Tips to Setup Wi-Fi Easily

A wireless network is one that enables the connection of two or more computers together without cables involved. Wi-Fi, was published under the IEEE 802.11 standard, it has been updates, which work at different speeds. The Wireless Local Area Networks, allows highly mobile users, allowing them to minimize the cable connections, using radio frequency technology.

Some Points to Check Before setting up a Wi-Fi :

• The wireless devices are sold with all the security turned off, so anyone can connect to the latch and / or damage to: need user intervention to activate the protection.
• The security of wireless networks is much weaker than allow the manufacturers of these wireless devices.
• The real performance is far lower than those advertised.

I realized my wireless network using devices that follow the 802.11g standard, so these notes are limited to devices that meet this standard. I do not have the actual time to write a treaty is valid for all possible variants of wireless connections. Most of the information given here is independent of the operating system. It is therefore whether you are using Windows, whether you are using Linux, whether you are using Mac or any other computer and operating system.

What you Need

To create a wireless network usually uses a configuration called star. In this each computer connects to a central point, called the access point. There are other trinkets as wireless routers and bridges, which have similar functions, but all will point to simplify them generically as an access point (the experts do not send me too many accidents). The access point is then connected to the wired network and / or the Internet. There are several other ways to connect computers with wireless cards, but I am here.

You can not separate the wired from the wireless network, interposing between the two networks is a hardware or software firewall. The firewall then allows wireless access to the machines to those of the wired network only under certain conditions, you can set to your liking, for example, you can allow access to the Internet via wireless or wired network in your Web server, but not the resources shared (disks and printers).

You can use a standard range of IP addresses. Normally, local networks using addresses in the range 192.168.1.x, where x is between 0 and 254 (there would also be the 255, but it is reserved). The intruder knows, and set your wireless card to use the same range. But if you use another range, the intruder is displaced (not forever, but enough to make his life difficult.) Warning: If your local network is connected to the Internet, you can not use a range of addresses any, why would you go into conflict with the addresses used by the rest of the Internet. The options allowed are 192.168.xx, 10.xxx, and 172.16.0.0 to 172.31.255.255.

Setup

Connect your computer to a local network (Ethernet) or internet either through the use of a standard network card (external or integrated into your motherboard) or using a wireless network card or wireless (WiFi). Must have the data connection if necessary as in other operating systems (IP, DNS, network password, etc..). Create different configuration profiles designed for portable computers that usually connect from different connections.
Connect your PC to phone cable internet through a standard internal or external modem, configuring the connection data (user, password, telephone access, etc..).

Wi-Fi : Each PC you want to use in a wireless network of computers need a wireless network card or a wireless connection. The laptops include more modern wireless connection. As mentioned above, there are several standards for speed and usually are downwards compatible, ie a computer with fast connection can communicate with slower components at the speed of the latter.

Access point (Access point) : Type access points bridge act as switches, allowing users to access the wireless network while establishing connection to wired computer. These are connected with cable to a router or a switch.

Router with access point : These routers perform the same function as the router wired and include a WAN port (Internet) to RJ45, several LAN ports with RJ45 cable to connect to other computers or peripherals and an integrated wireless access point.

Some Points to Take Care :

When installing a wireless network must take certain steps to minimize the risk of a security incident occurs. Thus, access to company information by outsiders, the use of the network for malicious or consumption of bandwidth (with the consequent drop in performance of the company) are possible scenarios in the context of a wireless network.

1. Every network card (wireless or not) has its own serial number, which is called MAC address. The access points can be set to accept connections only from cards that have a certain MAC address. This makes it very difficult to penetrate the intruder in the network, because it must first discover a MAC address allowed. It is not impossible, but it is a hassle that discourages most of the attackers.

2. DHCP is a system that simplifies network management by automatically assigning an IP address to every machine connected to the network. This is handy in a wired environment, but it is dangerous in a wireless environment, because it assigns an IP address automatically even an intruder.

3. The wireless network has its own identifier, called the SSID, the wireless cards are able themselves to know to connect. Even the intruder needs to know to do his dirty work. The trouble is that I know is simple: most wireless devices is set at the factory to use, such as SSID, the name of the manufacturer. Another nice tricks. Since manufacturers are not so, it's trivial for an intruder to one.

4. WEP is a sieve, but is still in its little more to interpose a barrier between your network and intruders. It should therefore be operated with all other countermeasures, and the highest possible level (usually 128 bits), but beware: do not use any predefined keys.

5. Turn off when not in use.

The wireless network is a great comfort. It allows me to work in the garden or curled up on the couch to answer the mail, or write web pages like this, saves having to wire the whole house to connect the various computers, and allows me to go on Internet and print documents from any room in the house with any computer on the network. Talking about the negative point it is found that the wireless connection, however, is slower than wired. Wireless cards that follow the standard 802.11g arrive at 54 megabits per second under optimal conditions, while the wired connection usually has a capacity of 100 megabits per second. The trouble is that the optimal conditions are very rare. Just that there are half a couple of walls and the signal quality degrades and hence the connection slows down dramatically. Remains sufficient to surf the Internet, but not to transfer large files from one computer to another.

Security is a another thing which is important to take into matter. The signal of the wireless network can be protected by encryption. The producers are equipped with wireless cards to an encryption system called WEP. The trouble is that the cards are sold with the WEP off: are you activate it. Not that much use, however, because the WEP, passed off as super safe, the "hole" in less than a quarter of an hour. This does not mean that we should put at the mercy of the first suction intruder passes. There are a number of measures to significantly reduce the risk of intrusion. The access points usually have a factory default IP address. Intruders know these IP addresses are standardized and therefore go without fail in trying to access your access point. To this should change the IP address of the access point.