| As far as I'm concerned, wireless networks would | | | | wireless. Wires are inconvenient, expensive, ugly |
| have to rank as one of the best inventions in | | | | and dangerous -- you'll be delighted to see the |
| history. They really are the best thing since sliced | | | | back of them.The average Ethernet wire doesn't |
| bread. I mean, really, bread is easy enough to cut | | | | cost that much per metre, but once you've |
| yourself, but have you ever tried to wire up a | | | | bought enough metres to do whatever you need |
| network? Its a lot of hard yakka as many would | | | | to do, well, it tends to add up quickly. Not only |
| say. WiFi is the wireless way to handle | | | | that, but if you want to run your wire between |
| networking. It is also known as 802.11 networking | | | | rooms or floors, you have to knock holes in the |
| and wireless networking. The big advantage of | | | | walls -- which might not even be allowed if you're |
| WiFi is its simplicity. You can connect computers | | | | renting. I know plenty of people in rented |
| anywhere in your home or office without the | | | | apartments who had to keep their network |
| need for wires. The computers connect to the | | | | confined to one room until they went wireless. |
| network using radio signals, and computers can be | | | | With wireless networking, well, you can even take |
| up to 100 feet or so apart. So, in the spirit of | | | | your computer outside, if you want to!No more |
| spreading the word, I'm going to give you some | | | | wires also means no more spaghetti all over the |
| great reasons why you need a wireless | | | | floor and in the corners. Not only does this |
| network.Sharing Internet Access.Wireless | | | | improve the safety of your home, as it's all too |
| networking gives you a cheap and easy way to | | | | easy to trip over exposed wires, but it also |
| share one Internet connection between multiple | | | | means that you don't have to go to all the trouble |
| computers, eliminating the need for more than | | | | of packing all the wires up and re-connecting them |
| one modem. You can even add new computers | | | | at the other end when you move. It also means |
| to your network simply by plugging in a wireless | | | | that you don't have to examine every wire for |
| card and switching them on -- they get an | | | | damage if your Internet connection breaks |
| Internet connection straightaway! There aren't | | | | down.Play LAN and Internet Games.You might |
| many wired networks that can say that.Sharing | | | | have seen an option in your favourite game to |
| Files and Printers.A wireless network gives you | | | | play over a LAN. Well, wireless networks are |
| access to your files wherever you are in your | | | | LANs, which means that your whole family can |
| home, and makes it easy to synchronise the data | | | | play that game together -- without needing the |
| on a laptop with a home computer. It is much | | | | computers to be anywhere near each other. It's |
| easier to send files between computers with a | | | | far more fun to play against real people you |
| wireless network than it is to send them by email, | | | | know than to play against random people over |
| or even by burning them to a CD.Plus, with the | | | | the Internet, not to mention that the game will |
| printer connected, you can also write things | | | | work much faster. You could even invite your |
| wherever you want, press print, and go and | | | | friends to bring their computers and join in -- a |
| collect them from a printer connected to another | | | | 'LAN party'!An added benefit is that wireless |
| computer -- printers that are plugged into one of | | | | equipment lets you easily connect any games |
| the computers on the network are shared | | | | consoles you or your kids might have to the |
| between all the computers automatically.Always | | | | Internet, and start playing online. It's far easier to |
| On ConnectionA big factor in the spread of | | | | play online with a wirelessly connected Xbox or |
| broadband was that it let Internet connections be | | | | PlayStation 2 than to have to connect it to your |
| always-on, without needing to dial in. Well, wireless | | | | modem every time.Convinced Yet?If you're |
| networking lets network connections be | | | | excited, then that's great -- keep reading these |
| always-on, meaning that any of your computers | | | | articles for advice on how to set everything up. If |
| can connect to the Internet whenever you want! | | | | you don't think it's for you yet, well, don't give up |
| You can take laptops from room to room, and it | | | | on it -- I'm sure you'll come round when you |
| doesn't matter -- they'll always have access. Plus, | | | | realise just how easy and cheap wireless really |
| there's not even any need to set up a username | | | | is.Information supplied and written by Lee Asher |
| and password system, as wireless networks | | | | of |
| work without logging in. It's just so convenient!No | | | | CyberTech SoftShop |
| More Wires.This, of course, is the biggest reason | | | | Suppliers of the DeadEasy Ebook Maker and |
| why you should switch your network over to | | | | Publishing Wizard. |