5 Star Personal Computer Services Wireless Networking

Key Benefits

No wiring required
Go anywhere in your home with your laptop
Connect other desktop computers
Have one Internet connection shared by all of your computers
Share a single printer, scanner, among all of your computers
Share files such as images, spreadsheets and documents
Make backups of all your important files from all of your computers to one location..

What's a network?

A network is a group of linked computers, printers, scanners, etc. They are connected by either cables (wired "Ethernet") or radio waves (wireless)

Networking lets you share one broadband Internet connection in your home or small office. You can also share files, printers, scanners, and other devices. Multiple users can do all of the following simultaneously:

Check e-mail
Bank or shop online
Play Internet games
Download music
Instant message
and much more

If you choose a wireless network, you can do all of the above without wires.

If you have more than one computer in your home, you quickly discover what a hassle it is to be shoved aside when someone else needs the printer which happens to be attached to your PC. You're also probably tired of running up and down the stairs to transfer files using CDs, DVDs or flash drives. And no one likes fighting over the only computer with Internet access. No wonder wireless networking is so popular.

But aside from family unity, there's also the little matter of comfort. Where would you rather answer important email--in your home office, hunched over your desk, or in the living room, with your feet up on the ottoman? Better yet, how about out on the deck or porch or by your pool?

Sound appealing? Then lets talk about wireless networking.

Equipment Required

High speed internet connection
A Wireless Router (Note: some cable modems include built-in wireless routers.)
A Wireless Network Interface Card (NIC) for each desktop computer. Notebook/laptop computers have built-in wireless networking as so do modern desktop computers so a NIC is not necessary on these computers.

Computer security risks to home users

We use computers for everything from banking and investing to shopping and communicating with others through email or chat programs. Although you may not consider your communications "top secret," you probably do not want strangers reading your email, using your computer to attack other systems, sending forged email from your computer, or examining personal information stored on your computer.

It is strongly recommend that a wireless network's signal be encrypted. Encryption prevents unauthorized uses access to your network. And by using a firewall and Internet security programs, you minimize immensely the likelihood that your computer(s) will be compromised.