Just how do we go about connecting to the internet wirelessly? A  wireless networking wifi network needs to have two components A Wireless Router/Modem to share the internet connection A suitable Wireless card in your laptop or desktop Just about every new laptop has a wireless card built in, (the actual type is the mini PCI)

But what if you have an older laptop that does not have a  wireless networking wifi network card built in? don't despair there are a number of options available to make most laptops wireless. The best choice is the mini pci or internal  wireless networking wifi card, the biggest advantage about this type of card is that it is installed internally, no obtrusive aerial or anything else sticking out, check online or contact us to find out if you laptop will take one of these type of card.

Next we have the USB wifi card known as a dongle, it looks the same as a pen drive or memory stick, and out of all network cards is perhaps the easiest to install, just install the software plug in the USB wifi card and your ready to connect to your network, the downsides of this type of network card are, it sticks out and can be easy to knock, it also has to be removed when you want to travel with the laptop. Lastly we have the PCMCIA wireless network card, although PCMCIA ports are becoming somewhat redundant just about every laptop has one of two of these long horizontal ports and if your short of USB ports this could be just what your looking for, perhaps not as obtrusive as the USB type, it still needs to be removed when travelling with your laptop though. Due to the amount of  wireless networking wifi network cards on the market the prices have come down a lot over the past year and now decent wifi cards can be purchased for as little as £15, by decent I mean either a 54g or 54mpbs type of card, rather than the much slower 802.11b type of cards.

Installing

When installing a wireless network card, ensure that you read the documentation prior to installing, most cards need to have the software installed before the card is connected or plugged in, otherwise the software drivers may fail to load properly, giving configuration issues. Now your ready to connect, you should see a popup on the bottom of the screen when a wireless network is in range of the card, click on the popup and you'll be able enter your pass code (if you have one) to connect to your wireless network.

Notes

Only use wireless networks your familiar with, especially if you need to disclose credit card details for any reason. If you setup your own wireless network you must ensure that you implement some form of security, if your router is no protected, it could be a gateway onto any devices connected to you router wireless or not computer-adviser the free online technical resource

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Wi-Fi was probably one of the most revolutionary transitions in modern times. Before the advent of Wi-Fi or wireless computing technology, users were tethered to their desks, routing everything through a LAN line and restricted in where they used their faster and more powerful computing technology by how long their cables were. Wi-Fi changed all that. Suddenly, you had a mobile network that allowed people the freedom to roam and still connect to the Internet and their emails.

 

 

 

A sociological transformation

It is easy to underestimate the impact of wireless computer. It has become a common sight to see cafés full of people all connected up to a server, yet not a cable in sight. An entire business has grown up around a wireless computer - the Internet cafe - that lets anyone, for a small charge, piggyback the establishment's Wi-Fi connection and surf to their hearts content. It is even possible to connect wirelessly using a mobile phone - a situation that would have been unthinkable 25 years ago when you were lucky if you could connect to another phone number using the first mobile 'bricks', let along the fledgling Internet.

It has released the constraints of an old system of doing business. But how does wireless computer actually work?

There are two types of what has become known as 'wireless' Internet - either connection through a router (your standard Wi-Fi) or through the mobile phone network. Wireless routers are the most common form of land based system, and are fundamentally a small connection box that allows a signal to be shared between several computers. Basically, computers 'tap in' to the signal, which can be made even easier by adding a wireless interface card. These usually come as standard with most new laptops, but can be bought as a separate add-on. USB routers and dongles also give anyone the power to be able to tap into any wireless signal, creating their own 'access points' through which the computer can send and receive network data.

Another key component of wireless computer is the actual hardware itself, namely the laptop. There is some contention as to who actually invented the concept of the laptop, but most cite Adam Osborne as the originator of the modern day laptop in 1981, although the 'clam-shell' design was attributed to William Moggridge and developed for GRiD Systems Corporation in 1979. It is difficult now to imagine life without laptops, yet it has only been a little over 30 years since their original conception. But probably the biggest influence on wireless computing was the development of WAP for mobile phones, allowing anyone to connect to the Internet using their mobile phone technology. Today, we feel short-changed if our mobile phone can't connect to the Internet on demand, 24/7.

What future for wireless computing?

The question of wireless computing's future is uncertain. Many believe that wireless computer has reached its full potential - we now have almost universal coverage thanks to a global satellite system creating a web across the world with very few 'blind spots'. Smart phones are feature-rich and future-proofed to a certain extent, and laptops are smaller, lighter and more processor powerful than ever. The only area that can really see any form of development to enhance wireless computing is in the field of battery-life. The most up to date laptops and Netbooks can achieve up to nine hours on one battery, but after that you are still forced to tether up to a power source to keep your laptop running - hardly a 'wireless' situation by any stretch of the imagination. So for wireless computing to move to a new level and give us true autonomy and control about where and when we use our computers, manufacturers have to address the knotty problem of that infuriating 'low battery' symbol. Perhaps then we'll have truly wireless computing on the go.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alison_Brundle

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USB Wifi Adapter - Enhance Wireless Signals 

A USB Wifi Adapter is a hotspot finder. Featuring wireless technology, this wireless networking solution has been designed for both large and small businesses, and it is scalable so that you can easily add more users and new network features depending on your business scale. It can deliver the bandwidth necessary for real-time streaming of high-definition digital multimedia content in home networks, and provide high-speed email, web and LAN access to multiple mobile users in corporate environments or publicwifi adapter hotspots. Other than PC, our adapter can be easily installed on Mac OS-X and Linux. It has fully support of drivers.

Blueunplugged USB Adapter 802.11g solution is the innovative design of wireless chipset. The Adapter draws its power from the USB port and does not need an external power supply. Transfer data as speeds of up to 54Mbps. Improved error correction keeps the Adapter operating at the higher transmission rates for long distances.The Blueunplugged WiFI 54Mbps USB adapter is a compact design and hot swappable giving flexibility and tremendous advantages for desktop and notebook users. When you want to join a WiFI network, install the wifi adapter on the fly no need to reboot.

Wi-Fi was intended to be used for mobile devices and LANs, but is now often used for Internet access. It enables a person with a wireless-enabled computer or personal digital assistant (PDA) to connect to the Internet when in proximity of an access point. It offer WiFi solutions for PC's, laptops, and mobile phones, from leading brands such as Netgear, Kensington, D-Link and Belkin. Wi-Fi (or Wi-fi, WiFi, Wifi, wifi), short for "Wireless Fidelity", is a set of product compatibility standards for wireless local area networks (WLAN) based on the IEEE 802.11 specifications. New standards such as 802.16(WiMAX), are currently in the works and offer many enhancements, anywhere from longer range to greater transfer speeds.

High-level hardware-based 64-bit and 128-bit WEP Encryption gives you secure data communication and shields your network from any wireless intruders at no sacrifice to performance. Also, there are advanced security features such as Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA), WPA-PSK and 802.1x support included. Pre-configured to work with Actiontec wireless products or connect to other devices that support the 802.11g or 802.11b standards.

Some information which you may need to provide during driver installation are your wireless client name, your wireless SSID, your computer's unique client name and workgroup name, for your network account - your username and password and finally your IP address, gateway address, and subnet mask if you are not using a DHCP server.Connect your WLAN USB Adapter to your PC and install driver. LED turns on when power is applied to the WLAN USB Adapter. LED is blinking when PC is sending data through WLAN USB Adapter.