What is a Network?

A network can be internal to an organization or span the world by connecting itself to the internet. In computer network, Network operating system is used that controls and co-ordinates the activities of computers that are connected to the network. The examples of these operating systems are: Windows NT, UNIX, Novell etc.

The large organizations and institutions have their own computer network systems. A computer network provides many advantages. The main advantages are:

1. Communication
The most important feature of computer network is the communication. People can communicate efficiently and easily at very low cost via e-mail, chatting, video telephone, video conferencing, internet telephone, groupware and SMS service etc.

2. Sharing Hardware
In a computer network each computer attached with the network can access the printer, scanner or disk drives etc. For example, if several personal computers and a single laser printer are connected to a network, than each user can access the printer.

3. Sharing Data
In a network environment, and authorized person can access data stored on other computers on the network. For example, on the Internet, a large number of internet users (including mobile users) can access same database.

4. Sharing Software
In a network environment connected users can access same software stored on the network server. These software are multi users software. The software developers sell network version or site license of their software.

5. Electronic Funds Transfers (EFT)
EFT allows users connected to a network to transfer money from one bank account to another via telephone line or other telephone media. For example, some consumers use an ATM to access their bank accounts. They also use credit cards to make purchases from super stores and pay bills online.

By Baber Rasheed

Computer Tips
Computer Networking

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Baber_Rasheed

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Discovering Your Local Area Network

In the late 1960's as large college universities and several research labs gained an ever increasing amount of computers, the need for interconnections that worked at high-speed was great, and the pressure was on. It was not until the mid 1970's that an answer to the demand was created, they called it LAN.

LAN stands for Local-Area Network, with the ability to cover small areas, such as a home or office or group of buildings (schools, warehouse, etc.), LANs have higher data-transfer rates, smaller range and do not require licensed telecommunication lines as opposed to WAN (Wide-Area Network). ARCNET and Token Ring were two LANs that were widely used in the past. Ethernet and Wi-Fi are two of today's most common LANs.

A LAN is an important component to gamers. By setting up a LAN, gamers can link together their computers and play with or against their friends. Games, such as "Diablo II" and "S.O.C.O.M.", allows gamers to cooperate together in a team while either on line or while their computers are connected by LAN.Games, such as "Unreal Tournament" and "Starcraft", allow gamers connected by the internet or a LAN to work as a team or to compete against each other.computers are usually linked by what is known as a Cat-5 cable to a HUB; and the HUB acts like a mediator. The Cat-5 cable connects to the back of the computer through the Ethernet port on the Network card, network adapter, LAN adapter or NIC (Network Interface Card). A network card operates on both the physical layer and the data link layer; it allows a low-level addressing system, using Mac Addresses, also known as an IP address, and physical access to the networking medium (the HUB). Not all LANs are the same; some use cables while others are wireless.

While other network technology exists, since the mid 1990's, the Ethernet network card has been leading the crowd, due to low cost and easy integration and use. A unique 48-bit serial number is on every Ethernet network card, stored in the ROM; the serial number is your computers Mac address. The Mac address for every computer must be unique; otherwise only one computer with a given Mac address could be on line and connected to the LAN at a time. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers is responsible for each unique Mac address getting assigned to vendors of interface controllers; this is so no two network cards share the same Mac address.

At one point network cards were expansion cards that had to be plugged into the motherboard. Most new computers have the network card built into the motherboard; some may even have two ports built in so the computer can be connected to multiple networks. Some companies have started using optical fiber instead of Cat-5 cables or USB cords, because optical fiber is immune to electromagnetic interference. Optical fibers are made of glass or plastic, instead of metal, and carry light along their full length. The electrical signals sent along the optical fiber degrade less during transfer than signals sent along metal wires (Cat-5 cables and USB cords).

By Victor Epand

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for computer memory, PC supplies, and computer games. When shopping, we recommend the best online stores for PC supplies, LAN, computer memory, RAM.

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A Word About Wifi or Wifi Technology

WiFi is the other name for wireless internet or wireless network, this name is mostly used by none technical users who just knows how to access internet wirelessly, they know pretty much nothing beyond that. WiFi is basically short form for wireless fidelity. However many advance users are not well aware of this terminology either, it is ,more known with a name of Wifi. WiFi term is written in many ways which are, Wifi, WiFi, WIFI, Wi-Fi fiwi etc.

