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Not all wireless routers are the same
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A question about wireless routers
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My desktop computer plugs straight into my internet connection, but I want to go wireless with my laptop and move around the house whilst staying connected to the internet.
I want to use my laptop computer anywhere (including the patio outside) Your advice please?
Trevor Robinson.
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Wireless routers - the basics
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When going wireless (purchasing a wireless router) there are a few things to look out for.
Whilst bandwidth throughput (eg. 802.11g - 54 Mbit radio connectivity, 802.11n - 300 Mbit connectivity) is important and is an indication of the amount of bandwidth that can be passed across the radio link in a given time, it has nothing to do with the power of the radio transmitter (eg. 35mW radio)
Some wireless routers have more powerful radio transmitters than others and therefore, connect with a stronger signal over longer distances.
To get maximum coverage, position the wireless router in a central position within the house.
Read and follow the instructions carefully or, get an experienced person to install the wireless router for you.
Don't use the default settings for your wireless network and make sure that you configure your wireless router to use either WEP or, WPA security, the latter being the better.
Choose a good name for your network (SSID) and choose NOT to broadcast the name.
Don't forget to choose and use a strong password for the security settings and login details and to change them regularly.
If you do not secure your wireless network correctly, your next door neighbour will be able to log on and use your wireless internet connection FREE. Do you like your next door neighbour enough to provide them with a FREE internet connection?
There are many different types of wireless router, some are easier to set up than others.
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Wireless routers - improving connectivity
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Wireless routers distribute our internet connection around the home (usually around the 2.4 Ghz radio frequency.) This enables us to connect our laptops to the internet without wires - no matter where we are in the house. Very handy!
The problem however, is that the signal transmitted by a typical wireless router just isn't strong enough to penetrate through all the steel reinforced concrete that forms the walls and ceilings of our homes so, most of us are forced to work in close proximity to our wireless router or, put up with a weak signal. The problem is, weak signals don't carry enough bandwidth to our computers and so, when we attempt anything requiring the internet, we end up on a go slow!
Before I help you to improve the radio signal between your laptop and your wireless router, first, I would like to run through the basics of owning and using a wireless router.
1. Buy the correct type - if you are on a wireless internet connection, you require a network router with RJ45 connectors, not an adsl wireless router.
2. Position your wireless router in the correctly within your house. If possible, not in a corner, surrounded by steel reinforced concrete.
3. Learn what the lights on the front of your wireless router mean. Usually, mains power, radio transmitter and connected to the internet. When you have internet connectivity problems, looking at the lights can tell you all that you need to know about the possible fault.
4. Wireless routers lock up periodically. If you can't get onto the internet, power cycle the router by switching it off and on again before re-checking connectivity.
5. Make a backup of your router's configuration file so that, when it loses all its settings, you can easily reinstate it back to normal operation.
6. Make sure that your router is configured with security settings and that you change the "out-of-the-box" username and password settings.
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