Contents at a Glance |
|
Introduction ................................................................. |
1 |
Part I: Wireless Networking Fundamentals .................... |
5 |
Chapter 1: Introducing Wireless Home Networking ...................................................... |
7 |
Chapter 2: From a to g and b-yond ................................................................................ |
25 |
Chapter 3: Bluetooth, HPNA, and HomePlug ............................................................... |
47 |
Part II: Making Plans ................................................ |
63 |
Chapter 4: Planning a Wireless Home Network ........................................................... |
65 |
Chapter 5: Choosing Wireless Home Networking Equipment ................................... |
87 |
Part III: Installing a Wireless Network ...................... |
103 |
Chapter 6: Installing Wireless Access Points in Windows ........................................ |
105 |
Chapter 7: Setting Up Your Windows PCs for Wireless Networking ....................... |
117 |
Chapter 8: Setting Up a Wireless Mac Network ......................................................... |
135 |
Chapter 9: Setting Up Internet Sharing ....................................................................... |
163 |
Chapter 10: Securing Your Wireless Home Network ................................................. |
183 |
Part IV: Using a Wireless Network ............................ |
201 |
Chapter 11: Putting Your Wireless Home Network To Work .................................... |
203 |
Chapter 12: Gaming over a Wireless Home Network ................................................ |
225 |
Chapter 13: Networking Your Entertainment Center ................................................ |
245 |
Chapter 14: Other Cool Things You Can Network ..................................................... |
261 |
Chapter 15: Using a Bluetooth Network ..................................................................... |
277 |
Chapter 16: Going Wireless Away from Home ........................................................... |
291 |
Part V: The Part of Tens ........................................... |
303 |
Chapter 17: Ten FAQs about Wireless Home Networks ............................................ |
305 |
Chapter 18: Ten Ways to Troubleshoot Wireless LAN Performance ...................... |
313 |
Chapter 19: More Than Ten Devices You’ll Connect to Your |
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Wireless Network in the Future ................................................................................. |
325 |
Chapter 20: Top Ten Sources for More Information ................................................. |
337 |
Index |
.......................................................................345 |
Table of Contents |
|
Introduction.................................................................. |
1 |
About This Book .............................................................................................. |
1 |
System Requirements ..................................................................................... |
2 |
How This Book Is Organized .......................................................................... |
2 |
Part I: Wireless Networking Fundamentals ........................................ |
2 |
Part II: Making Plans .............................................................................. |
2 |
Part III: Installing a Wireless Network ................................................. |
3 |
Part IV: Using a Wireless Network ....................................................... |
3 |
Part V: The Part of Tens ........................................................................ |
3 |
Icons Used in This Book ................................................................................. |
3 |
Where to Go from Here ................................................................................... |
4 |
Part I: Wireless Networking Fundamentals ..................... |
5 |
Chapter 1: Introducing Wireless Home Networking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
.7 |
Nothing but Net(work): Why You Need (Or Want) One ............................. |
8 |
File sharing ............................................................................................. |
8 |
Printer and peripheral sharing ............................................................ |
9 |
Internet connection sharing ............................................................... |
10 |
Home arcades and wireless to go ...................................................... |
12 |
Wired versus Wireless .................................................................................. |
13 |
Installing wired home networks ........................................................ |
13 |
Installing wireless home networks .................................................... |
15 |
Picking a Wireless Standard ......................................................................... |
16 |
Planning Your Wireless Home Network ...................................................... |
19 |
Choosing Wireless Networking Equipment ............................................... |
20 |
Chapter 2: From a to g and b-yond . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
25 |
Networking Buzzwords That You Need to Know ...................................... |
26 |
Workstations and servers .................................................................. |
26 |
Network infrastructure ....................................................................... |
28 |
Network interface adapters ............................................................... |
31 |
Get the (Access) Point? ................................................................................ |
35 |
Your Wireless Network’s Power Station — the Antenna .......................... |
38 |
Industry Standards ....................................................................................... |
40 |
Chapter 3: Bluetooth, HPNA, and HomePlug . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
Who or What Is Bluetooth? .......................................................................... |
48 |
Wi-Fi versus Bluetooth ................................................................................. |
49 |
Piconets, Masters, and Slaves ..................................................................... |
50 |
xii |
Wireless Home Networking For Dummies |
Integrating Bluetooth in Your Wireless Network ...................................... |
53 |
Wirelessly synching your PDAs ......................................................... |
54 |
Wireless printing and data transfer .................................................. |
56 |
Integrating HPNA and HomePlug with Your Wireless |
|
Home Network ........................................................................................... |
57 |
Home Phoning (ET Got It Backward!) ......................................................... |
58 |
Network Power(line)! .................................................................................... |
59 |
Part II: Making Plans ................................................. |
63 |
Chapter 4: Planning a Wireless Home Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
.65 |
Deciding What Is Connected to the Network ............................................ |
66 |
Counting network devices .................................................................. |
66 |
Choosing wired or wireless ................................................................ |
67 |
Choosing a wireless technology ........................................................ |
68 |
Choosing an access point ................................................................... |
69 |
Deciding where to install the AP ....................................................... |
71 |
Adding printers .................................................................................... |
76 |
Adding entertainment and more ....................................................... |
78 |
Connecting to the Internet ........................................................................... |
79 |
Budgeting for Your Wireless Network ........................................................ |
84 |
Pricing access points .......................................................................... |
84 |
