PANetworks

Wireless networking is a relatively new concept for many homes and businesses, but it is certainly one worth exploring. With the addition of affordable wireless routers, systems that come equipped with wireless adapters, and more and more wireless devices such as printers and cellular phones coming out each day, the advantages of setting up a wireless network in your home are stacking up. However, there are still some drawbacks. Here are the ups and downs of this networking alternative.

On the “good” side of the scale . . .

The mobility of the network allows anyone to access it from anywhere inside your home, or even immediate outside of it.

You don’t have to be right next to a printer or other device to tap into it as a resource.

You can reduce the number of cords you need to purchase, set up, and have around.

Setup is relatively simple when compared to a wired home network. You can simply plug into the router or other wireless station and use the wireless installation wizard that comes with your computer in order to create a fundamentally sound network.

On the “bad” side of the scale . . .

The speed of your network will be lower when compared to a fully wired network. While wireless is getting faster, it’s not “there” yet.

Wireless networks are far less reliable than wired networks, and you can get spots, downtime, and other errors more easily in a wireless network.

Wireless networking won’t work very well for specific tasks such as gaming, where the lag that occurs can create significant problems.

The cost of a wireless network, while decreasing, is high when compared to a fully wired network. In addition to the cost of the router and adapters for computers, wireless versions of printers or other utilities are more costly.

Neither wired nor wireless home networks are a bad idea, and each provides certain opportunities and drawbacks. The best approach is to evaluate your home, your priorities for mobility, cost, and ease of setup, and make the best decision to suit your particular situation.

The term “smartphone” seems to be on everyone’s lips. Whether it’s the rumors spiraling about as to whether Verizon will finally provide service for the iPhone or the Droid versus the iPhone debate. A smartphone comparison is needed to know which phone would be the right one.

But what exactly is a smartphone? Simply it is a cell phone with a lot of additional features. These features may be found on PDAs (personal digital assistants) or computers. These features include email, web surfing, and document editing.

A little history may also help understand smartphones. Cell phones and PDAs were the first so-called mobile devices. Phone calls were the main function of early cell phones; they did not have any other function. PDAs were portable organizers. Basically these devices stored contacts and lists and would connect with personal computers. Later these PDAs were given wireless connectivity access and could start using email services. Cell phones also began using email capabilities. This was followed by cell phones adding the services of PDAs and vice versa. And hence the smartphone was born.

There is really no industry-wide definition of a smartphone. But there are some general similarities including:

• Smartphones use an operating system. This allows the use of applications. These systems include Palm OS, Windows Mobile, and BlackBerry OS.
• Smartphones use richer software than cell phones. Most cell phones will include applications such as a contact manager; but smartphones do more. They can edit and create documents. You can download applications including management software for business and finance, and you can even get travel directions using GPS software.
• Smartphones have the ability to access the Web. High-speed Web access is growing allowing Web access at high speeds on these mobile devices.
• While all cell phones have text messaging capabilities, smartphones can communicate and synchronize with your email accounts. Some can even handle multiple accounts.

There are many situations in which lag can create significant problems. Voice over internet protocol use, video chatting, and gaming are the most common. While the amount of lag you have will often make doing these things either viable or totally impossible, there are still ways you can fine tune your bandwidth use in order to make the lag as marginal as possible. Some of these are tricky, some of them you will need to be cautious about – but all of them have a chance to decrease that threatening ms latency that threatens to disrupt your audio conversations, or lose you your next game of Counter Strike.

Thing #1: Focus Bandwidth

This is a commonly known way to increase your internet oomph, but it’s also the best place to start. Your latency, unless you’re using satellite internet or have a shoddy wireless router, is probably due to a bandwidth issue. If you are using too much compared to how much you have available, lag will happen. Make sure that you don’t have extra computers running internet software during your gaming time, save piracy for afterward, and otherwise reduce the number of devices connecting to your internet.

