• Microsoft Vista Home Networking Setup and Options
The most daunting part of upgrading to Windows Vista may be trying to figure out where in the layers of menus the networking and file-sharing options are hidden.
• Tips for Securing Your Home Router
Seemingly minor and easily overlooked settings can still have profound security implications. Here are some steps you can take to make sure your wired or wireless home router — and by extension, your network — is as secure as possible.
Most Popular Reviews
• Microsoft Windows Home Server
If you have a home network, you'll welcome the easy file sharing, remote access and the image-based backup features of Windows Home Server.
• Iomega StorCenter Network Hard Drive
Iomega's fourth generation StorCenter Network Hard Drive brings many of the features found in higher-end storage devices down to an attractive price.
• MikroTik's The Dude
This free tool delivers many of the same capabilities that you'd find in pricey network monitoring tools. As long as you don't mind tinkering, The Dude is a decent network utility that should be worth the download.
So you're not getting the 11Mbps speed that you thought your
card's manufacturer promised? If you read your card or
Access Point's spec carefully, you'll probably see that data
rates are specified as a function of distance. Data rate
drops off very quickly with distance for 802.11b products,
and the change is somewhat abrupt or "stepped".
HomeRF products are slower to start with (1.6Mbps), but their
speed degrades more slowly with distance.
This chart from Compaq's
WL series reviewer's guide gives you some idea of what
to expect for 802.11b products, but like all manufacturer specs,
is optimistic in terms of the actual effective data rate
you'll see:
As a rule of thumb, take whatever distance numbers
you see and cut them in half to get an estimate of what real-world
performance may be like.
Now that your expectations are properly calibrated,
here are some tips to help you get the best performance:
NOTE: Although many of the tips refer
to an Access Point or "AP", they all apply equally
to a Wireless Router or Gateway!
The best place to put your A.P. is as
close to the center of the area that you want to cover.
The worst place to be (weakest signal)
is directly under an Access Point (assuming that the
AP's antenna is vertically oriented and omni-directional).
You'll probably do best if you orient your Access
Point or Wireless Router's antenna(s) vertically.
Keep antennas away from large metal objects
like filing cabinets and away from operating microwave ovens
or 2.4GHz cordless phones. Also watch out for large containers
of water... fishtanks or water heaters for example!
Most PC cards use an integrated antenna that
is fairly directional. The horizontal orientation
of these PC card antennas is not the best... it would
work better if it were vertically oriented. Unfortunately
no one has a PC card with a moveable antenna and it's not
very practical to work with your laptop laid on its side!
If you're having trouble with getting a strong
signal with your laptop, try moving so that the PC card's
antenna is pointing toward the Access Point.
Also make sure your body isn't between the antenna and the
A.P.
Avoid antenna placement close to an outside
wall (unless outside is where you want to be!). Also,
if you want to connect while you're outside, place
the AP near a window.
Look for products that have external antennas
that you can move or cabled antennas that connect via cable.
Both will help you "tweak" performance. Buffalo
Technology, Lucent/ORiNOCO,
and Zoom
have PC card client adapters that will accept an external
antenna.
Use a "booster" or "extended
range" antenna. Buffalo
Technology's Airstation product line has an affordable
one (about $80 on-line) and it can even be attached to their
PC Card client (or the ORiNOCO PC card)! ORiNOCO's
Range Extender antenna can also be used (PDF installation
instruction file is here).
This page describes one user's adventures in attaching
the ORiNOCO Range Extender antenna to their Apple Airport
base station, but it's also good reading if you're thinking
of trying to attach an external antenna to other products.
It also has some other info on using other antennas.
[Thanks to Jim Spitaels for the above links!]
NOTE
that not all products can connect to such an antenna and that
if they can, their connectors may be different from product
to product!
Here are some sources for wireless networking antennas,
connectors, and more!
Antenna
Factor - They have both antennas and connectors for
"RP" applications.
Antenna
Systems - The Web site isn't pretty to look at, but
we're told they're great to deal with! [Thnx Josh Golden!]
Hyperlink
Technologies - Broad line of wireless networking products,
including connectors, antennas, cables. [Thnx Eric McIntyre!]
Winncom
- Another broad line wireless networking supplier. [Thnx Eric
McIntyre!]
NOTE:
ORiNOCO's client cards, RG-1000 Residential Gateway, and Range
Extender Antenna use a special proprietary connector. You
can get a "pigtail" (short cable assembly) that adapts
the connector to a standard "N" type connector from
many
sources, including HyperLink
Technologies.
NOTE
that not all products can connect to such an antenna and that
if they can, their connectors may be different from product
to product!
