Friday, August 29, 2008

What You Need to Connect to Wi-Fi Hotspots

Most modern laptops, mobile phones and PDAs are Wi-Fi
enabled which makes them easier to use in Wi-Fi hotspots
without modifying the software and hardware of their
gadget.

But for those that are not equipped with the needed tools
to connect to a hotspot, here are some things that they
should have in order to do so.

1. Wireless adapter

- this is the primary requirement in being able to connect
to a hotspot. The wireless adapter is the one that
transmits data to and from the computer. Again, most modern
laptops are equipped with this. But for those without an
adapter, they can buy a wireless card or even a USB adapter
as an add-on.

2. Have the same IEEE802.11 protocol as the hotspot

- IEEE802.11 is a standard used by Wi-Fi. Under this are
different protocols that address specific wireless
networking needs such as speed and range. Although modern
wireless adapters are backward compatible, meaning they can
handle new as well as old protocols, older ones may have
problems connecting to hotspots using a protocol different
from what they use.

Therefore one has to make sure that either his/her laptop
is compatible to the one used by the hotspot, or get a
laptop that supports different protocols to connect to
different hotspots easily.

3. A good location in order to connect to a hotspot

- one also has to be within the hotspot’s range. The rule
of thumb when connecting to a hotspot is that the closer
one is to the source, the better. Laptops usually indicate
the signal strength so finding a good range should be easy.

Read more...

Monday, August 11, 2008

The IEEE802.11 Standard and Its Protocols

It was in 1997 when the Institute of Electrical and
Electronics Engineers (IEEE) created the standard for
wireless local area networks (WLANs).
The standard became known as IEEE802.11, with the 802.11
coming from the name of the group who oversaw its
development. Under this standard are several protocols
developed over the years.

Below is a list of them.

1. 802.11

- also known as the Legacy protocol, this is the original
protocol created in 1997. It operates at 2.4 GHz and has a
data rate of 1 and 2 Mbit/s. Its range was limited to 20 m
and 100 m, in indoor and outdoor settings, respectively.

2. 802.11a

- was released in 1999. It operates at 5 GHz to move away
from the 2.4 GHz operating frequency of the Legacy. Its
range only offers a slight improvement from its predecessor
with a range of 35 m indoors and 120 m outdoors. It is,
however, fast with a data rate of 54 Mbit/s.

3. 802.11b

- also released in 1999. Just like the Legacy, it operates
at 2.4 GHz. It has a slightly greater range than the
802.11a, but is slower. The b only has a data rate of 11
Mbit/s.

4. 802.11g

- marries the characteristics of the a and the b. It has a
data rate of 54 Mbit/s like a and has the same range as the
b with 38 m indoors and 140 m outdoors. It was released in
2003.

5. 802.11n

- is set to be released on June 2009. It can operate on
either 2.4 or 5 GHz frequencies. It is fast with a data
rate of 248 Mbit/s and has an indoor range of 70 m and up
to 250 m outdoors.

Read more...