Today, not having an internet connection at home may make you feel like you are living in the Stone Age. This may just be the case when you take a look at all the benefits of having an internet connection. For one, you will have access to instant information at your fingertips and the list goes on and on. There are a few different ways in which you can achieve a wireless internet connection at home. Wireless networks are typically referred to as Wi-Fi hotspots, and today setting one up at home is effortless. The task can be accomplished by someone with little to no computer experience. You will just require some simple hardware…

Wireless connectivity comes as a blessing, as it eliminates the task of laying cables to each individual workstation. If you have multiple computer systems at home then setting up a Wi-Fi hotspot is a no-brainer. Wi-Fi is not expensive, and most modern computer systems and notebooks may include embedded Wi-Fi hardware. This is mostly the case with laptops. If you have a desktop machine it may be necessary for you to check if it has a Wi-Fi card installed. If not, you can easily purchase a PCI or USB Wi-Fi adapter and get going straight away. These adapters are not expensive, and retail for about $10. Once each individual computer is setup with a Wi-Fi card, then the next component you will need is a wireless access point.

A wireless access point (AP) is the central transmission and receiving point for all activity on a wireless LAN (local area network). Access points are usually small, dedicated hardware units that support Wi-Fi wireless communication standards. The easiest way to setup a wireless access point would be to purchase a wireless router. This device will also perform the function of sharing an internet connection to every computer connected to it automatically, so you don’t need to be a Linux programmer with server experience to accomplish the task. There are many wireless routers on the market and popular ones include: Cisco-Linksys WRT54G Wireless-G Router, Netgear MR814 802.11b DSL Router and Zoom 3G Wi-Fi Router. They retail for about $70.

As the router will be providing a shared internet connection to all devices connected to it (this also includes Smartphone’s, PDA’s and Pocket PC’s that support Wi-Fi) you will need to connect it to an internet connection as well. This is usually your DSL or cable internet connection. It is usually as simple as connecting your phone line to your device. If you don’t already have one of these technologies available at home, then you should choose from the following:

DSL (digital subscriber line) – This technology offers internet transmission via a local telephone network. It is usually on the same line as your phone service. Speeds range from 129kbps to over 10mbps. With over 30 million subscribers, you can’t go wrong with this option.

Naked DSL – This is a service offered by AT&T and Verizon Wireless. With Naked DSL, the phone line is not required. Another alternative to this is 3G internet.

Cable Internet – This service is offered by local cable television companies. These providers usually offer packages that include internet and TV. It is claimed that cable internet is faster than DSL connections and also more reliable.

By: David S Phillips

As surprising as it may seem, there are still millions of people in the U.S. who are not able to access DSL or cable internet. For these people, the answer is to get internet via satellite. But not all subscription plans are the same. In order to find the best satellite internet for your needs, you need to check out what is being offered by satellite internet service providers.

Although high speed internet is readily available in cities, that’s not the case in smaller communities or rural areas. It is just not cost effective for companies to offer the service. And if you live in a remote area, on a boat, or travel in a motor home, it’s even harder to get. In these cases, you need to find a satellite internet service provider in order to have high speed internet.

The worst satellite internet is better by far than dial-up. And the best satellite internet, while not as fast, compares favorably with regular high speed internet. With internet via satellite you can get speeds of up to 130 times faster than what you get with a dial-up connection. Download large files in no time. Update your iPod’s software, watch movies, and listen to internet radio.

Best of all, satellite broadband internet has become affordable enough that there is sure to be a plan that will fit your budget. And that’s a good thing because in today’s world, fast internet is becoming a necessity and it’s not limited only to city dwellers. More and more people are enrolling in online classes, working from home instead of commuting to a job, or running a business with a website. To do that you can’t get by with dial-up.

Fortunately there are a number of satellite internet service providers who offer fast internet which is available no matter where you live. If you choose a one way satellite plan, you can even install the equipment yourself to save even more money.

For places where one way internet is unavailable, you can get two way satellite internet. For two way satellite systems, you have to get a technician to install the equipment. Two way systems are affected by the weather, so you may experience some problems during storms.

Only you can decide which would be the best satellite internet for you. But, if you’ve decided that you want high speed internet but can’t get cable or DSL, check out the systems available through internet service providers that deal with satellite.

By: Carl Langlois

Those who are considering getting wireless Internet will want to learn a bit about the 4G service as well as what it can offer before they make the switch. The following questions and answers should be able to help the wireless Internet newbie get started.

