| the internet for multiple machines through a single | | | | cable modem wireless router. Signal strength |
| modem. Laptop users can work from any room | | | | drops a certain distance from the router, this |
| in the house, moving from room to room as they | | | | distance depending on what physical obstacles |
| wish without being restricted by the location of | | | | exist between the location of the router and the |
| Ethernet ports or the length of cables. | | | | location of the computer trying to access the |
| How does it work? | | | | internet. Therefore if your home is large enough |
| Any good quality cable modem wireless router is | | | | for this to be a factor, it makes send to install |
| designed with the technology to transfer small | | | | the router in a central location, ensuring that all |
| packets of data from any computer in a network | | | | areas of your home are equally covered. If you |
| to any other computer connected to that same | | | | only tend to access the internet in certain areas |
| network. One computer in the network is directly | | | | of the home, place your router in the center of |
| connected to the internet via a modem, and this | | | | those areas rather than the center of the home. |
| computer acts as a host. Other computers, or in | | | | Test the signal strength by carrying a laptop |
| fact any device with Wi-Fi capability, can be linked | | | | around your home and watching to see if the |
| to the network wirelessly to access the internet | | | | signal drops off. If it does, reposition the router, |
| via the host computer. | | | | or buy an additional hub to plug into a wall socket |
| Speed of data transmission varies between cable | | | | and improve signal coverage. |
| modem wireless routers, and this affects their | | | | Other uses |
| performance considerably. As a result, you should | | | | Of course, most wireless routers are intended for |
| choose the fastest router you can. Bear in mind | | | | accessing the internet easily in all parts of the |
| also, that not all routers are compatible with all | | | | home. However, they can also serve other |
| operating systems, so note which operating | | | | purposes. Any computer connected to your |
| systems are run on the computers that will need | | | | network can make its files accessible to any |
| to access the network, and make sure there is | | | | other computer in the network, enabling fast and |
| compatibility. If all computers are PCs, or all are | | | | easy file-sharing, hardware backup, and archive |
| Macs, this will simplify things for you because not | | | | updating. One library of entertainment (such as |
| all routers are compatible with both Windows and | | | | music, movies and television shows) can serve |
| Apple operating systems. Ease of installation also | | | | for all computers connected to the network. And |
| varies; if you are not an IT expert you may wish | | | | finally, you can connect printers, fax machines and |
| to choose a router with an easy set-up. Most | | | | scanners to your network, allowing all computers |
| have 'wizard' programs which simplify the steps | | | | on the network to wirelessly print or fax or scan |
| for you. Finally, remember to prevent | | | | from anywhere in the house. |