Thing #2: Reduce System Processes

Your computer isn’t just running your game. In fact, it’s probably running a few dozen processes, which all take their share of computer resources. Maximizing computer resources will, in and of itself, increase your game performance. However, it should be noted that many of these processes also take some small degree of your internet space. Background applications that check for updates, communicate to online servers, or otherwise tap into the power of the internet, all have the potential to slow you down. Close as many as you can, either using the extended services panel or MSConfig startup options for your computer. NOTE: Don’t do this if you’re clueless as to what you’re doing.

Thing #3: Disable Your Antivirus

ONLY do this if you are confident in your ability to protect your computer, and you understand the risks. Understanding that, your antivirus is one of the biggest bandwidth drains running in your background.

Created less than a year ago by a 17-year-old Russian teen named Andrey Ternovskiy, Chatroulette is an online phenomena unlike any other.

Imagine an online chat room, but instead of entering and typing to strangers, you enter an online chat room via live webcam. Now imagine entering this online chat room and coming face-to-face with strangers from across the globe. You are automatically inserted into their living room, or wherever they may be, once they enter Chatroulette.

When using Chatroulette, you’re doing just that, playing roulette with whomever you connect with. You could be connected with a chef in California, a teacher in Tennessee or a news reporter in New York. You are paired with someone randomly and are connected by the internet and a webcam. People of all ages are using Chatroulette, from giggly students to curious young adults to a more mature audience.

One of the more interesting facts about Chatroulette is that nobody can be tracked in a world where people are googling one another and job seekers must protect their privacy on Facebook, Chatroulette allows one to enter without a login or password. Your name is not broadcast for anyone to see, and nobody needs to know your identity.

Plus, if you come across someone that does not interest you, you can click the next button to move from this connection and begin to interact with a different person. Comparable to speed dating, once you’re finished chatting with one person, you can move along to the next. If you come across someone you’re not interested in talking to anymore, the next button allows you to change contacts without any hard feelings.

In the past month, Chatroulette introduced Localroulette, an application hat allows users to connect to others in the same region. Another new feature, Channelroulette lets chatters connect with those that have similar interests, whether they be friends or strangers.

The rapid growth in Internet technology has created its own set of potential problems for end users. Going wireless is the preferred choice for many in this highly mobile world. Satellite technology makes the rapid delivery of content a relatively simple task. This ease of delivery does come at a price, more so for the end user than for the provider. No one escapes unscathed from the possible pitfalls of this modern technological convenience.

Common Wireless Connectivity Problems

The concept of Internet on the go caught on quickly with the advent of PDAs and smartphones. Some issues can be handled with basic troubleshooting techniques. Others may require the intervention of skilled computer engineers. Common issues encountered by both end users and providers include:

•Security breaches: Users are more vulnerable to attacks when using wireless signals, which can result in loss of personal information.
•Firewall: This necessary security feature can prevent wireless signals reaching its destination.
•Operating systems: Older operating systems (OS) are simply not equipped to handle this activity.
•Weather conditions: Bad weather conditions can interrupt wireless signals, resulting in no connectivity or connectivity that frequently fails.
•Slow speeds: Users can get dropped signal or low speed for a number of reasons including damaged ports and poor configuration.

Upgrading the software responsible for wireless connectivity or the operating system can provide the needed fix. Another solution may call for switching providers. Some companies simply perform better than others in this arena. Depending on the Internet Service Providers (ISP) equipment they may be better able to send wireless signals over mountains than others. Some research before signing up can sometimes help in avoiding problems commonly experienced by wireless users.

So called hot zones have become quite popular with end users. These zones allow wireless connectivity free for anyone with a device that can pick up the signal. Some users may unwittingly expose themselves to viruses and attacks by hackers in these areas. It is recommended that Wi-Fi feature on mobile wireless devices be turned off when not needed.

It is undeniable that Satellite internet is faster than dial-up in essentially every way. Satellite is also more accessible in remote locations, including in rural portions of the world that have no chance of DSL or Cable internet access, and even on RVs. However, it is also undeniable that not every internet based utility will work appropriately with Satellite. So, what does work on Satellite, and what doesn’t?

