When you're choosing hardware, you need to make sure that all the devices you buy support the same standard. Some other factors to consider when choosing hardware are as follows: - Electrical rating: Make sure the device is rated for the job that you want it to do. For example, a 500W lighting controller...

Wireless cameras, especially aggressively marketed X10 wireless cameras, are a danger to your privacy. Because X10 cameras broadcast an unencrypted analog signal, all anyone needs to intercept it is an X10 video receiver plugged into a laptop. That's right; someone sitting in a car parked on the street...

There are a number of sites on the Internet that have ring tones and graphics available for download. An Internet search will turn up hundreds. Be careful, however, because most of these sites are in Europe or the U.K. If you try to get a ring tone or logo from them, you'll either throw away good money...

Bridging two networks Normally, when you think about bridging two networks, you think about connecting them through a wired bridge, such as when you hook up an AP to share your broadband Internet connection via a router. Actual wireless-to-wireless bridging is a new thing, made possible by the new Wireless...

Online Storage: When I say online, I'm not referring to the Internet. Here online refers to a backup that is readily accessible by users on the network. For a home WLAN, online storage could consist of a hard disk (or disks) on one of the computers on the network or an external hard drive attached to...

Besides data input, power issues are another chief issue for PDA owners. If you use your PDA extensively, you need to recharge it often, not always a convenient option. Fortunately, there are a number of new products that make it easy to recharge your PDA while you're out and about. When you're shopping...

In addition to checking your e-mail, you also can take advantage of services that send alerts directly to your mobile device to inform you of breaking news, stock prices, weather, appointment reminders, or other information that you desire. You can even have alerts sent to your device to let you know...

Depending on the ISP that you use for your broadband Internet connection, you may be subject to limitations on your bandwidth usage and connection speed. This varies among ISPs as well as types of connection. Most DSL subscribers do not run into bandwidth limiting policies. Because DSL users have dedicated...

It's possible that software and hardware configuration errors could cause your network to behave erratically or not at all. Usually configuration errors prevent your devices from operating at all, but it's worth a review. If you have ruled out all other causes for your network trouble, try checking your...

2.5-generation (2.5G or 2G+) networks are an interim step toward third-generation (3G) networks. 2.5G networks integrate technology that extends 2G networks to include packet-switched data service. Packet-switched data service is faster than the circuit-switched data service offered on some 2G networks....