Pricing wireless network adapters .................................................... |
85 |
A sample budget .................................................................................. |
85 |
Planning Security .......................................................................................... |
86 |
Chapter 5: Choosing Wireless Home Networking Equipment . . . . . |
.87 |
Selecting Access Points ................................................................................ |
87 |
Certification and Standards Support .......................................................... |
88 |
Compatibility and Form Factor ................................................................... |
89 |
Bundled Functionality: Servers, Gateways, Routers, and Switches ....... |
90 |
DHCP servers ....................................................................................... |
91 |
Gateways, NAT, and cable/DSL routers ............................................. |
91 |
Switches ................................................................................................ |
93 |
Print servers ........................................................................................ |
93 |
Operational Features .................................................................................... |
94 |
Security ........................................................................................................... |
95 |
Range and Coverage Issues ......................................................................... |
97 |
Manageability ................................................................................................ |
97 |
Web-based configuration .................................................................... |
97 |
Software programming ....................................................................... |
98 |
Telnetting to your device ................................................................... |
99 |
Upgradeable firmware ........................................................................ |
99 |
Price .............................................................................................................. |
100 |
Warranties .................................................................................................... |
100 |
Customer and Technical Support ............................................................. |
101 |
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Table of Contents |
xiii |
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Part III: Installing a Wireless Network ....................... |
103 |
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Chapter 6: Installing Wireless Access Points in Windows . . . . . |
. .105 |
|
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Before Getting Started, Get Prepared ....................................................... |
105 |
|
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Setting Up the Access Point ....................................................................... |
107 |
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Preparing to install a wireless AP .................................................... |
107 |
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Installing the AP ................................................................................. |
108 |
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Configuring AP parameters .............................................................. |
111 |
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Changing the AP Configuration ................................................................. |
115 |
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Chapter 7: Setting Up Your Windows PCs for |
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|
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Wireless Networking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
. .117 |
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Setting Up Wireless Network Interface Adapters .................................... |
117 |
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Installing device drivers and client software ................................. |
118 |
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PC Cards and mini-PCI cards ............................................................ |
120 |
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Compact Flash cards ......................................................................... |
122 |
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PCI and ISA cards ............................................................................... |
124 |
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USB adapters ...................................................................................... |
125 |
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Modifying Wireless Network Adapters ..................................................... |
126 |
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Synchronizing and Internet Access .......................................................... |
127 |
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Wireless Zero Configuration with XP ........................................................ |
129 |
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Easy installation ................................................................................ |
129 |
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Automatic network connections .................................................... |
130 |
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Tracking Your Network’s Performance .................................................... |
132 |
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Chapter 8: Setting Up a Wireless Mac Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
. .135 |
|
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Apple AirPort Hardware ............................................................................. |
135 |
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Pick an AirPort Card, any card ........................................................ |
136 |
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“Come in, AirPort Base Station, over . . .” ...................................... |
139 |
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Apple AirPort Software Updates ............................................................... |
141 |
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AirPort 2.0 software .......................................................................... |
141 |
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AirPort 2.0.4 software ....................................................................... |
142 |
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AirPort 2.0.5 software ....................................................................... |
142 |
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AirPort 2.1.1 software ....................................................................... |
143 |
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OS 9 Wireless Networks .............................................................................. |
144 |
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Installing AirPort software on Mac OS 9 ......................................... |
145 |
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Upgrading AirPort Base Station firmware on OS 9 ........................ |
146 |
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Configuring the AirPort Base Station on OS 9 ............................... |
148 |
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Adding a computer to your AirPort network on OS 9 .................. |
151 |
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OS X Wireless Networks ............................................................................. |
152 |
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Installing the AirPort software on OS X .......................................... |
153 |
|
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Upgrading AirPort Base Station firmware on OS X ....................... |
154 |
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Configuring the AirPort Base Station on OS X ............................... |
155 |