Question #1 – What is Wireless Internet?

Wireless Internet, as the name suggests, is a service that will allow you to connect to to the web without wires. The laptop or desktop has a wireless card (in some cases, a modem that connects to the computer) that transfers data from the web. Using the web without wires has been around for several years, but new wireless tech allows you to use the Internet when you are nowhere near your modem. 4G service lets you connect to the web wherever you are in the provider’s coverage area.

Question #2 – How Much Does it Cost?

You might be surprised to learn that the cost of the service is quite affordable. If you already have broadband service at home, you will find that the cost of the wireless service is about the same. You can even find providers that will offer home and mobile service, so you only have to pay one provider each month. The package deals they offer generally give you great savings each month.

Question #3 – How Fast is the Service?

If you have ever used a broadband connection, you know just how fast the connections are. With the 4G service, you will be able to enjoy similar speeds. With a wireless connection working at 4G speed, you will be able to download movies, stream video, and even play games on the web.

Question #4 – What Can I Do with the Service?

You will be able to do all of the same things with your wireless service that you do with a wired service. You can have a video conference with people living or working on the other side of the country. You can listen to online radio, send emails, upload photos, and visit all of your favorite websites.

Question #5 – Is the Service Reliable?

One of the best things about the service is the reliability. You do not have to worry about dropped connections. You can even travel from one side of your coverage area to the other without dropping a connection. The providers know just how important it is to have a reliable connection and they do everything that they can to make sure that you do not suffer from dropped connections.

Question #6 – Is 4G Wireless Available in My Area?

4G technology is still new, and not every area of the nation has service. To find out if you are in an area that offers coverage, you will want to visit the provider’s website and check their coverage map. Providers are constantly expanding their reach into different locations to provide better coverage for more customers, so it should not be long before your area has service.

By: Laura Williamson

There are plenty of materials out there about making our life much more technology-driven. There is, however, a danger of having too much of a good thing. If you regard wireless Internet service as a resource rather than as a novelty, you’ll find that there are numerous ways that it can make your life less of a hassle logistically without requiring you to pay it constant attention. Using technology is a smart way can help you to avoid falling prey to an overly-wired lifestyle where your technology creates more stress than it alleviates.

Technologies such as 4G wireless allow Internet subscribers to use their home connection from anywhere within a very large area. It’s like your home wireless router, but it’s much more powerful and it’s designed to replace DSL and cable connections. This roaming connection, of course, is one of the best things imaginable for people in certain fields. IT professionals, for instance, would be able to use the Internet administration features on the servers they take care of from most anywhere they could hit their 4G broadband Internet connection. This is the usual way that these products are sold: giving you access to more technology.

Not everyone is an IT professional, however, and not everyone even likes computers beyond their utility, to be certain. There are plenty of people who would like to reduce the amount of time that they spend online, or who would generally like more time to themselves than they want networking via the Internet or in any other way. 4G wireless and other technologies can actually make this much easier to accomplish. It’s all in how you use it, how territorial you are about your non-wired time and how dedicated you are to giving yourself time to depressurize.

Working at coffee shops and other locations is always a selling point where wireless Internet is being advertised. With technologies such as 4G, you can work away from a coffee shop, away from your house and away from everything else. If you want to find the most isolated picnic table in a large park, set up your office and work there, it’s entirely possible. Instead of using the technology to be part of the wired culture, you can use it to get as far away as possible, if you wish, and to do your own thing.

You can also use wireless Internet services such as 4G to get away from the office, rather than as a way to take it with you. Between Voice over IP and instant Internet availability, you can likely handle a lot of your business without going to the office or without going back to the office after a day in the field. This means more free time for you to turn off the computer and to enjoy the world around you. If you do need the computer, you don’t have to drive to an office, coffee shop or your home to get a connection; it’s always there.

By: Laura Williamson

Sometimes, people crave a WiFi connection for computers around home even if a wired connection is perfectly practical. This is something luxurious about not being tied down by a wire (never mind the fact that you are tied down by about 20 other wires on the desktop PC and at least a clutch on a laptop). But there are some instances where there is nothing to do but to go wireless. For instance, what do you do when you have a laptop you need to carry from one room to another? Even if you have a MoCA device plugged into the power outlet, it can seem inconvenient. And there is really nothing you can do when you go outside. Where do you connect in an airport or coffee shop? And of course, everyone knows the convenience of sometimes tapping into a neighbor’s unprotected home WiFi. Here’s the problem with WiFi though – even a signal that you are generating right there in your own home hardly ever seems to make it all the way through the house. There are always dead spots, not to mention, the signal never seems to get very strong once you cross 30 or 40 feet. Construction these days just happens to involve a lot of metal for strength; and metal can easily keep WiFi signals out.

