If you suddenly start noticing problems with your network or you experience intermittent difficulty, RF interference may be affecting your WLAN. Identifying sources of RF interference isn't easy, especially if they originate from outside your home. There are a number of things in your home that can cause...

Rugged computers are special laptops designed to withstand things that would otherwise damage or destroy a standard laptop. Originally designed for field use by the military, rugged computers are available from a number of manufacturers and are now styled to be more attractive to the average consumer....

The first thing you need to consider is whether wireless fits your needs, or if you should go with a wired alternative. I know, funny thing for a wireless book to even suggest, but Ethernet is worth considering for some applications. If you are planning to network just two or three computers and they...

Unfortunately, not many people bother to report stolen laptops. In the event that your device is stolen, take the time to file a police report and contact the manufacturer. Your manufacturer may be able to locate the device in the future if someone attempts to register the product or obtain service and...

Careful planning in choosing which Wi-Fi standard your WLAN will be based on will help you avoid headaches and wasted money. 802.11b has been on the market the longest, and that means that there's a lot of 802.lib-compliant hardware on the market. Now that 802.llg and 802.11a have arrived on the scene,...

The screen is the most frequently damaged part of a PDA and often a laptop. Accidents can result in all sorts of damage, including crushing, cracking, scratches, and electrical component failure. A good case protects your screen from crushing and other damage, but to prevent scratches you should consider...

Besides the obvious difference, the wireless Web differs from the regular World Wide Web primarily by the content that can be presented on mobile devices. The wireless Web isn't a separate entity. When you access the wireless Web you're accessing the regular Internet, just via a different route. To deal...

Mobile devices are popular because they are portable and powerful. Unfortunately, this and the fact that they are relatively expensive make them prime targets for thieves. In the 1980s and early '90s, thieves targeted camcorders for the same reasons (they still do, actually), but now a stolen laptop...

The next factor to consider in designing your WLAN is to determine how many devices you want to connect wirelessly. You may want to connect everything right off the bat or start out with a few devices and expand as your budget allows. Or you may be adding a few wireless elements to an existing Ethernet...

While discussing default settings, I mentioned changing default administrative passwords and IP addresses. These two steps are important to help protect your access point. If you fail to do these things, it can be easy for an intruder to take control of it. Once he does that, he grants himself legitimate...