Wi-Fi was introduced by Wi-Fi alliance in 1985 it was the time when it was not used as commercially but were just set to certain organizations for testing purposes. Wi-Fi Alliance is pioneer in developing WiFi technology and all the hardware associated with Wifi is mostly certified by Wifi Alliance compliance. Wifi later developed properly and than eventually lunched for public use in USA in 90's, gradually wifi become standards for most of the computer communications in countless organizations around the world

Wifi uses all the networks referring to any type of 802.11 network standards which is set by IEEE. IEEE is short form of Institute of electric and electronic engineering. There are lots of enhancements made in standards of 802.11 and 802.11a, 802.11b and other dual networks. The latest standard of 802.11 family is 802.11y. Other known standards are 802.16, these are the standards for upcoming technology known to be WiMax. There is one more known set of standards for Ethernet it is known to be IEEE 802.3.

Growth of Wifi networks is still on going world wide this huge growth raises security issues. Wifi is the most widely used network world wide and many organizations transfer their sensitive data using Wireless networks. Increased use of Wireless network increases potentially risks of the security of the users or organization. Wireless network carries data of every type, that can be normal data in bits of information or it can encrypted or even highly sensitive. WiFi security mechanism insures the certain level of data integrity and confidentiality just as wired network provides. However if proper security measures are not adopted properly intruders can attack the network and can cause major damage to not only network but privacy of users also.

There was a time when cables were used to network many computers together. Hardware like routers, hubs, switches etc were required for communication between computers, but Wifi brought high tech change in communication of computers by providing wireless connectivity features. It just keeps things very simple without much hassle and networks can be made far more easily. No wires are required. Wireless network keeps environment very neat and clean. There are many other features of Wireless LANs for example high speed connectivity. Wifi provides high speed connectivity and faster communication where cables are not feasible to install for example in remote areas. The list of the Wifi features is long some other major features included Site survey, enterprise grade equipment, Scalable systems, VPN Compatibility, flexible authentication methods, Guest satisfaction, End user mobility and easy access through Hotspots.

WiFi supports two different types of modes; they are known to be infrastructure and the other one is ad hoc. In Ad hoc Wireless connections can be made without central device called router or access point. Most network administrators prefer ad hoc over infrastructure mode. Ad hoc how ever have issues also. Wifi devices connected using Ad hoc mode offers less security against unauthorized users. Ad hoc mode configured devices cannot disable SSID broadcast in contrast to infrastructure mode, this brings hackers into play, and using ad hoc mode it is not very difficult to prevail into the wireless network. There are two major differences between these two modes that is the rate at which they transfer data. Wife network standard 802.11g requires Ad hoc mode of communication to support 11Mbps bandwidth in contrast to it 54Mbps data transfer is supported using infrastructure mode. Hence Ad hoc mode is considered much slower than Infrastructure mode.

Wireless based networks are increasing every where; every organization is installing it if it was not using it before. Some cities have actually provided the entire city a wifi and turn the city into hotspot, big example in front of us is Chicago. Chicago have installed huge transmitter in shape of big size dish of Wifi which broadcast Wireless LAN radio signals through out the city. It provides high speed internet connectivity very cheaply. Laptops, desktop computers, PDAs and other Wireless LAN card installed devices can access the network and get high speed connectivity on move. WiFi users increasing day by day therefore its hardware manufacturers are manufacturing the products on huge scale. These products are easily available in market with reasonable cost. Laptops, PDAs, mother boards of latest desktop computer are mostly come with build in wireless LAN cards. If it is not installed already in your laptop one can buy PCMCI slot wifi card to install for accessing wireless network. Wifi PCI cards are also widely available in market. Now USB wifi are also available for short range but still works good.

Intelligent routers are available in market which works to connect different devices to wireless network. These routers can be configured with or without PC. All is required to plug internet cable in Ethernet or USB port to router's appropriate port. When internet is available to routers it can be configured using its control panel using IP 192.168.1.1. That's where we can enable SSID broadcasting or disable it and perform other functions. PCs can also be attached to routers for more advance management which routers can not performs. PCs are mostly required to be used where network is huge and keeping and maintaining its integrity and stability is very important.

