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The Advantages of Wireless Internet

Panera Bread 

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Ah, the Internet age – a time where individuals can do almost anything from the comfort of their own homes, from dating, shopping, going to school, and finding work. The Internet is definitely “in”.

In fact, where would we be without the internet and wireless ability to surf at our leisure or work? The benefits of utilizing wireless internet far exceed the old fashioned computers that had to be plugged in to modem devices that would eliminate our ability to be mobile.

Wireless Internet can be found in locations that were once never anticipated or expected. You can now eat a meal in the fast-paced McDonalds, or in the quiet ambiance of Panera. You can get a nice coffee at Starbucks, or sit in the local library with your computer or other wireless device. Playgrounds for children are now being plugged in, providing parents opportunities to score online time while allowing their kids to play.

Sluggishness is no longer an option, with opportunities to connect online and work from virtually anywhere. Of course, there are pros and cons to this. Most people will vote for the positives of being able to balance work and home life and maybe sneak in some time for themselves to do research or online shopping.

Wireless Internet is pure beauty – something that we cannot see, touch, or taste – yet it exists in all its finery. Wireless devices bring our lives much ease and opportunity leaving us to wonder what we ever did without it.

 

Filed Under: Internet Tagged With: , ,

Where Do i Find Hot Spots?

First it is important to define “hot spot”. “Hot spot” refers to a location that has internet connectivity, usually referring to WiFi or wireless connectivity. In a hot spot one can connect their iPhone or many other electronic devices to the internet. So in a very simple sense a hot spot is a place where you can obtain internet service by connecting to a network.

Hot spots can be found all over the place. Particularly in developed nations hot spots can be found in libraries, restaurants, coffee shops and many other business and public places. For many types of business that require the customer to wait for any length of time, hot spots are becoming a required aspect to the provided service. Places you may not have ever though of providing you with wireless service are start to offer it such as the oil change garage.

Hot spot locations are often free but this is not always the case. Some establishments still require the user to sign up and pay for the service they are providing. Other establishments require you to purchase something from them before they will allow you to connect to their password protected network. Still others only require you to be members of some sort of club to connect to their network.

With the growing availability of hot spots the Internet is definitely no longer only accessed from home. No longer are you required to stay home to use your computer on the internet. Now you can venture out and do whatever you need to do on the world wide web from many places you stop on your daily rounds.

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The Role Mobile Devices Have Played in Internet Connectivity

Mobile devices have played an extremely vital role in the shaping of modern Internet access. A decade ago, computers were used as the main source of connecting to the Internet through various methods including dial-up connections, cable, as well as DSL. While in fact computers still play a pretty large role in getting people access to the Internet, mobile devices have completely transformed the way in which people access the online world. A big part of this is due to the fact that more places that provide Internet access are making the switch to wireless connectivity. This allows for extremely simple and at times, automated Internet access.

Cell phones most of all, have played a rather large role in transforming the way in which people access the Internet. With the widespread inception of wireless routers and other various means of WiFi connectivity, cell phones provide a quick and simple solution to having to be bogged down in front of a personal computer to get online. This is particularly evident among the various types of smart phones that are in the market currently. In essence, these smart phones are in themselves small computers, providing many of the things people utilize via a computer right there in the palm of their hand.

In conjunction with the popularity of cell phones and how they have affected the way in which people connect to the Internet, tablet personal computers are becoming a phenomenon that are going to be the wave of the future. Products such as the iPad are hand held devices that exhibit the same touch-screen technology of most smart phones. These computers utilize the popular Apple iOS and like the iPhone, provide many of the tools that people need via their computer in a much easier to handle source.

Filed Under: Advancements, Internet Tagged With: , , ,

A “Standard” History of Wi-Fi

Visualize a supermarket with rows and rows of cashier stations. Each cash register needs to link to its neighbors somehow, but how? A physical connection would work, but cables can be tricky. Cords all over the floor would make for a very hazardous shopping environment. Believe it or not, Wireless Fidelity, or Wi-Fi, was originally created to address this station-linking problem. In 1991, the NCR Corporation and AT&T joined forces in the Netherlands, inventing a technology that would eventually become part of the local area network market.