Things that Don’t Work

Satellite internet has a one word problem. “Latency.” Gamers are likely to know this term by the slang version, “lag.” This latency is the delay between the receiver requesting data and the satellite sending it down, across those twenty-three thousand miles between the two. The delay is really very minor, ranging from about 520 milliseconds to 840 milliseconds. In other words, it never even reaches a full second of delay. However, even this fraction of a second prevent certain activities.

Voice chatting and video chatting programs simply won’t work in this way, since the delay causes overlap issues that prevent the real time processing from functioning. Any real time program that requires real time internet access to function will be similarly hindered. Video games often fall into this category, especially if it is a multi player shooter, or any other game which requires real time response. Certain video games, such as MMORPGs, can be played with some effectiveness, although certain areas of the game will become either frustrating or impossible.

Things that Work

So, latency provides a major issue, but what happens outside the latency? Once the connection is established and the data is sent, the internet speed is comparable to broadband. This means that page load times will be low, but extended by the fraction of a second delay mentioned above, and that long downloads will be completed just as fast as they would be on broadband. Anything that doesn’t require a real time connection will function just fine, with that small delay being the only disadvantage of satellite when compared to broadband.

In the world of wireless internet communication, there are four letters that have some significance: B, G, and N. However, despite the fact that most people realize that these make for a difference of some kind, only the more educated internet users have any idea what that difference is. Prepare to join the “more educated” group.

Unlettered wireless, the original wireless format, provided the baseline for the wireless field. It could transfer a data bit rate of up to 2 bits per second, and had an indoor range of up to 66 feet. It functioned on a 2.4Ghz frequency – the same as just about everything else that’s wireless. Luckily, the wireless technologies have moved forward.

Wireless B came next, with up to 11 megabits per second, or just over five times the maximum transfer rate of original wireless. The maximum indoor range also exploded, reaching up to 125 feet with a relatively clear signal. Wireless B came about in 1999, two years after the invention of the original wireless cards, and still functioned on the 2.4Ghz frequency. It didn’t stop there, however.

Wireless G was dropped off by the stork in 2003, and sported connection rates of up to 54 megabits per second. The range didn’t change much, and the frequency didn’t change. Still, the speeds were becoming pretty decent. 54 megabits per second equates to a maximum download speed of about seven megabytes per second.

Wireless N started to change things in 2009, and it is currently the reigning champion of the wireless world. Its maximum transfer rate reaches 150 megabits per second, or almost twenty megabytes per second, when it is functioning on a 5Ghz frequency. This versatile network can function on either 5Ghz or 2.4Ghz frequencies, allowing for maximum compatibility with older devices. With either 5Ghz or 2.4Ghz, the range is double that of B/G wireless. The 5Ghz frequency, however, is more resistant to wireless interference.

In the modern world, mobility is a buzz word that gets as much action as the secret word on Pee Wee’s playhouse. Everything now seems equipped with wireless capabilities, including computers, printers, hand held devices, and much more. However, the real benefits of WiFi aren’t visible if you’re only using it in your own home. To really tap into wireless power, you will want to develop a unique skill set: that of finding free WiFi networks.

Skill 1: Know Common Hotspots

There are many locations that will provide completely free wireless internet as a part of their business. These includes bookstores, cafes, and even many public parks. While they may require that you create a login with the company, these networks are great for any basic activity. If your favorite cafe or store doesn’t have an open network, see if they have a secure one that you can get the password for.

Skill 2: Get a List

There are some great websites that have been created to help people track down wireless access locations. For the United States, the most comprehensive list can be found at wififreespot.com, which allows you to find and suggest locations by state, or even by company.