In this modern era every one wants every thing wireless, Wifi belongs to wireless technology family. There are so many other wireless technologies which have evolved around the time and Wifi is now taken for granted and world is now talking about much advanced and enhanced wireless network known to be WiMax. WiMax beats Wifi technology on many bases which includes Speed at which data rate is transferred, range with which connection is made and so much more. Now we have to see in how much time WiMax will take over WiFi, and which technology will eventually take over WiMax. One thing is for sure latest technologies in wireless technology will keep coming and will keep getting over looked by new ones.

By M. Aslam

http://www.wifinotes.com provides free information about Wifi and in-depth knowledge of Wi-Fi Technology.

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Home Network File Sharing On Windows Vista, XP And 2000

Recently, I got a laptop with Windows Vista installed. On my home network file sharing is enabled on each computer. I share a couple of folders on each computer in order to easily access and transfer files between computers.

For security reasons, it's important to share a certain folder especially intended for filesharing, instead of just your C:\ drive for example. This way you can control which files are accessible from another computer. This way you have total control which files on your computer are exposed to the outside world.

At home I make use of a workgroup with the following name: home. It's important that each computer is also a member of the workgroup home, otherwise you can't share files between all of your computers in your home network.

With my Windows Vista laptop I had some trouble sharing files, because Windows Vista's file sharing security is better than on Windows XP or Windows 2000. On my Windows Vista I was able to 'see' the shares on my XP and 2000 machines, however I was not able to see my Windows Vista shares on my Windows XP and Windows 2000 computers.

On my Windows Vista laptop I granted user 'Richard' with administrator rights access to these shares. This is an essential step when you share a folder. Also I gave the user 'Everyone' and 'Guest' and 'Anonymous Logon' rights to these shares (but this was really not necessary, as I realised later on). Still, on my XP and 2000 machines I was not able to access Vista's shared folders.

In Windows Vista's networking center all settings were correct: my network had local and internet access, networking detection was enabled, file sharing was enabled, sharing public folders was enabled (this is actually only necessary when you want to share your public folders), printer sharing was enabled (this is not really necessary for file sharing) and sharing with password protection was also enabled.

The Windows firewall on my Vista laptop was also enabled (which is no problem in case in the Windows firewall settings on the tabpage 'Exceptions' the file- and printersharing setting is 'checked', because then the Windows firewall is not blocking file- and printersharing).

The cause of the problem of not being able to access my Windows Vista's shares was because in Windows Vista's networking center, sharing with password protection was enabled. I quickly found out that when this setting was disabled, I was able to access my Vista shares on my XP and 2000 machines. However, I rather have a good security, that's why I turned it on again and I quickly found out that the user 'Richard' on my Vista laptop must also exist as a user with the same name and same password on my XP and 2000 machines.

After having user 'Richard' on both my Windows Vista and Windows XP and Windows 2000 machines, I was still not able to access my Vista shares. I wondered how this can be. The reason was that my user 'Richard' didn't have a password. After setting a real, non-empty password for user 'Richard' on all my machines, Vista's shares became visible on my XP machine (after logging of from Windows and logging on again on my Vista and XP computers).

Unfortunately, on one of my Windows 2000 computers, I still was not able to see Windows Vista's shares. I suspected that I needed to install the latest Windows 2000 service pack 4. Indeed, after installing this service pack on my Windows 2000 machine, Vista's shares also became available on my Windows 2000 machine.

On my Windows XP and Windows 2000 machines, I run ZoneAlarm as a firewall. My experience is that this is a great firewall. It's important that ZoneAlarm is not blocking traffic to and from ip numbers in your home networking range (which is in my case the ip range between ip numbers 10.0.0.150 and 10.0.0.153). I added this ip range to the trusted zone in ZoneAlarm. In case you suspect your firewall is blocking filesharing, try shutting down all of your firewalls in your home network and figure out which firewall is blocking the filesharing in your home network.

By Richard Zwinkels

Author is a professional software engineer and has over 10 years of software development experience.

For more information visit his site http://www.software-secrets.com.

Free online computer training - Software Secrets - Your Software Guide. Computer Training, Microsoft Excel Tutorial, Microsoft Word Tutorial, Microsoft Software Explained. Be more productive and save time and money.

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Can I Build My WiFi Antenna?