The first Wi-Fi product to hit the market was called WaveLAN. The technology for that original product is not the same that is used for wireless networking today. WaveLAN had rates of 1 or 2 megabits per second; current Wi-Fi rates dwarf the original speeds. This first product used the transmission band 2.4 GHz.

Vic Hayes, known as the “father of Wi-Fi,” helped design the first standardized versions of the technology. Hayes’ three IEEE standards and the aspects of each are detailed below.

  • 802.11a: This 1999 standard has the same construction as the original WaveLAN, but it had a data rate of 54 megabits per second and used the transmission band 5 GHz. Working on this band, however, creates problems for the transmission of information. The range of the 5 GHz band is small because the frequencies are easily absorbed.
  • 802.11b: This standard coincides with 802.11a, but it was ultimately more successful. Though its data rate was only 11 megabits per second, 802.11b worked on the 2.4 GHz band, giving it a larger range than its predecessor.
  • 802.11g: This third standard, created in 2003, works at a bit rate of 54 megabits per second and also uses the 2.4 GHz band. Because of its speed and range, this “g” standard was very popular.

After 802.11g, there were a number of other standards that improved on the technology. Today, the 802.11n standard is common.

Filed Under: Internet Tagged With:

Opting For Wireless Connections – Get Your Computer Safety Precautions Right

DSL Internet Access
Image by Jeremy Brooks via Flickr

Getting a wireless internet connection for your house or office can help you improve your productivity drastically. No longer will you be tied to the ubiquitous cable or wire to surf the web. There was a time when wireless internet was available but at dialup speeds. Today, you can enjoy broadband wireless internet by either going in for a broadband dongle or by converting your existing wired internet connection into a wireless one.

It is important to revamp your security and protective measures you have taken to keep your data safe when you opt for a wireless connection. The biggest difference between a wired and wireless connection is that you have complete control over who gets access to your internet connection when you opt for the wired broadband option.

Any and every person in your house can access the web only by walking to the computer and using the same. If you have a laptop, it will have to be placed at a specific point and will have to be connected to the internet with the help of the suitable cable.

On the other hand, a wireless internet connection will give each and every individual within the perimeter of the radio waves to surf the internet using your connection. Simply put, an individual living below you or above you main access your network by simply using a wireless adapter fitted to his or her computer.

Needless to say, this creates specific complications. For starters, you will be paying for somebody else’s usage. The person who uses your wireless connectivity will be stealing your usage. This can work out to be a very expensive mistake.

Secondly, any and every illegal or unethical act committed with the help of your wireless connection will be traced back to you. In such a scenario, making sure that you have a secured wireless connection when going in for wireless broadband is very important.

Filed Under: 3G Networks, Computers, Internet Tagged With: , , ,

Planning To Buy A Computer? Why Not Go In For A 3G Computer?

Should you go in for a 3G computer? What are the advantages of doing so? Well, telecom service providers are now offering 3G Services at very affordable prices. The biggest advantage of using 3G Service is that you get very fast speeds even when you are accessing the web through Wi-fi spots.

For a long time, it was presumed that wireless internet will never become as fast and as effective as cable internet. However, 3G has changed all this. This is the reason why more and more computers are coming with inbuilt 3G cards and devices. What are the advantages of opting for such a computer?

Since 3G services are offered by telecom providers, you have to deposit money and open an account with such a service provider. Upon completion of formalities, the service provider would offer a 3G dongle and would grant necessary authorization for the dongle to access 3G services offered by the service provider. By going in for a 3G computer, one can skip the dongle and focus on simply getting the sim card from the service provider.

This means that the laptop or computer will come with an inbuilt dongle which will automatically facilitate 3G Services. This is obviously going to make your efforts to get the best possible deal a lot easier. Buying a dongle from each and every service provider can become very painful task. It is going to be expensive and cumbersome.

However, having an inbuilt 3G device in the computer means one simply has to pay for authorization and the commencement of services.

If one is not satisfied with the quality of service or if one enjoys better service from a third party, one can simply remove the sim card and opt for another sim card of another service provider. Considering that 3G is going to become the technology of the future, this is one investment that will hold you in good stead.

Filed Under: 3G Networks, Computers, Internet Tagged With: , ,