A broadband connection brings the Internet into your home at blazing speeds. And with a wireless, or Wi-Fi, network, you can get that access on multiple computers throughout your home -- and even outside -- without cords.The core of a Wi-Fi network is a wireless router or gateway. We used the D-Link DI-624 AirPlus Xtreme G 802.11g router. You'll also need a wireless adapter for each system that's connecting to the network.
We installed two D-Link AirPlus Xtreme G 802.11g wireless adapters: a DWL-G650 PC Card adapter for a Windows 2000 notebook PC and a DWL-G520 PCI adapter for a secondary desktop running Windows XP Home Edition. The primary PC, connected to the router via Ethernet cable, was running Windows XP Professional.
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 To set up your Wi-Fi network, you'll need a wireless router (top), plus a wireless adapter for each system you're connecting. Use a PCI card (middle) for desktops and a PC Card (bottom) for notebooks. |
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What about the big picture?
Wireless is being touted by the Paul Buddes of Australia as being a niche only product/service. Consumers are being led to believe (by what they read) that fixed wire services will always remain supreme over wireless. Anyone with any foresight into the wireless industry will tell you that although this may be true in many instances it is certainly not true in all. Wireless will indeed provide access to delivery of a variety of services without the need for total incumbent infrastrure in areas where this infrastructure exists. The next 2-3 years will see some very exciting new developments in wireless technology and Australians should be made more aware as to the future underlying benefits so that they may prepare themselves now.