As the number of portable computing and communication devices grew, so does the demand to connect them to outside world. To go on line the computers had to be plugged into a telephone wall socket. Requiring a wired connection to fixed network meant that computers were portable, but not mobile.

To achieve true mobility the computers need to use radio(or wireless in that case) signals for communication. . In this manner, dedicated users would be able to read and send email while driving or moving to other rooms etc. A system of portable computers that communicate by radio are known as wireless LAN. Therefore to provide mobility to the systems, wireless local area networks were developed and now a new technology “Wi-Fi” or 802.11x(IEEE standard for wireless LAN setup), has become the most popular worldwide standard for the wireless communication in LAN.. Nowadays all major Laptop manufacturers provide an in built wi-fi system. Work is being done to make various devices like mobile phones, mp3 players etc to be wi-fi enabled.

In order to meet the growing demand for wi fi networks, various public places are provided with them.

In order to enhance the wireless capabilities the antennas are developed and are now available in the market, though they are easy to install but these antennas are very expensive. Hence it would be a great thing if it is possible to make our own antennas with some readily available goods. We would need a cable (also known as pigtail) to connect wireless interface card with the antenna. We would also need two kinds of connectors, a N-male connector to connect one end of the cable to antennas and an appropriate connector to connect the wireless interface card with cable. Since the making of antenna requires wire, we would also need a soldering iron to solder wires.

ADVANTAGES OF DESIGNING OUR OWN ANTENAS

The construction of our own antennas provides various advantages to us. Apart from being cheaper than the antennas available in market they are also easy to configure into our system. So instead of investing huge amounts of money in antennas we can better manage that money by adding them to buy better Laptop systems.

There is also time factor involved in making your own antennas system. Since it is easy and faster to make and install our own antennas, it saves lot of time. Hence designing and making our own antennas would provide a better facility to the total cost involved in configuring the communication system

By David Faulkner

You can also find more info on Get Wi-Fi Antenna and USB Wi-Fi. Topwifireviews.com is a comprehensive resource to know about Wi-Fi Wireless Network Technology.

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A History of P2P

P2P use has become an everyday occurrence for many internet users, allowing users to download content reliably, reasonably quickly and quite often, copyrighted material free of charge. Ok, now I hear those P2P virgins cry, “What is P2P?!”. And in response; P2P (peer to peer) is simply connecting to other computers via the internet, and in this case, to download files from them free of charge.

The use of P2P has been attacked by record companies and pro-copyright organisations since the very beginning. Napster was one of the first large P2P systems seen, which allowed users to download music free of charge, however Napster was “shutdown” in 2001 when a court ordered that Napster prevent all illegal file sharing on it’s networks. This, of course, was almost impossible for Napster to do without pulling the plug, and in March 2001 Napster networks were shut down. Later to be re-opened legally, to provide legal music downloads at a price.

Nowadays, programs such as Limewire, Bearshare and Kazaa are used which, in theory, can never be stopped by any legal force, owning to the fact that illegal content is not hosted on any particular server, but on many computers, so blaming the actual programs cannot be legally justified. In effect, the only way to stop P2P file sharing is to nuke the entire internet.

However, in the last year or two, the file sharing community has seen a rising amount of prosecutions and threats from record companies, for “illegal” and “mindless” copyright infringement as a result of P2P file sharing of music and movies. One of the most recent cases involving the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) is that of a 10 Year Old girl who was found to be downloading music using a P2P program, where the RIAA allegedly “bullied” and “threatened” her into co-operating with them. There have been many other prosecutions across the US and into other countries too, often with the same ruthlessness as this one.

The use of P2P was changed when a new method of downloading and sharing files was designed and programmed by Bram Cohen. This new method was called “Bittorrent”. Other programmers soon caught onto this method and other Torrent clients were released, such as KTorrent and Azureus. The idea behind using a torrent, is that the user downloads a small file which has the extension .torrent, and this torrent tells the client, eg. KTorrent, where to download parts of the file from. This offers a very stable and reliable method of downloading via P2P.

The RIAA and various other anti-P2P organisations continue to prosecute and threaten users of P2P, however, the majority of sharers will keep sharing….the RIAA cannot stop millions of users worldwide, P2P is here, and it’s here to stay!

NOTE: File sharing is not illegal… but downloading material that is not legally owned by you is ILLEGAL, do so at your own risk.

