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Not sure where, or even how, to start tackling all those cables under your desk?
You’ve probably even thought about clenching some cable ties between your teeth, taking a deep breath and crawling under the table to see if you can wrestle them into submission.
Problem is, you know this many-tentacled beast is extremely difficult to control. One minute it’s secure, the next minute you’ve innocently connected your new handheld device, and it resurfaces with a vengeance.
So the big question is, other than crawling under your desk every time you add a new piece of equipment or want to move something, is there a simpler method?
Maybe its time to set your network free and let it go wireless?
Okay, now that you’ve uncrossed your eyes, think about all those times you’ve visited your local coffee shop and watched the assorted wildlife surfing the Web, flashing their iPods and talking on their mobile phones.
They’re wireless ‘and’ they’re able to function, in between sipping their decaf orange-mocha-lattes, so why can’t you?
The problem is, when someone starts talking about wireless technology, most people start staring into the distance and thinking about what they’d like to eat for dinner.
But it doesn’t have to be so complicated. With a few pointers, you can quickly and easily come to terms with the technology and have your businesses’ own wireless network up and running in no time.
Let’s take a quick look at untangling what lies behind wireless networks.
Wi-Fi
Wireless Fidelity is simply a method of ensuring your equipment can talk to a network without physical cables. When you think of a ‘hot spot’ (like your local coffee shop), it’s generally a Wi-Fi enabled area, which lets you connect to the Internet or a larger group of interconnected networks (a ‘hot zone’).
802.11
That’s right, it’s all about specifications. 802.11 is basically a numerical code name for a set of wireless communication standards over a WLAN (see below).
Different modulation techniques (that is, how fast it is) are defined by letters being added after the number. The current one to look out for – the fastest and most compatible with older versions – is 802.11g. With ‘g’ you’ll get up to a 100 meter range with a theoretical transfer speed of up to 54mbps.
WLAN
Wireless LAN (local area network) is all about linking two or more pieces of equipment without any physical connection via radio waves. This means you can be mobile without losing your connection to your local area network. And it’s ideal for transferring large amounts of data.
WWAN
A Wireless Wide Area Network is, well, exactly what its name suggests: A wireless network that operates over a wide area. A WWAN differs from a WLAN in that it specifically uses cellular network technologies, such as 3G, to transfer information.
3G (Third Generation)
3G is largely all about mobile communications. The term 3G refers to a third-generation set of technologies and standards that work specifically for enhanced multimedia, your e-mail, phones (including roaming ability), videoconferencing and high speed connectivity.
The overall concept behind 3G is to keep you connected at all times, from any location.
Broadband
Just think ‘fast Internet access’. In fact, for fast data transfer, broadband is essential. By utilising multiple frequencies, broadband ensures you can quickly transfer more information at the same time.
Bluetooth
Yes, it’s all about specifications! Bluetooth® is a set of specifications that ultimately enable devices to securely connect to each other and exchange information. Print without cables, transfer data from your notebook to your iPAQ, and a lot more.
And now that you know a little bit more about what a wireless network is all about, its time to get started on turning your monster Kraken into some calamari.
Bluetooth is trademark owned by its proprietor and used by Hewlett-Packard Company under license.
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