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The Good and the Bad of Using Wireless Internet

January 27, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

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One of the biggest things to happen to the Internet has easily been wireless Internet. Wi-Fi has made such a huge impact for people all over the country. While there are so many great things about having Wi-Fi, there are a few disadvantages.

For those unfamiliar, Wi-Fi means you can access the Internet from anywhere that has Wi-Fi thanks to a piece of hardware or wireless card in your computer. This will allow users to surf and use the Internet without having to be plugged into a modem.

The biggest advantage of having Wi-Fi is that you won’t have to be connected to your router in order to get onto the Internet. You can bring your laptop just about anywhere in your home and you won’t have to worry about the annoying chord.

Wi-Fi can be really inexpensive to have set up since all that’s needed to be done is wiring your main router. If you have an Internet network already on the computer and ready to go, getting the Wi-Fi is pretty easy.

While having Wi-Fi can make your Internet go a lot faster, the drawback is that there are a ton of users trying to get onto the network, which can create a few outages. Not to mention the further you are from the router, the slower your Internet is.

Another issue could be security. While you’re at home, there aren’t many security issues. It becomes an issue when using a public network, even one that’s password-protected. With a public computer, many websites could be blocked if they pose an issue. This becomes more of a problem to someone using his or her own computer on a public network at work or school.

Wi-Fi is a great innovative tool for Internet users, but there are a few drawbacks to it. It’s always best to know the good and the bad about a product before purchasing it.

Filed Under: Internet, Wireless Technology Tagged With: Wi-Fi, Wireless

Google’s Lack of Internet Privacy Riles British Parliament

November 15, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

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People love new apps, and as soon as one pops up, they typically download it as fast as possible just to give it a try. Many new programs are fun, while others are tools. Regardless of where you classify Google’s Street Views, there’s one thing almost everybody agrees on. The program has a fatal glitch that violates an individual’s right to privacy.

Many in the U.S. are familiar with this debate, especially as Obama formed a new subcommittee to tackle the difficult issue. In the U.S. the matter hinges on the rights of the manufacturer or website versus the rights of the individuals. This may not be the case in Britain, where the parliament is meeting to consider an Internet bill that will protect its citizens.

The issue with Google’s Street Views occurred when the program accidentally started collecting information it should have left alone. A glitch in the program allowed it to collect data from personal Wi-Fi devices in people’s homes, transporting private information along with its street views.

With the current realization of just how easy it can be to violate a person’s privacy using the Internet, the parliament will need to determine how to handle the situation. Some propose creating a society to oversee Internet Privacy, thereby taking the burden away from parliament to issue a state action for every issue. This society would work in a similar fashion to the British Law Society. Others believe self-regulation would be a mistake as it allows too much room for error. After all, once information gets out on the Internet, it can be impossible to recover.

Case in point, Google’s little glitch resulted in email accounts, passwords, and URLs stored on unencrypted Wi-Fi devices. Imagine all that information in the hands of cyber criminals rather than a website company. That’s not a pleasant thought.

Filed Under: Information Tech. Tagged With: Google, Google Street View, Privacy, Privacy law, Security, Uniform Resource Locator, United States, Wi-Fi

Wireless Internet and Your Laptop

October 22, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

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One of the great things about having a laptop is that you can take it anywhere. However, while that’s a great feature, one of the drawbacks is that your laptop isn’t able to access wireless internet wherever it goes. The only place that you will be able to log on to the internet is where wireless internet is offered. These are places such as the library, internet cafes, Starbucks and other remote locations featuring this free service to you, and when the service is free there is always a chance of extra files being downloaded. This can cause your memory to be taken up, so before taking advantage of free WiFi cloud storage might be something to consider.

The fact that laptops can’t access wireless internet everywhere is irritating when you consider that the iPhone has wireless internet service virtually anywhere it goes. Well, the good news is that there are a couple ways you can bring wireless internet to your laptop no matter where you are! You just need to decide which one is the best for you.

