Home Computing Linksys Wireless Network Routers
Linksys Wireless network routers, hubs and network adapters
So you’ve decided you don’t want to climb around in your attic to run Cat 5 network cable through your home. You’ve made the decision that you’re ready to set up a wireless network. Linksys has the solution for your home network. Wireless - It’s really simple. Plug the network adapter into your computer (either via USB or in a PCI slot), download the Linksys driver (if necessary), run through the simple setup instructions, and you’re in the wireless networking world. There are even options for wired connections if you already have the network cables setup, but you want to be able to take your notebook around your home without network cables trailing behind you.
OK, now what? First you need to decide what type of product you need, based on your range requirement, and desired speed. Based on the following chart, you’ll probably want 802.11g (Wireless-G standard).
Why Wireless-G?
- Transmits signal up to 150 feet indoors, even through Walls!
- Only about 10% more expensive than Wireless-B (the current standard)
- Compatible with 802.11b “hot spots” (public access web stations)
- 5x faster than Wireless-B
- Operates at 2.4GHz, so it won’t interfere with your 900 MHz cordless phones
| Standard | 802.11b (Wireless-B) | 802.11g (Wireless-G) | 802.11a (Wireless-A) |
| Range | 100-150 feet indoors | 100-150 feet indoors | 25-75 feet indoors |
| Frequency | 2.4GHz | 2.4GHz | 5 GHz |
| Speed | 11 mbps | 54 mbps | 54 mbps |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes (compatible with B) | No |
| Price range | Lowest | Middle (10% greater than B) | Highest |
| Penetration through walls | Yes | Yes | No |
Some tips for added security on your wireless network
There are several security features built into your Linksys product. For added security, you must follow the following steps:
- Change the default SSID
- Disable SSID Broadcasts
- Change the default password for the Administrator account
- Enable MAC Address Filtering.
- Occasionally, change the SSID
- (Optional) Enable WEP 128-bit Encryption (will reduce performance of your network)
- Occasionally, change the WEP encryption keys.
For information on how to change these security settings, please refer to your User’s Guide.