Skill 3: Start the Free Access Efforts

There are many ways you can try to build free wireless in your area. Start petitions or attend city council meetings in order to suggest free wireless networks for parks, public locations, or even the city itself. If the Government lets you down, don’t give up on your community. There are many neighborhoods that have successfully banded together to create a free wireless zone. By splitting the cost with everyone, the bottom line decreases dramatically.

Whether you choose to track down existing wireless networks, request access to secured networks, or spearhead the free WiFi battles in your region, the important part of the equation is remembering that wireless mobility means more mobility than just “anywhere in your house.” Plus, the more that public locations are used and businesses that provide networks receive attention, the more these networks are formed – so you’re doing us all a favor!

Bluetooth, first introduced by Ericcson in 1994, has seen growing popularity in recent years. The integration of computers, stand alone devices, cellular handsets, and far more, grants a greater ability to integrate than ever before. Bluetooth is one of the few technologies that successfully stands toe-to-toe with wireless internet, partially because the technology provides many personal and professional applications.

Bluetooth technology was popularized largely thanks to Bluetooth headsets. These allow for a completely hands-free connection between a cellular device and your headset. As the ideas became more popular, Bluetooth technologies were applied to computer and internet technologies. Since Bluetooth cellular phones were already equipped with the needed hardware, the first creative advances were in synchronizing phones and computers. This provided advantages in the rate of transfer, ease of setup, and took less bandwidth than a standard wireless network.

Once it was clear that computers could effectively communicate at a high rate of speed with Bluetooth devices, developers in a number of computer related fields began to take hold of the hardware, leading to a new world of possibilities. The most common seen in practical use today are direct communication devices like Bluetooth keyboards and mice. Bluetooth technologies have also seen success with printers and other office solutions, however. Computers equipped with Bluetooth can also communicate with each other, enabling Ethernet bridging, advanced wireless networking, and dial-up conenctions via data enabled handheld devices, primarily on cellular networks.

With new developers familiarizing themselves with the technology, it’s not surprising that other creative technologies have hit the market. Items that were previously based on serial or infrared communication, such as medical equipment, traffic controllers, hi-tech remotes, and more, all use Bluetooth. New video gaming is also centered around Bluetooth, at least as far as Wii, PS3, and PSP Go edition controllers are concerned.

While it may have taken Bluetooth a while to really hit the mainstream, this innovative medium has exploded in recent years. Most cellular devices currently come with Bluetooth equipped, computers frequently have it by default, and more outside devices use it. In brief: Bluetooth is here to stay.

There are many forms of internet these days. Broadband connections in the form of DSL, Cable, and Satellite Internet can be found almost anywhere, and even Dial-up is hanging on like a mutant zombie. However, the advances in internet connection types and speed have made understanding the data transfer speeds more complex. Here is a brief guide on understanding the applicable terms.

Bits vs Bytes

All internet services will brag about their speed, and will let you know the maximum rate of transfer for data. This is frequently displayed in the X mbps form, where X indicates the number of “megabits per second.” This is confusing for many users, since “bits” are not the same as “bytes.” The term is no longer used frequently in other computer based technologies, and the exchange rate between bit and byte are no longer memorized. The simple story is that, before there were bytes, there were bits. This was when kilobytes were still a distant dream. A bit is just one-eighth the size of a byte. In order to find the maximum rate of transfer for your provider, all you have to do is divided those mbps by eight. The result is the maximum speed that a file can upload or download onto your computer, in megabytes.

Up vs Down

While your internet provider will brag about very high maximum speeds, it’s important to understand that this isn’t the speed for everything you do. Generally speaking, it’s the maximum speed for downloads, and uploads will be significantly slower. There is no set rule for how fast your downloads will be compared to your uploads, such as to FTP servers, in networking, or to voice chats. You will have to contact your ISP directly for the information.

Bandwidth vs Lag

Another common mistake that standard internet users make is to confused latency with bandwidth limitations. Latency, or the amount of time it takes your data to transfer to and from your ISP and/or router, creates an initial delay known as “lag.” Bandwidth limitations create ongoing slowness due to a lack of data streams from your internet provider.