Use Your iPhone: If you have an iPhone then you do have the ability to get wireless internet to your laptop. There are several applications out there that will give your iPhone the ability to transform itself into a modem for your laptop. However, keep in mind that to access these apps, you will most likely have to jailbreak your iPhone 3.0 first. But, if you have an iPhone 4.0, internet tethering is supported by AT&T when you purchase the Tethering Plan for an additional $20 a month.

Purchase an Internet Air Card: If you don’t have an iPhone, these little gadgets are great for accessing wireless internet on your laptop. Companies like AT&T, Verizon Wireless, Sprint and Sierra Wireless all have air cards that allow laptops to access wireless internet. However, before you purchase an air card, take the time to analyze how much internet usage you require and how much your budget will allow. For example, some air cards allow you two to five megabytes and others only allow 250 gigabytes. Naturally, the price varies for these air cards too. You may be looking at $40 a month or $80 a month – all depending on how much data usage you need. So, make your decision carefully!

Filed Under: Internet, Satellite, Wireless Technology Tagged With: AT&T, Internet access, Laptop, Sierra Wireless, Starbucks, Verizon Wireless, Wi-Fi, Wireless

The Benefits of Wireless Internet

October 20, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

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As of 2010, the world is a technological planet full of people that rely on the internet to connect with others all over the globe for both their personal and business needs. Not only does the internet help us perform basic functions and job tasks, but it now also helps us get from point A to point B with GPS, play online video games a host of other things as well. Thus, we need the internet to be fast. Wireless internet service does just that.

At first, dial-up internet service was great because it was the only thing we knew. However, times have changed, and thankfully, so has our internet services. We now have the option to get internet through satellite, DSL, cable and also through wireless internet too. Out of the previous four options, wireless internet has some great benefits that the others don’t offer.

Affordability: For the service you are getting, wireless internet is the best option to go with as it costs a lot less than satellite internet. When you compare it to DSL and cable, wireless internet connections have the ability to bring in more information at a faster speed. Usually with DSL, and sometimes even through cable internet providers, you have to pay more for faster broadband speeds.

Speed: Wireless internet service has the ability to provide users with extremely fast service. In fact, wireless internet can bring close to 2 megabytes of data within a second! This is a major deal for those that use the internet for business purposes such as video conferences. It’s also a much needed feature for online gamers as well.

Mobility: The most obvious benefit of wireless internet service is the fact that it allows you to move around and still access it. Some people don’t see the need to be mobile while online, but it is actually a really nice feature to have. It gives you the freedom to take your computer to any room in the house, or even out on the patio!

Filed Under: Internet, Satellite, Wireless Technology Tagged With: Access Providers, Dial-up Internet access, Digital Subscriber Line, Internet service provider, Satellite Internet access, United States, Wi-Fi, Wireless

Voice over Internet Protocol Services: What You Need to Know

October 16, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

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People are always looking for better ways to help streamline their lives for the sake of convenience. One of the great ways to help organize your life is by using the internet to make your phone calls. This is what VoIP, or Voice over Internet Protocol, does.

The technology behind VoIP is really cool because what it actually does to make this work, is it takes your voice and then sends it out through the internet in the form of a digital signal. Isn’t that amazing? There are several ways you can make your phone calls using the Voice over Internet Protocol technology. These include: using a VoIP phone, through a VoIP adapter attached to a regular phone or through your computer! As if that isn’t cool enough, if you use VoIP through your computer, then you may have the ability to even use it when you’re able to access wireless internet service, regardless of where you are!

As with any type of technology that requires the use of the internet, there are certain things you must have before you can take advantage of VoIP phone services. The first, is a high-speed internet connection. This is not negotiable. It is a necessity.

While having high-speed internet service for VoIP is non-negotiable, the way you actually place your calls is. Depending on the provider you contract with, you may have the option to use your computer, regular phone or the VoIP special phone. However, this all depends on who your VoIP provider is as they each have their own requirements.

The one thing you need to pay special attention to when researching the different Voice over Internet Protocol providers is their terms and conditions. You need to understand who you can call and who can call you. While you can generally call other VoIP users, you may be charged, or unable, to call non-VoIP subscribers. VoIP is a great service, but always read and understand the fine print before you commit.