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Adding another computer to your AirPort network on OS X ...... |
158 |
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Adding a Non-Apple Computer to Your AirPort Network ...................... |
159 |
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Connecting to Non-Apple-Based Wireless Networks .............................. |
161 |
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|
xiv |
Wireless Home Networking For Dummies |
Chapter 9: Setting Up Internet Sharing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
. .163 |
Deciding How to Share Your Internet Connection .................................. |
163 |
Connection sharing ........................................................................... |
164 |
Routers and gateways ....................................................................... |
164 |
Sharing dialup Internet connections ............................................... |
166 |
Obtaining an IP Address Automatically ................................................... |
167 |
Windows 9x ........................................................................................ |
169 |
Windows 2000 .................................................................................... |
170 |
Windows XP ....................................................................................... |
172 |
Mac OS ................................................................................................ |
173 |
Setting Up Internet Connection Sharing ................................................... |
175 |
Windows 98 SE and Windows Me .................................................... |
176 |
Windows 2000 .................................................................................... |
178 |
Windows XP ....................................................................................... |
180 |
Mac OS X v. 10.2 (Jaguar) ................................................................. |
181 |
Chapter 10: Securing Your Wireless Home Network . . . . . . . . . . . |
. .183 |
Assessing the Risks ..................................................................................... |
184 |
General Internet security ................................................................. |
185 |
Airlink security .................................................................................. |
186 |
Introducing Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) ......................................... |
187 |
How about a bit more about WEP? ................................................. |
188 |
What’s wrong with WEP? .................................................................. |
189 |
Clamping Down on Your Wireless Home Network’s Security ................ |
190 |
Getting rid of the defaults ................................................................ |
191 |
Enabling WEP ..................................................................................... |
192 |
Closing your network ........................................................................ |
195 |
Looking into the Crystal Ball ..................................................................... |
197 |
Waiting for WPA ................................................................................. |
197 |
The future: 802.11i ............................................................................. |
198 |
Part IV: Using a Wireless Network ............................. |
201 |
Chapter 11: Putting Your Wireless Home Network To Work . . . . |
. .203 |
A Networking Review .................................................................................. |
204 |
Basic networking terminology ......................................................... |
204 |
Setting up a workgroup ..................................................................... |
205 |
Will You Be My Neighbor? .......................................................................... |
206 |
Sharing — I Can Do That! ........................................................................... |
210 |
Enabling file sharing on Windows 95/98/Me .................................. |
211 |
Sharing a document or folder on Windows 95/98/Me .................. |
211 |
Enabling sharing on Windows 2000/XP .......................................... |
213 |
Setting permissions ........................................................................... |
214 |
Accessing shared files ....................................................................... |
216 |
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Table of Contents |
xv |
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Be Economical: Share Those Peripherals ................................................ |
216 |
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Setting up a print server ................................................................... |
216 |
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Sharing other peripherals ................................................................ |
221 |
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Sharing between Macs and Windows-based PCs .................................... |
221 |
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Chapter 12: Gaming over a Wireless Home Network . . . . . . . . . . . |
.225 |
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PC Gaming Hardware Requirements ......................................................... |
227 |
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Networking Requirements for PC Gaming ............................................... |
228 |
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Getting Your Gaming Console on our Wireless Home Network ............ |
229 |
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Console online gaming services and equipment ........................... |
230 |
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Console wireless networking equipment ....................................... |
234 |
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Dealing with Router Configurations .......................................................... |
237 |
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Getting an IP address ........................................................................ |
238 |
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Dealing with port forwarding ........................................................... |
239 |
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Setting Up a Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) .................................................... |
243 |
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Chapter 13 Networking Your Entertainment Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
245 |
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Wirelessly Enabling Your Home Entertainment System ......................... |
246 |
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Wireless Home Entertainment Gear ......................................................... |
249 |
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Expanding Your Home Entertainment Center |
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with Wireless Adapters ........................................................................... |
251 |
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The Home Media Player ............................................................................. |
255 |
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The Home Theater PC ................................................................................ |
257 |
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Internet Content for Your Media Players and HTPCs ............................. |
259 |
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Chapter 14: Other Cool Things You Can Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
261 |
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Making a Connection to Your Car ............................................................. |
262 |
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Your car’s path to wireless enlightenment ..................................... |
262 |
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Synching your car stereo with home .............................................. |
264 |
