Wi-Fi - How Does It Work, What Can Interfere With It, and Is It Secure?

How often do you see someone sitting in an airport lounge or coffee shop working on a laptop computer? Sure they could be playing solitaire, but the odds are increasing that they are corresponding via e-mail, sending a report back to the home office, or downloading a presentation for their next stop and staying one step ahead of their competition. Know anyone who brags that they can check e-mail, weather, news or sports on their laptop from anywhere in the house or even out on their deck? How often does the lack of an internet connected computer restrict the way you present, discuss, or demonstrate during a meeting, or exchange between colleagues? Wish you could instantly provide internet access for the new employee, the conference room, or guest in the lobby?

Those who have tried Wireless Fidelity or Wi-Fi say they will never give it up. Those who haven't tried it are missing what the Wi-Fi alliance simply describes as Freedom.

OK, so what is it, how much does it cost, how is it installed and what problems are there?

First the good news. A Wi-Fi Network is simple, easy and inexpensive to install. Basic requirements are: 1. A high speed (broadband) internet connection, the most common being cable, or DSL. 2. Next, an access point, sometimes called an antenna or a wireless router. These are available at your local electronics or computer store in a common price range from $50 to $150. 3. A wireless card or "adapter" for your laptop computer(s). Most new laptops come with wireless capability already installed but if yours doesn't have it, for less than $100 you can add an adaptor...no tools required. That's it. That's all you need. The equipment comes with instructions that are easy to follow, and setup is a breeze. You can be up and running in moments, sharing internet connection, and even printers, scanners and hard drives.

Sounds great, no? Any drawbacks? Well, a couple. First of all, these networks operate in the unlicensed spectrum of ranges of 2.4 and 5GHz. Do these numbers sound familiar? If you have a cordless telephone, chances are quite good that it operates in the same 2.4GHz spectrum. This causes problems with some wireless networks. There are adjustments that can be made if problems arise such as selecting a different channel on your wireless network (a similar process to changing the channel on your electric garage door opener) and in most cases this solves the problem. Other precautions such as separation of telephones and wireless equipment can be helpful. Note: If you have an old 900MHz cordless telephone, you may want to dig it out of the closet or think twice before replacing it with one of the newer 2.4GHZ models. Manufacturers of the newest 5.8GHz models claim they also do not interfere with wireless networks.

The other drawback is more of a quiet menace, generally more serious, and usually happens without the network owner's knowledge. Typically, wireless network products are shipped with any imbedded security features turned off in order to make setup a snap. There are a few more steps required to add network security. Without security measures active, your network is accessible by anyone with a Wi-Fi capable device and within range (typically up to a couple hundred feet). So what? Good question; maybe no big deal for the present time but the more users on your network, the less bandwidth there is for each user, and the sharing of your single internet access line (say 512Kbps) can cause noticeable slowing of downloads and certain applications. Higher speed internet access service can help if you are networking simultaneous users who use the internet.

A more critical issue is that of file sharing. If any of your computers are set to allow access for file sharing, or say sharing a printer or other peripheral device, your "guest" has the same access to these files and devices. This is an obvious problem and one that you need to be aware of. There are easy fixes. Read the documentation that comes with your equipment, and ask questions before you purchase. Tell the sales person how you plan to use this new freedom and ask for their suggestions as to how you can operate securely and reliably.

Then cut the cords and enjoy the freedom. You are bound to increase productivity, reduce fatigue, and get more done!

John Geiger owns and operates the local affiliate of WSI Internet Consulting and Education, a Toronto based global network of consultants, developers and production centers providing turn-key internet business solutions for small and medium-sized enterprises to include web-site design, development and hosting; site maintenance and upgrades, full e-commerce solutions, on-line training and education, and other cutting-edge internet technology and solutions. For questions, comments, free consultation, or ideas for future articles contact John at (828) 328-5929 or http://www.webmasters-wsi.com