Wired or Wireless Networking - And Router Details

Great, so you have decided to go wireless.That’s a great decision.But it has its own implications as well.Wireless networking, recently has been gaining widespread popularity especially because of the convenience through which we can network computers.

First of all before we go into much detail let me introduce for naïve computer users that basically when you have to or more computers, and they are to be networked, then what you require is a router.Router are special computer devices which act as concentrators or you can say mediators so that is easier to communicate multiple computers over a LAN.

Presuming you already have more than one computer, I also think that then you must be having a router.Routers come in a lot of wide varieties, nowadays.Choosing a router can be difficult for the naïve user.First, you must make out what type of Internet connection do you have ? Whether it’s a cable access or dsl..or dial – up.Because nowadays routers are available which can act as cable modems as well as perform their router functionality.Similarly they are also DSL routers which can act as an DSL gateways between you computer network and your ISP.

Going wireless has a lot of advantages, the principle one being the flexibility to roam.If you have a computer and a laptop at your home,using a wireless router you can sit in your lawn and access the Internet,check your email or do stock trading.Its really cool technology.Also just like those cordless phone there are different channels and you can change the channels if you get some interference.

But wireless has its own disadvantages.First and foremost is the range factor.Most of the manufacturers of Routers specify a very feasible range but most of the time, this is not the same range one would get on normal usage.There are some factors for it, wireless routers work on the RF technology,thus thick walls and other obstacles significantly decrease the signal strength.Other factors include bouncing of the signal when it strikes thick surfaces leading to loss of signal again.Nowadays there are some long range cordless phones which operate in the 2 Ghz band unlike the old ones which usually operate in the 900 Mhz band.The problems with these new 2 Ghz cordless phones are that wireless routers operate at the same frequency, thus causing interference.Also the microwave which has become almost a household necessity also interferes with these wireless signals.

These problems though wont effect you most of the time.I would prefer the wireless router instead of the wired one for is flexibility.Wireless routers also nowadays are becoming a lot cheaper than what they were before.Routers require an external power supply which usually is supplied alongwith the standard router package.

Routers are not that difficult to configure, most of them have a web based interface.Most routers have a web server installed on it and can automatically configure your LAN.

Installing a router, both wired and wireless routers are pretty much easy.All you have to do is make the proper connections, like suppose you have a dsl(adsl) then just connect the router to the phone line and the other Ethernet connections to the computers to be networked and also power up the router, the rest is done by the router itself like addressing Dynamic IP addresses using its built in DHCP server functionality.

But the above mentioned way of installation can vary depending upon what kind of router you have and also what kind of internet connection you have at your place.

If you want to connect your wireless router to your wireless desktop then you have to buy another peripheral device for the desktop called a wireless network card.This is very similar and infact almost the same other than its wireless function as the normal Ethernet NIC(Network Interface Card).

But if you want to connect your wireless laptop(most laptops nowadays have wireless card built in) to your wired desktop then you can do it easily.

If your laptop is a bit old, and you want wireless internet, the all you have to do is get yourself a pcmcia wireless card or as its becoming common nowadays, the new USB wireless adapters.

Lastly, its always good to have a always on connection, as far as a router is concerned(both wired and wireless routers) its best if you have adsl connection or a cable connection.Having a dial – up and then networking can be more tedious as for this type, you would have to put one computer as the server and others as clients.Unlike the router(for adsl & cable connection) which behaves like the go between, between your PC and your ISP.