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Getting online with your own car PC .............................................. |
266 |
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Picking wireless gear for your car ................................................... |
267 |
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Look Ma, I’m on TV — Video Monitoring over Wireless LANs .............. |
268 |
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Controlling Your Home over Your Wireless LAN ..................................... |
270 |
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Using your PDA as a remote control ............................................... |
271 |
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Whole home 802.11-based IR coverage .......................................... |
272 |
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See me, feel me, hear me, touch me ................................................ |
273 |
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Sit, Ubu, Sit . . . |
Speak! ................................................................................. |
275 |
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Chapter 15: Using a Bluetooth Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
277 |
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Discovering Bluetooth Basics .................................................................... |
278 |
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Bluetooth Mobile Phones ........................................................................... |
281 |
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Bluetooth PDAs ........................................................................................... |
282 |
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Other Bluetooth Devices ............................................................................ |
285 |
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Printers ............................................................................................... |
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285 |
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Digital cameras .................................................................................. |
286 |
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Keyboards and meeses (that’s plural for mouse!) ........................ |
287 |
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Bluetooth adapters ........................................................................... |
288 |
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xvi |
Wireless Home Networking For Dummies |
Chapter 16: Going Wireless Away from Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
. .291 |
Discovering Public Hot Spots .................................................................... |
292 |
Freenets and open access points .................................................... |
294 |
For-pay services ................................................................................ |
295 |
Using T-Mobile Hot Spots ........................................................................... |
298 |
Using Wayport Hot Spots ........................................................................... |
299 |
Using Boingo Hot Spots .............................................................................. |
299 |
Tools for Finding Hot Spots ....................................................................... |
300 |
Netstumbler.com ............................................................................... |
301 |
Boingo ................................................................................................. |
302 |
Part V: The Part of Tens ............................................ |
303 |
Chapter 17: Ten FAQs about Wireless Home Networks . . . . . . . . |
. .305 |
Chapter 18: Ten Ways to Troubleshoot Wireless LAN |
|
Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
. .313 |
Check the Obvious ...................................................................................... |
314 |
Move the Access Point ............................................................................... |
315 |
Move the Antenna(s) .................................................................................. |
316 |
Change Channels ......................................................................................... |
316 |
Check for Dual-Band Interference ............................................................. |
317 |
Check for New Obstacles ........................................................................... |
317 |
Install Another Antenna ............................................................................. |
318 |
Add a Signal Booster ................................................................................... |
318 |
Add an AP ..................................................................................................... |
320 |
Add a Repeater or Bridge ........................................................................... |
322 |
Check Your Cordless Phone Frequencies ................................................ |
323 |
Chapter 19: More Than Ten Devices You’ll Connect |
|
to Your Wireless Network in the Future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
. .325 |
Your Bath ...................................................................................................... |
326 |
Your Car ........................................................................................................ |
326 |
Your Exercise Gear ...................................................................................... |
328 |
Your Home Appliances ............................................................................... |
329 |
Your Musical Instruments .......................................................................... |
330 |
Your Pets ...................................................................................................... |
331 |
Your Phones ................................................................................................. |
331 |
Your Robots ................................................................................................. |
332 |
Your Wearing Apparel ................................................................................. |
334 |
Chapter 20: Top Ten Sources for More Information . . . . . . . . . . . . |
. .337 |
CNET.com ..................................................................................................... |
338 |
802.11 Planet ................................................................................................ |
338 |
Broadband Wireless Exchange Magazine ................................................ |
338 |
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Table of Contents |
xvii |
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80211b.weblogger.com ............................................................................... |
339 |
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PC Magazine ................................................................................................. |
339 |
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Electronic House Magazine ........................................................................ |
340 |
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Home Automation Magazine ...................................................................... |
340 |
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Practically Networked ................................................................................ |
341 |
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ExtremeTech.com ....................................................................................... |
341 |
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Network World ............................................................................................. |
341 |
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Other Cool Sites .......................................................................................... |
342 |
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Index........................................................................ |
345 |
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xviii Wireless Home Networking For Dummies