This is the question then – if all you have is a weak home WiFi signal to work with, what can you do to strengthen it? To begin with, you could use a relay wireless bridge to catch the signal midway at home and amplify it for the rest of the distance that the signal is needed. But that can get increasingly tiresome; and anyway, what do you do when you have a weak signal outside of your home? The answer is the hField Wi-Fire. You just attach it to your laptop, and like a strong antenna would, it pulls in a feeble signal with a great deal more gusto than a wireless bridge would.

The device is an antenna that you plug into a USB port. It doesn’t amplify the signal and send it on like a bridge would. All you do is to install the driver, connect the antenna to a free USB port, and when the software asks you which network you’re interested in connecting to you pick. Usually, it manages to boost any signal by about 30%. You can still get pretty good speed with a 30% boost most the time.

The device, that looks like a tiny little antenna, you need to stick to the top of your laptop’s screen. You do need to fiddle with just a little bit to find out which direction works best for it. You might kind of feel like you are fiddling with rabbit ears on top of an old portable television. But finding the right position doesn’t take more than a couple of seconds, and it isn’t an embarrassing appendage that you would mind displaying in public.

By: Geoffrey Wagner

If you have a WiFi enabled iPad or laptop but aren’t in a wireless hotspot then a MiFi modem can be used to connect to the cellular/mobile phone network (3G or HSDPA signal) and create a wireless broadband hotspot so you can get online. Alternatively you can use a MiFi mobile wireless modem to connect up to 5 WiFi enabled devices to the cellular network which could get you online on your iPod Touch, Sony PSP, Nintendo DSi, netbook, mobile phone or other WiFi enabled devices all at the same time.

MiFi packages are available from numerous mobile phone carriers worldwide (such as 3-Mobile MiFi/Vodafone MiFi in the UK or Verizon/AT&T MiFi in the US) and various plans exist depending on if you want to sign up for a contracted period and pay a set amount per month for a regular data allowance or pay-as-you-go service. The pay-as-you-go plans may be more appropriate if you use the service from time-to-time as the data is more expensive but you only pay for what you need.

MiFi modems vary in size and shape but generally they’re credit card sized and around 1cm thick. The MiFi modem is portable but equally substantial device that is like a very small mobile phone. Some also have a micro-SD slot so you can add your own SD card and use the device as a memory stick also.

How to set up your mobile wireless MiFi modem

The following instructions relate to a Huawei E585 3G Wireless MiFi Modem (part of the 3 MiFi package from the 3-Mobile network provider in the UK)but other modems will work in a similar way.

Get the SIM in the modem by opening up the modem and slotting it in the SIM card slot behind the battery. You’ll need to charge the modem for a long period initially to get it up and running (around 8 hours). You can do this by connecting it to the mains via an adapter plug, or alternatively you can charge by attaching it to a USB socket if you’re using it to connect a laptop or other USB enabled device. Power up the MiFi modem using the on/off switch and give it 90-120 seconds to pick up the mobile/cellular signal. The modem’s screen contains various icons giving you details of signal strength – all are pretty self explanatory and explained in detail on the instructions that come with the modem You then just connect to the usual WiFi signal on your iPad, laptop or other device and enter the login and password details provided by the carrier who you purchased the MiFi and data plan from.

If you struggle to get a strong signal then move around as network coverage can vary a lot even in the space of a few metres.

When you pick up a strong 3G or HSDPA signal you should get decent data speeds enabling you to stream YouTube videos and loaded web pages quickly. The performance is as any fast as you’d get on a smart-phone but not comparable to a high-speed home broadband connection. The signal strength largely depends on the cellular/mobile carrier you select and their coverage in the area you’re trying to access the 3G or HSDPA network.

Battery life of the Huawei E585 3G Wireless MiFi Modem was generally around four hours when powered by the battery in the modem and in continuous use”. But standby time is much longer so best to turn the modem off if not in use to prevent the power draining away.

