QUESTIONS
WHAT IS WIFI?
WiFi is short for wireless
fidelity. It uses radio waves to communicate between
WiFi-enabled devices, rather than the traditional way of
running physical cables. WiFi is the wireless way to handle
networking. It is also known as 802.11 networking and
wireless networking. The big advantage of WiFi is its
simplicity. You can connect computers anywhere in your home
or office without the need for wires. The computers connect
to the network using radio signals, and computers can be up
to 300 feet or so apart. The typical range of a WiFi device
is 300' indoors and up to 1500' outdoors.
WHAT IS A WIFI ROUTER?
A router is simply an
intelligent device that understands where data comes from
and routes it to the intended destination. For example,
let's say you want to access a web site on the internet.
After you enter the url in your browser, data is sent along
your network to your router. Your router talks to other
routers, electronically, to determine where the web site
actually is. It then send your request to that location.
A WiFi router is a
specialized type of router that can also understand data
transmitted though the airwaves.
Typically, a router have many
other features associated with it, such as a firewall and
DHCP services. If your computer is connected to a router,
the router will supply an address to your computer through
it's DHCP function. If you have a single internet connection, a
router is also used to connect to that connection and will allow
anywhere from 100 to 250 other computers to share that
single internet connection.
WHAT IS A HUB?
A hub is a device that
interconnects computers. It allows computers to talk to each
other on the same network, often referred to as a LAN or
Local Area Network. Some routers also have a hub built into
it. You can also connect a hub to your router, and then all
computers will be able to share your single internet
connection and files and printers between them.
WHAT IS A WIRELESS ACCESS POINT?
A wireless access point is a
hub that allows computers to connect to each other
wirelessly. A wireless access point is often connected to a
router through an ethernet (hardwired) connection.
WHAT IS AN ANTENNA?
An antenna is a device that
radiates and captures radio (wireless) signals. There are
several type of antennas used in the WiFi world. Many are
powered to boost their capture and radiating distance.
Most WiFi routers and access
points have "omni" antennas - meaning they capture and
receive data in a circular pattern centered at the antenna.
There are add on units called directional antenna, that can
send and receive signals in a forward looking direction,
rather than circular pattern. Directional antennas typically
span much longer distances and can even be used to broadcast
a signal several miles.
Try our free
OMNI
Antenna Beamwidth Analysis.
The purpose of this tool is
to illustrate how Omni and directional antennas work. We
have found that many individuals miscalculate the signal
strength they will receive by adding a high gain Omni
antenna to their access point or gateway. This is because
the higher the gain, the narrower the beam. Simply putting a
high gain antenna on your roof may broadcast your signal
several miles, but the signal my never touch the ground to
reach your end-users located 10 or 20 feet from your
antenna.
HOW CAN I PROTECT MY COMPUTER?
Hacker attacks, worms,
viruses, trojans, cookies, caches and spyware can all pose
undue hardship and threat to the well-being and smooth
operation of your computer. Please visit our section on "Keeping
Your Public Computers Clean" for more information.