By Andrew Horner

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Setting Up a Wireless Network: What You Need

Are you thinking of setting up a wireless network for your home or workplace? Interested in having the luxury of going from one room to another without having to depend on wiring systems creeping inside your walls just to retain your connection with your computer?

But, how should you do this? Is setting up a wireless network hard to do? Do you need to be a tech-savvy person so you can install and set up this work successfully?

The First Thing to Bear in Mind:

One of the first few things that you may have to do in setting up a wireless network is determining what wireless network you would need since there are various options available in the market.

To zero in on a particular choice that would suit your needs, be sure to understand what it entails. Search the internet for additional information if necessary. Or, ask your friends, family, or colleagues on what’s the best thing to use.

Knowing Where to Locate a Vantage Point or Point of Access:

Point of Access (AP) is crucial in setting up a wireless network. It involves the following configuration settings that you need to implement:

• Connection settings

• Wired interface settings

• Security settings

Asking for Help:

Sometimes, the task at hand may seem difficult - even with the access point configurations; and you may be confused with what the next thing to do is.

Times like these, it would be wise to call or get in touch with a support group. You can use the help of the vendor if you are sure to have purchased the things you need from a reliable source.

If you have troubles with the access point, be sure to understand that the three things that you need to set up includes the RF (or radio frequency), the perceived distance with your access points, and the IP address of that connection.

Managing Your Ethernet Interface:

The next thing you need to do after configuring the setting of your point of access is the selection of the things that you’ll need to get you started: Speed and duplex settings.

However, you may find that there are other manners of set-ups that may not require you to do this since these features are set up automatically after you have provided a suitable point of access.

Purchasing a Laptop:

With a wireless network, it is suitable that a laptop be used instead of the desktop computer version. However, this doesn’t mean that you have to ditch your desktop for this reason since there are some customers who still use their desktops together with their wireless network at their offices or homes.

Ensuring Your Security:

Security measures are crucial in wireless connections and you have to be sure to have this since there may be instances when a complete stranger can listen in to your private conversations traveling through the airwaves with your wireless settings.

It is true that setting up a wireless network may seem difficult at first when it is your first time to deal with it. But, if you are good with following directions and see to it that everything is done well, setting up a wireless network can be easily configured even if you are a mere beginner or aren’t that knowledgeable in technical stuff.

By Gavin Sanderson

Gavin Stevens writes articles about wireless network For more information about setting up a wireless network please visit http://www.wirelessnetworkcentral.com

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VPN Explained - The Basics Of VPN Simplified

The question of exactly how to explain or define a VPN is one that is often up for discussion amongst today's network consumers and communications providers. If we look at the literal definition of the words virtual private network, it can help to understand what is, and what is not, a VPN .

Using Webster's dictionary definitions of the component words, a VPN should have the following attributes:

Virtual - defined as "being such practically or in effect, although not in actual fact or name." Therefore, the first part of the answer to our question "what is a VPN" is that it is something that acts like a hard-wired network, but is actually not.

Private - defined as "of, belonging to, or concerning a particular person or group; not common or general." So, a VPN should be one where the consumer has exclusive use of the network links. (Note, this is different from a Secure Network, which may be a private or public network.)

Network - defined as "a system of computers interconnected by telephone wires or other means in order to share information." This is the goal of a VPN or any other type of network.

VPN explained in this manner is a network technology which gives the owner the ability to share information with others on the network by means of a private, exclusive link that is created by a method other than hard-wires or leased lines; usually via the internet. Before the internet, computers in different offices, cities or even countries could only talk to each other like people could - through telephone wires. As the needs for this type of communication grew, telephone lines became replaced by higher volume wires, like T3 circuits, but the concept was the same. For computer A to talk to computer B, there had to be a physical wire connection. For security reasons, you would want to make sure that only your 2 computers used that line, so you would contract with a vendor to "lease" that circuit. However, this type of network was expensive and difficult to expand, not to mention difficult for the client to have control over.

With the advent of the internet, connections no longer needed to be physical. As long as each computer has access to the internet, information can be shared using local ISP circuits, across the internet, and to the recipient in much the same way that it was when the computers were physically connected. This is why the way VPN works is considered a "virtual" network; the entire connection is not hard-wired.