To give you an idea of how far your data allowance will go. The 3-Mobile cellular network in the UK states that 1 GB of data should roughly allow you to browse the web for 10 hours, plus send 1000 emails, plus download 32 four minute music tracks, plus download 5 four minute videos. A lot will depend on what you use if for but simple websites such as Google with few images require very little data usage and video downloading on YouTube will take much more.

Mobile WiFi Summary

Your mobile wireless MiFi experience will largely depend on the cellular/network coverage in the area that you’ll use it and watch out for hidden charges such as using the device abroad. All-in-all though, a MiFi modem is a great way to get online when you’re out of range of a WiFi network and don’t have a 3G connection built into your iPad, laptop or other wireless enabled device. MiFi modems also allow you to create one connection that a number of other devices can connect to and often the cost of the modem is far less than paying up front for a 3G enabled device.

By: Ted Summs

Most Americans have hundreds or even thousands of songs in their personal music collection, and real die-hard music fans often have hundreds of thousands of songs in their own collections. In the past, that meant that people bought several records, 8-track tapes, cassette tapes or CDs, but these days, it means that people download all of those songs directly onto their computers, smartphones or portable music players. Music files can be quite large, especially if you purchase a whole album. Accordingly, people have to have fast and reliable wireless internet service in order to ensure they don’t run into problems while their songs download.

All wireless internet service will enable music fans to download new songs from anywhere they can receive a signal, but some services are better than others. The best Wi-Fi service that is currently available, is the latest fourth generation of service. This new service, which really came into its own in 2010, is projected to become the standard service that everyone wants in 2011. It’s easy to see why everyone prefers 4G internet service because its four times faster than the previous generation of service, which itself was much faster than older Wi-Fi networks. With such a fast service available, music fans can download songs and albums in a matter of minutes rather than having to wait for half an hour to several hours. When people are downloading large amounts of music or other files, that kind of speed becomes essential not only because it makes downloads take less time, but also because it helps them happen more smoothly and reliably. If you’ve ever tried to download music with a slow internet connection, then you know what it’s like to have your network crash and have each song pause for several minutes. Avoid all of those download problems by simply getting the latest and best Wi-Fi service that is available.

In addition to downloading songs and albums, many music fans like to stream music or watch music videos over their wireless internet connections. Often, people choose to stream their music because they want to listen to internet radio channels in order to be exposed to new music artists or because they don’t want to spend a fortune on their music libraries.

Many fans also enjoy watching the videos that their favorite music artists create because those are another form of art that can be quite creative but that is often forgotten. No matter how you choose to experience your music, however, it will be much easier for you to download or stream things if you have fast 4G internet service. This service can cost as little as $30 per month, which is comparable to other less-worthy internet options, and it’s quite a bargain when you think about what you get for that amount of money. Best of all, there are plenty of different Wi-Fi plans available so you can find whatever one meets all of your needs. Whether you’ll want to get access to new music while you’re at home or on the go, you can get the service you’re looking for.

By: Jason Tandle

Unless you are Steve Jobs himself, it’s hard to stay at the cutting edge of new communications technologies. However, the very latest in the mobile internet revolution has not yet been blessed by the people over at Apple. The reincarnation of 3g internet, 4g wireless, has been getting more and more coverage in the media, but it would seem that many of the basic questions that crop up about this internet service are being vaguely addressed, or not answered at all. While the numbers may just be marketing ploys to describe ascending levels of internet service (the “fourth generation” goes 4 to 10 times faster than the “third”) the basic principle is that as the numbers get higher, the service gets better.

Some of the buzz surrounding the next “generation” of internet technology has been about the budding competition between sources. Some swear by WiMax, while others are fans of LTE or Long Term Evolution. While both providers use antenna technology to broadcast their internet signals, there are fundamental differences between the tow. While the former is run by the IEEE or Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, LTE is being headed up by 3GPP with close ties to the current cellular technology GSM. At the end of the day, most users will be limited by availability, at least for now, and not get much choice between networks. The download speeds range between 2 megabits and 10 Mbps per second, with some LTE networks claiming to reach up to 12 Mbps. The point? The average 3g network can only get up to about 1.4 Mbps, meaning that the speed of these networks will be markedly better than what users are used to from a mobile internet network.

