Care And Feeding Of Your Wireless Network

So youve decided that you want to set up your Internet connection to provide wireless Internet access

. You might be switching from a wired network for the first time, or maybe this really is your first experience dealing directly with an Internet service provider. Regardless of the reason, youre going to want to take some time to set this up right, because although it may appear daunting at first to set up the wireless network, a little research ahead of time can save a lot of aggravation later.

Get a quality product

The first step, assuming that youve already secured Internet access, is to obtain a wireless router. It may seem common enough to just go to the store and get whichever router is cheapest, however much like tissues or kitchen knives youll notice a distinct difference in quality if you base your choice solely on the price point. A cheap router might from suffer performance issues or outdated security standards, and a venture outside the established brands (3Com, Belkin, and Linksys, among others) is a gamble when it comes to customer service and support.

When selecting a router, you should look for the following features:

* 802.11n wireless standard, also known as 11N or Wireless-N. This is the current wireless standard, which uses multiple antennas to better handle traffic.

* Wi-Fi Protected Setup or WPS security. This is the latest in wireless security, created for its user-friendliness. Some devices even come with push-button configuration to make setup easy on the user.

Shop around a little first and get some feedback regarding your options. Dont just depend on online reviews or the opinion of the income staff; talk to your friends, family, and co-workers about their experiences with wireless routers. There really isnt any substitute for hands-on experience with a product like this.

Well, of course, youre gonna get hop ons...

If only one piece of advice can ever be given about wireless networking, it would be this: secure your wireless network. Some people deliberately leave their networks open to provide access to neighbors or visitors, while others simply never secure their networks in the first place. This really is probably the worst thing you can do with a wireless network. If your friends and neighbors really need access to your network, that you can provide them the key. Leaving your wireless network open entirely defeats the point of having security on your network.

Manage the Frequency

Aside from the standard power-cycle the modem and router advice, there are actually some basic steps that you can take to keep your signal strong as well as your performance excellent. 1St, remember that wireless routers broadcast on certain frequencies (the 2.5 GHZ band, to be precise). If youre certain that you should be getting signal and instead youre getting reduced signal or interference, try looking for additional devices in your home that might be broadcasting on exactly the same frequencies. Interference may also be caused by other nearby wireless networks using the same specific channel as your router, usually because of default settings on the router.

by: Margarit Johnson

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