Wireless Networking
When you build a home, you want to make sure that you consider the resale value, and one thing that increases resale value more than anything else is the technological capabilities of the home. Technology is a big deal, and one item of technology that is skyrocketing is the idea of wireless networking not just being for companies and big businesses, but all for the home.
Wireless Networking can increase home value
Wireless Networking in homes is becoming very popular, and is a great way to connect your home computer system. While wireless networking is more expensive and often slower than most wired solutions, it is something most people want. Why? Well, even though all wireless networks are subject to interference because of walls, large metal objects, water, pipes, etc, and you can expect wireless networks to operate at about 1/2 their rated speed under all but ideal environments, wireless networking offers something that wired networks do not. This something is worth the increased cost and the relatively slow performance. So, what does wireless networking offer that wired networks cannot? Portability.
If you think this is not a big deal, try working from home, and staying up on household chores, children, etc. without wireless networking. A laptop on a wireless network is free to roam between the bedroom, kitchen and living room without loosing network connectivity. This functionality can be expanded to include internet access which means that your world of possibilities expands greatly with a wireless networking system. Even if you do not "work" from home there are advantages to this portability. A child doing homework will find advantages to portability just as a work from home Dad or Mom will. Portability means convenience, and convenience keeps the world going round. (If it didn't, you would never see milk at a gas station because no one would pay the exuberated price for the convenience.)
Choosing a wireless network
So, what type of wireless networking is the best? Well, there are many wireless network types available, however, sticking with a standard wireless network sold by multiple vendors is your best option. Why? Well think of it this way, should you choose a wireless network that has only one vendor, expanding your network later as more needs arise, or having your network serviced, may be impossible if the original vendor has dropped support. Advances in this area of technology are forthcoming daily, and so being with a standard vendor, and having a standard system leaves you open to less expensive means of upgrading, and more upgrades being available to you.
So, what is a standard network you can use that is sold by multiple vendors? The 802.11b networks have become the standard for wireless home networking. This system is not the fastest, and does not have the best security features, but it is relatively inexpensive, and very popular, thus is sure to be around and serviceable for years to come.
So what equipment do you need for wireless networking? Well, wireless ethernet does not need a hub. Wireless ethernet 'base stations' are sold, but they are not needed for standard peer to peer networking. A Base Station may be need for wired computers and wireless computers to communicate with each other, but really, there is no one answer for what you need for your wireless networking to work. The equipment you need will depend on what computers and computer types you want on your network, who your service provider is, etc. To get the wireless networking system that is best for your specific needs, consult a knowledgeable salesperson.
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Tags: Networking wireless wireless-networking home-networking
