When shopping for a wireless router, the first detail that you’ll most likely look for is its signal strength. Indeed, you wouldn’t want any dead spot ruining your 50-gigabyte download. The good news is many of today’s routers can easily blanket your house with Wi-Fi. They’re already so powerful and efficient that your next door neighbor could effortlessly pick up signals from your overzealous Wi-Fi distributor.

Unless your neighbors are as trustworthy as your dog, sharing wireless Internet with them may not be exactly a wise move. For one thing, having too many computers sipping through your router may slowdown your surfing speed. Some ISPs are also setting limits on monthly bandwidths, so you might end up hitting your quota in just a week if you continue to be a good Samaritan to them.

But the strongest argument against sharing Wi-Fi with neighbors is the possibility of data theft. The fact that they could access your router or wireless Internet means that they could also very possibly access your computer, too.

This doesn’t mean that you should buy routers that have weak signals. If you want to rival Starbuck’s Wi-Fi strength, then by all means buy the best router that your budget allows. Just make sure that you limit the number of persons who could have access to your personal network. You could easily do this by setting up a password for your router. Another method by which you could restrict or regulate access is by pre-defining the hardware which could access your network.

Re-Tweet This Post

One of the reasons why I hate cleaning my desktop is because of the multitude of wires attached to it. Looking at the back of my PC’s casing reminds me of Rapunzel’s golden locks. If my memory serves me right, around 5 wires or cables entangle each other for accommodation at the various port sockets. Aggravating this eyesore are their lengths which could definitely strangle your patience when the time to clean and untangle them arrives.

Haircut

While you couldn’t dispense with the wire that connects your PC to the power outlet, there is one that you could do away with – the DSL cable. Ever since laptops started threatening the existence of desktops, wireless routers sprouted like mushrooms. Indeed, the very essence of mobile PCs would be defeated if it is nailed to the table next to where the DSL cable is. By setting up a wireless router in your home or at the office, you could unshackle your notebooks and other electronic gadgets that can connect to the Internet.

Share the Wealth

It’s not only laptops that catapulted the wireless router to the pedestal of Internet connectivity. High speed DSL connection also made wireless access viable. Take note that a router’s main task is to enable multiple users to share one common Internet source or access. Sharing a 10mbps connection is a must. I mean, what do you need the extra 9MB for? However, if you’re still stuck in dial-up, then sharing that 56kbps that your ISP is giving you is like sharing a single spaghetti strand with just one meatball on it.

You don’t need a Computer Science degree at Princeton or NYU in order to be able to set up a wireless network right at your own home. Most of the routers that are available in the market today are like RTWs. In case you haven’t noticed, the user’s part in installing a PC peripheral is usually just confined to connecting the power or the USB cable on the component.

Before Buying a Router…

There are a few things that you have to consider before opting to blanket your house with wireless Internet. First and foremost is security. If you don’t intend on sharing your wireless Internet with your neighbor, then I suggest that you buy a router with a limited range. Of course, you could always secure your network by using passwords, but it’s better to nip the problem in the bud.

Another thing that you have to consider is viability. You may have a fast Internet connection, but if you have a dozen family members living under one roof, then your generosity might just frustrate you in the end. Before setting up a wireless network, consider the number of people who would be using it. If they’re many, or a few but would be downloading megabytes or gigabytes of files, then I suggest that you upgrade your DSL plan first before even trying to share the blessing.

There are many risks in connecting to the Internet. Make sure that you have the necessary system and security tools, such as a registry cleaner and an antivirus, before warping into cyberspace.

Re-Tweet This Post

Ever since high speed Internet access became mainstream, many fell in love with the virtual world the second time around. While many were already teleporting themselves to cyberspace since the turn of the century, a sizeable number of those people still were not that hooked on the Net due to slow connections. Downloading files back then took a considerable chunk of one’s time, while browsing multimedia presentations on Web pages was considered impractical and wasteful due to the minutes, or even hours, that it took for the whole content to load.

The Need for Speed

I guess there is no need to emphasize that today, you could download Britney’s new album without noticing your nails grow right before your very eyes. DSL, cable, and wireless Internet have made almost every human activity possible to be done in cyberspace. For those who loathe the simple but complicated task of replenishing the contents of the kitchen cabinet and refrigerator, getting that cold turkey into the freezer is just a click of the mouse away. Talking to a client or a loved one on the other side of the pond is as easy as yelling “Hi!” to your next-door neighbor through Skype or any of the instant messengers available on the Web. Indeed, almost anything that is conceivable can be performed in or facilitated on the Internet.

Prophesizing the Present

A number of people have dared to prophesize that time will come when people would no longer need to go outside of their homes to do the things that they have to accomplish. While the thought or prediction may be absurd and outrageous, it is actually not that far fetched. Take for example the concept of the “home office.” Many thought that working at home is only possible if your abode doubles as a grocery store, a dental clinic, or a law office. It was also inconceivable two decades ago that you could take your office’s whole database home with you in order to finish something. You would’ve probably needed two trucks in order to do that.

Love It or Hate It

Scientists and programmers have virtually shrunk or converted everything that is tangible into something that is measurable in kilobytes. If it’s something that exists, then you’ll most likely find or know something about it on the Internet. It’s a researcher’s nirvana and an investigators paradise.

Not every information paparazzi is happy, though. Many scholars still think that information derived from the Internet is unreliable. Take for example Wikipedia. Almost all of the data therein are from people who are not in the employ of the information giant. While the data are verified, there’s no assurance that the claims are proven facts.

Whether our continued and increasing reliance on the Internet is good or bad remains to be seen. For now, there’s no question that the information superhighway is revolutionizing things that we thought had already attained permanence. Who knows what barriers this technology may topple or surpass in 10 years time.

Re-Tweet This Post