Wireless Internet at Universities
Most universities these days offer wireless internet access in the dorms. Each university will have their own procedures and set up instructions for high speed wireless internet access. Check with the universities technical support for hardware requirements and configuration information.
Wireless Internet Speeds
Coming in at the slowest is Bluetooth, followed by 802.11b, 802.11a and topping the charts currently is 802.11g. 802.11b is roughly equivalent to the traditional wired 10BaseT Wired Ethernet networks. Therefore, switching to Wi-Fi should not considerably slow down your wireless internet connection.
Finding a Wireless Internet Hot Spot in a Chain
If you are traveling and know that you will be stopping at Starbucks, for example, and want to access the internet, you can check out their website to see what specific franchises offer wireless internet access. Many places offer a free one time pass so you can ¡®test drive¡¯ the wireless internet access that they offer.
Wireless Internet and Dial up
It is possible to share a wireless internet connection with dial up, but it¡¯s not a very good idea. Some access points, such as the airport extreme base station from Apple, will allow this. However, there is some slow down time with sharing a wireless internet connection, and if you decide to share a dial up connection, you won¡¯t be surfing anything fast.
Wireless Internet: Portable Access Point
There are devices, known as portable access points/routers, which can easily solve this situation. Simply plug the device into the wired port and you have instant wireless internet access. Check with the hotel for fees for the wired network access.
Wireless Network Equipment While Travelling
You will need to have a wireless network card, either an adapter or integrated in your laptop. If you do not have an available slot on your PC, there are adapters you can purchase that plug into a USB port on the computer. That¡¯s all you need for equipment!
Wireless internet - WiFi Standards
802.11 is the Wi-Fi standard, however there are other standards which are variations of the 802.11. These include:
- 802.11a
- 802.11b
- 802.11g
- 802.11i.
The differences among these standards includes speed, transmission frequency, and price. 802.11g is backwards compatible with previous products, but that is not the case with 802.11a. Make sure you check on compatibility issues prior to purchasing products.
Sharing Wireless High Speed Internet
To share a wireless internet connection, you will need to have an access point or a router on the network. The access point/router will hook up directly to your high speed internet connection via a cable. The access point/router will then transmit the broadband signal to the network. Remember, the access point can be a server, router or special access point hardware. It is also possible to mix a wired connection with a wireless one.
Nationwide Wireless Internet Service
There are a plethora of national wireless high speed internet services available. AT&T, Sprint PCS, T-mobile, and Verizon are a few which offer nationwide service. You will want to check out various pricing, roaming policies and fees for the various networks.
Configuring Wireless Internet Card
You will need to use the configuration software that comes with your network card to configure your computer to work at various hot spots. Simply type in the hotspot network name (various depending on the service you are using) and state the type of network, such as access point. You can also scan available wireless broadband internet access in the area and choose which network you wish to connect with.
Wireless Internet - WIFI
WI-FI, the 802.11 standard, is important for a variety of reasons. Having a standard in the industry ensures that anyone using wi-fi will be using the same standard, therefore equipment and connections are interchangeable. Having a set standard makes setting up wireless networks, sharing wireless internet access and working with wireless equipment more user friendly.
Wireless Internet Equipment
The beauty of the WI-FI is that it set a standard for wireless networking. Because of this, you do not need to have equipment from all the same venders in order to run a successful wireless network. You will be able to share wireless internet access as well without having equipment from all the same venders.
Configuring Wireless Access Point to Share Wireless Internet Connection
Once you install the drivers on your computer for the access point, you will be able to open up the configuration software that comes with the router. The IP address 192.168.0.0 is the lowest in the network and should be dedicated to the router. Make sure to follow the specific configuration instructions that come with your wireless router, as each product will be slightly different from one another.
Finding a Wireless Internet Hot Spot
There are several stores and restaurants that offer wireless internet access, such as Starbucks. If you have a particular destination in mind, you can call the hotels to see if they offer the service. There are also hot spot directories that you can search to find wireless internet access.
Mixing Wreless Internet and Wired Internet
You can easily share a wireless internet access while still maintaining a wired network. There are many wireless routers on the market which offer both wired and wireless network capabilities. It is also possible to add on an access point after a wired router for wireless access.