Faster speeds, of course, facilitate greater usability for the internet, especially in the areas that people want more capability. Today, some of the most popular websites and functions online are videos, music, streaming of media, video conferencing, and online gaming. All of these things require a high speed connection, meaning that to access such media while on the go nothing short of the “fourth generation” will do. For those looking to get signed up right away, residents of some cities will be in luck, while others will have to wait a while longer. There are many cities of all sizes from Atlanta to Chicago to Las Vegas to San Francisco already wired by various providers and 4g wireless networks. Others may have to hang on for a bit longer with their terrestrial broadband services well into 2011.

In terms of function and pricing, the average 4g network is a clear head about the current mobile networks like 3g wireless. The price is cheaper, the unlimited data usage is appealing, and the speeds are far greater. Are these networks ready to replace home terrestrial broadband networks entirely? For some people, they may already be able to do just that. For others however, there are still glitches to be ironed out before ditching the home PC or wireless router for good. For the time, users can view these new internet networks as great options for connectivity and exciting foundations for the future of internet usage.

By: Jason Tandle

It allows you to access Internet on your personal computer or computer network without the need for a cable connection. You use a wireless router in a LAN. A wireless router has the following features:

1.It has LAN ports, which function very similar to the ports in a network switch

2.It also has a WAN port which allows you to connect to a wider network

3.It has a wireless antenna.

The antenna allows you to connect to other wireless devices such as – wireless repeaters, wireless bridges, Network Interface cards etc. You will find many wireless routers on the market, but not all may be equally effective. One of the best wireless routers that you can use is the Linksys Wireless router. This sleek, flat looking router has a very unique chassis which looks like an UFO. The best feature of this router is that it does not have an external antenna. It has an in-built antenna which gives it a very compact and sophisticated look. This router would cost you about $80.

This cute looking wireless router has standard 4 network ports. The router has an array of diodes which emits lights on the front side. This light emitting diodes shows the status of the wireless network, the Internet and the status of the ports.

When you buy this wireless router, you will get Advisor software which works well with both Windows and Mac. The software provides you step-by-step set-up procedures.

A very striking feature of Linksys Wireless N WRT160N Router is its content filtering system, which is called ‘Access Restrictions’. This allows you to restrict access of a particular computer in a network.

Though it offers such great features, it has its own drawbacks. It does not have a USB support. It allows Internet speed of only 100mbps, which is by far very slow.

The bottom line:

Is this Linksys Wireless N WRT160N Router would give you consistent performance and plenty of networking features. You would be very happy using this router.

By: Jonas Mamaran

At the end of the wireless internet debate, you have to take what you can get from a service and run with it. After all, it’s only the internet and everyone has different uses for it, whether the question is work internet or free-time internet use. Will a 4G connection be the answer you’ve been looking for in the end? Check out this list of what the service is ultimately good for and see if it ought to be on your radar.

1. It’s great for doing all the little things quickly. Many people just want to get online, send some emails, check on a few websites and keep on moving. After all, it’s a wireless internet connection on your cell phone or laptop computer, not a large screen at a comfortable desk. If that sort of work is what you had in mind for your wireless service, you’ll be more than pleasantly surprised at the type of package you’ll get.

2. It can get you out of a jam at work. Getting into jams at your job will usually happen when other things interfere. Typically, if you have all your time to focus on what’s happening, your job never slips out of control. However, with the modern world being what it is, you may have to deal with traffic, with some family issues and an impatient boss in the space of one hour. How can your 4G device get you off the hook? No matter where in town you pull over, you’ll be able to log on and get to work.

3. It’s great for sports. Sports fans have seen the light with the internet. That is, they know they are only a few websites away from following their favorite team at all times. Nothing can stand in the way of a game – not even a cross-country trip far away from where your ball club plays. Use your wireless device to track scores, to get radio broadcasts, or, better yet, get the live video feed from the stadium. Yes, the connection is good enough that you can turn your PC or smart phone into a TV.

4. Movies and TV shows are definitely possible. Taking that idea one step further, why not make your free time count with your 4G device? There is no law saying you shouldn’t use all of your time wisely, which for you can include watching TV shows and movies as they are released online. There are vending services to get new releases and there are a number of public domain videos which are yours to watch.

5. It doesn’t cost all that much. One of the best things about the new network is what it costs. Anyone can pawn off a new lackluster service for cheap, but this network is a different story. It tops all the others in everything except price. Will this be good or bad for wireless service in the long run? Whatever the companies have to deal with is their problem. The consumer is winning.

By: Jason Tandle