The aspects of VPN explained in this article so far have not yet discussed an ever present concern in today's world - security. In an old WAN arrangement, the security of data transmission could rely entirely on the provider's guarantees. Today, however, a VPN keeps information private by means of encryption on both the sending and receiving end. There are a variety of encryption protocols, depending on what a company's needs are, who they need to communicate with (and therefore be compatible with), etc. The data is not only encrypted, but it is encapsulated, meaning it is sent in its own private "tunnel" or connection across the internet. No one can see the data, and even if they could, they can't decipher or change it. In this way, information can be sent across the internet without being susceptible to interception or corruption by those who are outside of the VPN.

In order to create a virtual private network, you would need to decide who needs to share information, in what directions, and how often. Next you would need to prepare a listing of the hardware and software systems you are currently using at each location. You might very well need to make changes so that the computers can talk to each other easily. You'll also want to consider just how important it is that your data remains secure, as this will have an impact on what type of protocol you select. Preparing this information will have you educated for the discussions you will need to have with potential vendors.

by: Van Theodorou

About The Author

Van Theodorou will help you slash your telecom expenses over 43% and assist or even become your telecom department at no cost to you. For a free analysis or phone consultation go his site at http://www.worldnet-long-distance.com

article source : www.articlecity.com

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Wireless Network Security in 6 Easy Steps

Connecting your home and office computers with a wireless network sure makes things convenient ...BUT the very feature that makes them so popular is also their biggest weakness! Anyone with the knowledge can intercept your signal and gain access to your network if it is not secure. The technicians at computerguyslive.com offer the following six easy steps to wireless security for your home or office.

1. Change the System ID: Devices come with a default system ID called the SSID (Service Set Identifier) or ESSID (Extended Service Set Identifier). It is easy for a hacker to find out what the default identifier is for each manufacturer of wireless equipment so you need to change this to something else. Use something unique- not your name or something easily guessed.

2. Disable Identifier Broadcasting: Announcing that you have a wireless connection to the world is an invitation for hackers. You already know you have one so you don't need to broadcast it. Check the manual for your hardware and figure out how to disable broadcasting.

3. Enable WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy): WEP encrypts your data so that only the intended recipient is supposed to be able to read it. As with all security measures there are ways around it, but by using encryption you will keep the novice hackers out of your systems. It is best to use 128bit rather than 40bit encryption (it is exponentially harder to crack).

4. Restrict Unnecessary Traffic: Many wired and wireless routers have built-in firewalls. They are not the most technically advanced firewalls, but they help create one more line of defense. Read the manual for your hardware and learn how to configure your router to only allow incoming or outgoing traffic that you have approved.

5. Change the Default Administrator Password: This is just good practice for ALL hardware and software. The default passwords are easily obtained and because so many people don't bother to take the simple step of changing them they are usually what hackers try first. Make sure you change the default password on your wireless router / access point to something that is not easily guessed like your last name.

6. Patch and Protect Your PC's: As a last line of defense you should have personal firewall software such as Zone Alarm Pro and anti-virus software installed on your computer. As important as installing the anti-virus software, you must keep it up to date. New viruses are discovered daily and anti-virus software vendors generally release updates at least once a week. You also must keep up to date with patches for known security vulnerabilities. For Microsoft operating systems you can use Windows Update to try and help keep your computer current with patches.

Following these steps will insure that hackers and hitchhikers don't surf on your wireless network, or more importantly, these steps help block unwanted access into your computer network, and your valuable data.

Copyright 2006 Chris Kaminski

About The Author

Chris Kaminski has worked in computer repair and web development for the last 20 years. Kaminski is currently the Head Technician and CEO of Computer Guys Live Inc., an online computer repair company based in Asheville, NC. For more tech tips and step-by-step wireless guides visit http://computerguyslive.com or write to custserv@computerguyslive.com.

Article source : www.articlecity.com

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Wireless Network Security

It seems that more and more home users are going with wireless networks rather than the tradition wired networks with wires hanging everywhere and running wild around the house and in the crawlspace. What seems like a good idea quickly turns into a nightmare if you don’t vamp up the security of your wireless network.

Speed is of the essence. Typically, one thing matters to new users of wireless, getting connected and browsing that first website. While wireless connectivity can accomplish this, it’s best to set up your wireless connection securely before venturing out into cyberspace. Below are some tips to help secure your wireless network.

