Factors To Consider When Installing A Wireless Network CardYou should install a wireless network card if all the computers in your network, home of office, are within 500 feet of one another. If you have a widespread network then you already know the problems and the mess created with cables and maintaining the same. Besides being tidier and allowing greater mobility, you can move computers anywhere in that 500 feet circle without having to worry about installing network cables, if you install a wireless network card then you will find that configuring or reconfiguring the network parameters is much easier when compared to a wired network. Reconfiguring wired networks does not only involve planning the network configuration but also for infrastructure planning. The only drawback when you install a wireless network card is that the network speed will not be as fast as that of a wired network. This means that you will not be able to enjoy live streaming multimedia features like audio or video and you certainly will not have as much fun when playing online games. Install a wireless network card only if your internet requirements are restricted to normal usages, that is, web browsing, checking emails, normal text chat, and so on. You will also need to install a Wireless Access Point to which the wireless network card will connect. Something has to connect to the internet using a wire, that is if your internet connection is land based, and the Wireless Access Point is the router where your wired connection ends and the wireless one begins. Note that though nearly all computers today come equipped with a LAN card or network adapter they are not always compatible with wireless access points. This means that you may need to install a wireless network card in every computer that you intend to make wireless. You may have to install a wireless network card when you visit a hotel or other location during your travels and need internet connection. In such cases the place where you stay will likely provide you with a plug-in network card that does not require opening your computer or laptop. Most wireless network cards come with an "auto connect on wakeup" feature. This means that the moment the card receives power it will automatically start scanning for any incoming signal and start transmitting your computers details to the Wireless Access Point. This can be dangerous because a hacker can easily tap into this communication and discover sensitive data. Hackers can install their own access point closer than the official one and your computer will automatically lock on to that signal. To prevent this you must always configure your computer network options through the operating system software to ensure that your computer never transmits anything except what is safe. |