Hi,
I have just gone through this, and I didn't know much when I started -
not that I know much more now. I am not an expert but here is what I
experienced.
The DSL modem I had was just a modem (connected through the USB port) so
I bought a router with a built in ADSL modem, A speedtouch 580 and a
wireless network card, a speedtouch 120g. They did a home network
starter pack for UK £99. You can get cheaper stuff.
The router [See definition below] bit of it allows many computers to use
the same DSL link. the modem bit is just an ADSL modem.
It was easy to set up, the main problem I had was unfamiliar
terminology.
The default security level was set to zero. No security. But to snoop
someone would have to be within range and have the ability to decode the
info, and the wish to. There is not to much to snoop at over my email.
When the security is enabled then the chance of gaining access to the
DSL line is very slim. So I have been told.
There are two main security protocols (for home use)
1) WEP 64 or 128 bit
2) WPA personal (WPA-PSK) (this is newer and not all router support it
but it is claimed to be more secure). [See definition below].
These encrypt data before transmission and decrypts it on reception.
Supposedly very secure.
There is also ACL registration with this router. This means that to add
a client (a new computer) you have to physically press a button on the
router, this gives you one minute for the new computer to register its
details with the router. IT worked without a flaw for me.
They say this increases security as you have to be physically in contact
with the router to add new devices. I don't know if there is a way
around this.
But for home use I think it is secure enough.
I have the router in the same room as my home PC so I connect to the
router with an ethernet cable. And my laptop & daughter's PC connect via
a wireless link.
It all went OK I just followed the software that came with the hardware.
Some 11g routers (54Mbs) will fall back and work at 11b (11Mbs) so older
clients can also be used.
But older clients may not support WPA security.
Here is some terminology for you, hope it helps.
802.11a - maximum 54 Mbps data transfer rate - 5 GHz frequency
An IEEE specification for wireless networking that operates in the 5 GHz
frequency range (5.725 GHz to 5.850 GHz) with a maximum 54 Mbps data
transfer rate. The 5 GHz frequency band is not as crowded as the 2.4 GHz
frequency, because the 802.11a specification offers more radio channels
than the 802.11b. These additional channels can help avoid radio and
microwave interference
802.11b - maximum 11 Mbps data transfer rate - 2.4 GHz frequency
International standard for wireless networking that operates in the 2.4
GHz frequency range (2.4 GHz to 2.4835 GHz) and provides a throughput of
up to 11 Mbps. This is a very commonly used frequency. Microwave ovens,
cordless phones, medical and scientific equipment, as well as Bluetooth
devices, all work within the 2.4 GHz frequency band.
802.11g - throughput of up to 54 Mbps - 2.4 GHz frequency
Similar to 802.11b, but this standard provides a throughput of up to 54
Mbps. It also operates in the 2.4 GHz frequency band but uses a
different radio technology in order to boost overall bandwidth.
Ethernet
International standard networking technology for wired implementations.
Basic 10BaseT networks offer a bandwidth of about 10 Mbps. Fast Ethernet
(100 Mbps) and Gigabit Ethernet (1000 Mbps) are becoming popular.
USB (Universal Serial Bus)
A high-speed bidirectional serial connection between a PC and a
peripheral that transmits data at the rate of 12 megabits per second.
The new USB 2.0 specification provides a data rate of up to 480 Mbps,
compared to standard USB at only 12 Mbps. 1394, FireWire and iLink all
provide a bandwidth of up to 400 Mbps.
10BaseT
An IEEE standard (802.3) for operating 10 Mbps Ethernet networks (LANs)
with twisted pair cabling and a wiring hub.
Bits per second (bps)
A measure of data transmission speed over communication lines based on
the number of bits that can be sent or received per second. Bits per
second—bps—is often confused with bytes per second—Bps. While
"bits" is a measure of transmission speed, "bytes" is a measure of
storage capability. 8 bits make a byte, so if a wireless network is
operating at a bandwidth of 11 megabits per second (11 Mbps or 11
Mbits/sec), it is sending data at 1.375 megabytes per second (1.375
MBps).
Bridge
A product that connects a local area network (LAN) to another local area
network that uses the same protocol (for example, wireless, Ethernet or
token ring). Wireless bridges are commonly used to link buildings in
campuses.
Client
Any computer connected to a network that requests services (files, print
capability) from another member of the network.
Client devices
Clients are end users. Wi-Fi client devices include PC Cards that slide
into laptop computers, mini-PCI modules embedded in laptop computers and
mobile computing devices, as well as USB radios and PCI/ISA bus Wi-Fi
radios. Client devices usually communicate with hub devices like access
points and gateways.
Encryption key
An alphanumeric (letters and/or numbers) series that enables data to be
encrypted and then decrypted so it can be safely shared among members of
a network. WEP uses an encryption key that automatically encrypts
outgoing wireless data. On the receiving side, the same encryption key
enables the computer to automatically decrypt the information so it can
be read.
Router
A device that forwards data packets from one local area network (LAN) or
wide area network (WAN) to another. Based on routing tables and routing
protocols, routers can read the network address in each transmitted
frame and make a decision on how to send it via the most efficient route
based on traffic load, line costs, speed, bad connections, etc.
SSID
A 32-character unique identifier attached to the header of packets sent
over a WLAN that acts as a password when a mobile device tries to
connect to the BSS. (Also called ESSID.) The SSID differentiates one
WLAN from another, so all access points and all devices attempting to
connect to a specific WLAN must use the same SSID. A device will not be
permitted to join the BSS unless it can provide the unique SSID. Because
an SSID can be sniffed in plain text from a packet, it does not supply
any security to the network. An SSID is also referred to as a Network
Name because essentially it is a name that identifies a wireless
network.
WEP
Basic wireless security provided by Wi-Fi. In some instances, WEP may be
all a home or small-business user needs to protect wireless data. WEP is
available in 40-bit (also called 64-bit), or in 108-bit (also called
128-bit) encryption modes. As 108-bit encryption provides a longer
algorithm that takes longer to decode, it can provide better security
than basic 40-bit (64-bit) encryption.
WPA-Enterprise
Stands for Wi-Fi Protected Access™ – Enterprise. It is Wi-Fi’s
encryption method that protects unauthorized network access by verifying
network users through a server.
WPA-Personal
Stands for Wi-Fi Protected Access™ – Personal. It is Wi-Fi’s
encryption method that protects unauthorized network access by utilizing
a set-up password.
(e-mail address removed) writes
