Choosing the type of network to install
Published: August 15, 2006
Every year, more people add Internet access to their home computers. And it's no wonder. You need to stay up-to-date with the news, keep in touch with friends and family members, and communicate with the office. If you're in school, you can send instant messages to classmates, collaborate on projects, and conduct research.
Using the Internet at home means you need a home network (even if you're just linking a single PC to the Internet). Home networks can be easy to set up, but first you have to make a decision: wired or wireless? Whichever you choose, and depending upon how you will use your home network, you might need to choose a specific network type.
Wired networks
Wired networks, also known as Ethernet networks, connect your computer to your Internet connection with a cable that looks like a thick phone wire. Wired networks are highly reliable, very secure, extremely fast, and easy to set up. They're also the least expensive type of network. You should use a wired network whenever it's practical. Wired networks also offer better reliability for high-quality video than wireless networks do.
Wired networks do have a drawback, however: the wires. Wires can be messy, and you may need to hire an electrician if the computer you are using is in a different room than the one with the Internet connection. Installing a network connection port requires an electrician. (A network connection port looks like a large version of the port you use to plug in your telephone.)
Network cables, also known as Ethernet or "Cat 5" cables, can be up to 300 feet long. However, you probably don't want cables running across your floors. If you have a computer in a different room from your Internet connection and want to connect it to the Internet, you can extend your wired network across your home's power lines using a wall-plugged network extender kit. When choosing a network extender kit, opt for the fastest speed available.
With network extender kits, network speeds (known as bandwidth) vary according to your home's wiring. Typically, extenders provide about one-third the speed of a standard wired network. That's fast enough to browse the Web, listen to music across your network, play Internet games, and even watch video (as long as it's not high-definition video).
If you decide a wired network is right for you, here's how to set it up.
Wireless networks
Wired networks are the best choice for connecting desktop computers and stationary devices (such as Xbox 360 and digital video recorders). But the Internet is even more fun to use when you're not tied to one spot. Laptops, Tablet PCs, and many pocket PCs can connect to wireless networks, such as 802.11b and 802.11g, giving you the freedom to use the Internet in your living room, kitchen, backyard, or anywhere around your home.
Adding a wireless network also enables you to use a wide variety of cool devices:
| • | Wireless video cameras. Monitor any room in your home from across the Internet—even if you don't have a computer in that room. |
| • | Wireless digital cameras. Take pictures and instantly upload them to your computer—without having to connect your camera to your computer. |
| • | Wireless digital multimedia receivers. Connect your TV and stereo to your computer across your wireless network. Listen to your digital music, watch a digital slideshow, and even watch videos. |
While wired networks are reliable and relatively easy to set up, wireless networks can be more complex. For the easiest installation, use Windows XP with Service Pack 2 and a wireless access point that supports Windows Connect Now technology.
Note: Hardware vendors (or manufacturers) claim wired and wireless networks have particular bandwidth capacities. Deciphering this information can be confusing. In general, higher is always better. When you're comparing wireless bandwidth to wired bandwidth, divide what the vendor claims the wireless bandwidth will be by 4. For example, 802.11b wireless networks claim to have 11 megabits per second (Mbps) of bandwidth. Yet they typically achieve less than 3 Mbps, which might not be enough to take full advantage of your broadband Internet connection. If a wireless access point claims it is 54 Mbps, you can expect to get about 18 Mbps of throughput. Wall-plugged network extenders similarly exaggerate bandwidth. Wired networks that don't use extenders get about two-thirds of their claimed bandwidth. The most common network, 100-Base-T, gets about 60 to 70 Mbps bandwidth.
You can choose from several different wireless technologies. If the following list seems overwhelming, don't worry—just buy 802.11g networking equipment. The full list of wireless technologies includes:
| • | 802.11b. This is the oldest and most compatible wireless technology, and any wireless network device can connect to an 802.11b network. 802.11b is slow, however, and you should use it only for browsing the Web, sending instant messages, and reading e-mail. |
| • | 802.11g. The best choice for new wireless networks, 802.11g works with any device that supports 802.11b, while offering five times the performance. 802.11g is fast enough to stream music and some video (but not high-definition video). |
| • | 802.11n. A future standard that will replace 802.11g and 802.11b networks, while still supporting existing wireless computers. 802.11n can offer better range and performance than 802.11g; however, 802.11n network equipment is more expensive, and most wireless devices do not support it. |
| • | Other 100+ Mbps wireless technologies. Most network vendors (or manufacturers) now offer custom wireless equipment that claims speeds higher than 100 Mbps. In the real world, performance is only slightly better than that provided by 802.11g and, in order to realize the benefit, you have to use wireless network adapters from the same vendor in each of the devices you're connecting. These devices also support 802.11b and 802.11g, however, and are a good choice if the price is comparable to 802.11g equipment. |
| • | 802.11a. This is an outdated wireless technology that offers good performance but is compatible with only a few devices. |
Wireless performance varies, depending on the size of your home, the types of walls you have, the type of wireless phones you have, and even the wireless networks that your neighbors may have. If you have poor performance in part of your home, read these tips.
Once you choose a wireless router, you can set up your wireless network.
