From Book News, Inc.
This guide offers advice on determining equipment needs and then provides instructions for each step of building a wireless networkinstallation, set-up, configuration, and troubleshooting. The explanations assume no previous experience with networking. Heltsel teaches media arts at Tulane University College. The title page shows a different title from the cover: Complete home wireless networking.Copyright © 2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR
From the Back Cover
Set up your home wireless network-the quick and painless way Learn time-saving tricks and troubleshooting tips from an expert Enjoy the freedom of wireless computing at home-no experience required! Get simple instructions and tips for Windows 98 through XP
Fast, reliable, secure home wireless networks-the easy way!
Today's home wireless networks offer tremendous advantages over hard-wired networks-among them, unprecedented portability and, of course, the freedom from wires strung all over your house! Unless you have a firm grasp on all the latest networking technologies, though, wireless networks won't free you from digging your way through a collection of confusing, jargon-riddled manuals; dealing with obscure configuration modes; and finally, hoping somehow it will all work once you flip the switch.
If you want a home wireless network without the headaches, then Complete Wireless Home Networking: Windows XP Edition, by wireless networking authority Paul Heltzel, is for you. Written in an engaging, conversational style, this book offers reliable advice on determining your equipment needs, then guides you through each step of building a wireless network-installation, setup, configuration, and troubleshooting. And with minimal fuss, you'll have a home wireless network that's fast, secure, and optimized for your physical environment and computing requirements. Whether you're accessing the Internet from your back yard, sending jobs to a printer downstairs, or transferring files effortlessly, you'll wonder how you got by without a wireless network. Coverage includes: Adding and sharing peripherals and Internet connections, step by step Maximizing and troubleshooting wireless connections Using vital security tools such as firewalls and data encryption, and much more!
This book is intended for anyone who wants to get a home wireless network up and running in no time, with no previous experience in networking required. You'll find simple instructions and tips for computers running Windows 98 through XP, including how to make them peacefully co-exist.
About the Author
PAUL HELTZEL has written extensively on wireless technology, the Internet, and network computing for magazines and Web sites including PC World, Business 2.0 and CNN Interactive. During the late 1990s, he created Web sites for the Discovery Channel, MCI, and Discover Card. He then served as a reporter and editor for PC World in San Francisco. He has contributed articles on technology to the Washington Post, MIT Technology Review, and the New York Times on the Web. He lives in New Orleans, where he serves as an adjunct instructor in the Media Arts department of Tulane's University College This is his seventh book.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Setting up a home network used to be a task that only the (very) computer savvy would attempt. How things have changed. There's no reason anyone with multiple computers should go without a network, preferably a wireless one.
Until recently, networking your computers meant stringing something called category 5 Ethernet cable throughout your house. And, in a home situation, few people really needed a network to transfer files from one computer to another. Then along came the Internet, and with it, busy phone lines.
The introduction of broadband, with its very fast digital Internet connections, is helping many home users get more fun and use out of their computers. And, in the home, these broadband connections provide more than enough speed for the whole family to be online at once, sans a tied-up phone line. You just need a network to share this speedy Internet access.
It's no wonder that wireless networking is the fastest growing home networking technology today. Wireless networks let you set up an entire local area network (LAN) in the time it takes to drill a hole in your wall. Or hit the stud instead of empty drywall, and then drill another hole. Or run out of power on your cordless drill, and take the time to recharge it. Or get frustrated and throw the drill out the window. You get the picture.
With today's wireless networks, you can even take the whole thing with you if you move. Just pack your wireless hardware with all the rest of your computer equipment, and plug it in when you get to your new home or workspace.
One caveat: If your home is very large, you might need to consider that wireless network equipment has a limited range, about 150 feet indoors. A potential workaround for this problem is mixing "no-new-wires" hardware, which uses the existing wiring in your home to network your computers. Generally wireless networking is more convenient than any other technology, but these no-new-wires technologies work very well, and can be a big help. We cover them briefly as well.
So, who is this book for?Anyone who could use a simple guide to buying and installing a wireless networkThose who are setting up their first network of any kindPeople with some computer training but very little network experienceFolks who have had some experience with a network at the office and would like to see some of the benefits of a network at home
If you're interested in a wireless networking bible, with lots of schematics and lingo, this isn't the book for you. This book will, however, get you up to speed on wireless networks, quickly. You'll be up and running in no time.
After reading this book, you should be able to accomplish the following tasks from any room, out by the pool, or sitting in front of the fireplace in your home:Surf the web on your laptopPrint a document on a printer in another roomListen to MP3 audio or Web-based video over your networkStop burning CDs or using floppies to move files from one computer to another
The premise of this book is to offer simple explanations of wireless technology with a focus on installing, setting up, configuring, and troubleshooting your equipment. The emphasis is on a conversational tone that points out the best way to avoid problems before you run into them. You'll find lots of step-by-step instructions that will help guide you, even if you haven't yet purchased your equipment. Where appropriate, screenshots illustrate where to point, click, and generally wrestle your wireless network into submission.
Again, if this is your first time installing a network, don't worry. You'll find that it's (nearly) painless, and the book will guide you through the troublesome areas. Now let's get to work!Paul Heltzel
Home