Filed Under: Internet, Satellite, Wireless Technology Tagged With: Broadband Internet access, Business, IP Phone, Services, Technology, Telecommunications, Voice over Internet Protocol, Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi Direct Gears Up to Compete With Clear 4G

October 10, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

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On October 26, 2010, Wi-Fi’s consortium announced it would be releasing technology designed to compete with other on-the-go wireless Internet connections. With the new technology, people will be able to take their Wi-Fi connection with them wherever they go, eliminating the need for hot spots.

Those familiar with services, such as Clear 4G, should understand the concept behind the new technology, because it will work in a similar way. Under the name Wi-Fi Direct, users will be able to connect their certified Wi-Fi Direct devices to other wireless devices.

With Wi-Fi Direct, you will be able to share and sync data and files across multiple wireless devices, including smartphones, tablets, netbooks, and notebooks. In many cases, accessing the feature is as simple as pressing a button on the Wi-Fi Direct device. As an added benefit, devices with the new technology will be able to connect to older devices that do not have the technology.

If you’re one of the people who worry about security, Wi-Fi Direct has a plan to bring you peace of mind. Wi-Fi Direct utilizes WPA2TM for security. The new combination will offer additional protection over regular routers: Hackers can’t disable it. That also means that you won’t accidentally disable it yourself, too.

With the new technology, Wi-Fi Direct will acts as its own routing source. To do this, it will use Software AP, which acts as its own access point. Several technology companies and Internet service providers, including Intel, Realtek, Atheros, and Broadcam, are gearing up to offer Wi-Fi Direct supported devices.

When the consortium releases Wi-Fi Direct, slated for the 2010 holiday season, users can expect it to come bundled with a few wireless models. As more people get on board with the new technology, you can expect an explosion of devices from the manufacturers currently dominating the wireless Internet and mobile computing industries.

Filed Under: Internet Tagged With: Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Wireless

The Benefits of Going Wireless at the Office

September 5, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

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While wireless internet connections are becoming more and more common on the home front, many business owners are still dragging their feet to go wireless at the office. A lot of this has to do with the fact that old habits are hard to break. However, there are many benefits that can come from having an office operating with a wireless internet connection. Below are just a few.

No More Bulky Cords: For many people, the fact that wireless internet eliminates the need for a bunch of unsightly cords is a huge benefit. While it may seem like a small benefit, it really is one of the best benefits of going wireless.

It’s Cheaper: Obviously, when the old networking systems were installed on business computers it cost more. This is because each and every computer required its own set of special cords that had to be specially wired before all the computers could communicate with each other. This cost business owners more because it took longer to install and the business owner also had to pay for all those special cords. With a wireless internet connection the time it takes to install it is much less and there are no extra expenses associated with cords and wires.

Increased Production and Flexibility: The greatest benefit of having a wireless internet connection at the office is the increased production and flexibility it provides employees. Employees will have more flexibility in regards to how they can complete their work, which leads to an increase in work production. For example, an employee can easily take her computer with her into a business conference and send a message to her secretary if she needs a report immediately. This saves both her and those in the meeting time because they don’t have to wait for her to leave the room and walk down the hall to get it from the secretary. Instead, it can be emailed to her within a minute. This convenience isn’t possible without a wireless internet connection.

Filed Under: Internet, Technology, Wi-Fi Networks, Wireless Technology Tagged With: Access Providers, Wi-Fi, Wireless

Overcoming Wireless Connectivity Issues

August 19, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

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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.

Filed Under: Internet, Wireless Technology Tagged With: Data Communications, Wi-Fi, Wireless

About B, G, and N Wireless

August 17, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

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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.

Filed Under: Internet, Technology, Wi-Fi Networks, Wireless Technology Tagged With: Frequency, Wi-Fi, Wireless

Finding Free Wifi

August 15, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

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!

Filed Under: Internet, Technology, Wi-Fi Networks Tagged With: Data Communications, Mobile device, Wi-Fi