Change the default admin password. Admin passwords are easily figured out by attackers when they are left as the default. Not changing your wireless admin password opens your network to attack and can lead to many problems depending on the attacker’s agenda.

Another wireless security measure you will need to take is turning on encryption. Enabling WEP encryption on your wireless network will help you protect your privacy and all your info won’t be floating around outside your home waiting to be picked up by a passerby. It’s important to remember that all your devices on the wireless network will need to have the same encryption. So find the strongest encryption possible that will work on all devices of the wireless network.

Stop the auto-connect feature. Do not allow your devices to auto-connect. Allowing auto-connect may connect to a network that you don’t particularly want. Example, you don’t want your laptop connecting to your neighbor’s network and sending info.

It’s also a good idea that you install firewalls on all devices that connect to the wireless network. Even if the wireless router is firewalled, it’s important to also install firewalls on all computers that are connected to the wifi network. It’s important that these firewalls be set up correctly and block any intrusions that may compromise your wifi network.

Position your wireless router close to the center of your home. Although the reach of wifi networks can vary greatly, it’s important to not allow the signal to float around great distances from the main access point. It virtually impossible to stop all leakage from exiting your home. But minimizing the risk to your wifi network will help to protect it.

Another good idea for wifi network security is to not allow broadcast of the SSID. Your router may have SSID broadcasting set up by default; however you should be able to change this setting in the configuration. This feature is only useful for mobile environments, and is not needed in home wifi networks.

These are just a few tips to securing your wifi network. It’s always a good idea to check for firmware updates to your router as new exploits and vulnerabilities arise. Some routers will have an auto update feature and it’s important to use it. Using auto update will help keep your wifi network secure without the need of remembering to check for updates.

by: Jake Forrester

About The Author

Jake Forrester writes Wifi Security articles for SX Security. Learn more about Wireless Security by visiting http://www.sxsecurity.com

article source : www.articlecity.com

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Home Networking – Wireless or Wired

There are several methods for networking your home or small office computers. The simplest and most cost effective home networks technologies we will look at today are Wired and Wireless networks and the Pro's and Con's of each.

Wired Networks

Wired networks are seen as the most stable and reliable form of networking by people as this technology has been around for a long time.

Wired networks are great to use when you have the space and ability to run network cables through your house. In return for this effort you get a secure and reliable network with good data transfer speeds. This means that you will be able to send information from one computer to another one quickly.

A wired network is seen as more secure as any malicious users will only be able to get into your systems through your external internet connection or by connecting a wire directly to your router, switch or hub. Even then this problem can be contained through the use of firewalls, sophisticated routers or in the later case by not letting strangers into your house who are trying to run a network cable to their machine.

A wired network is seen as more reliable as the signal is sent over wires and not broadcast over a relatively uncontrollable area. Your network speeds and quality are not affected by weather conditions, thickness of walls etc.

With a wired network you can expect speeds from between 10Mbps with older technology up to 1000Mbps with newer hardware. This allows for excellent data transfer speeds between machines allowing for fast sharing of data and files over your network.

The price for wired home networking hardware is extremely cheap as the technology has been around for a long time and there is a lot of competition from manufacturers keeping the prices down. You can get a basic router or network hub from £10 - £40 pounds that will allow you to share your internet connection and files across multiple machines. A basic network card should cost between £5-10 with the faster 1000Mbps cards costing from £5-£15 each.

Replacing faulty wiring can be tricky and expensive if you have hidden it away behind your walls. Another bad aspect of having wires is that each machine must have a wire running from it to the router or hub. This may be ok when you can have the wires hidden away in the bedroom or the office but what if you want to use your laptop in the middle of your kitchen or living room. Do you really want wires running across the floor causing potential trip hazards amongst other things?

Wireless

Wireless networking offers many great advantages. The biggest advantage is portability. You can take your wireless laptop from your living room to your kitchen to your bedroom and still have access to all of your files and internet. This is great for using recipies from the internet right down to doing a little work in front of the TV.

Another advantage of going wireless is that you do not have to hide lots of wires going between your machines and router. This makes everything look tidier and more clutter free whilst also removing potential trip hazards from lots of loose cabling.

A wireless connection can be affected by many outside factors that you must take into consideration. A wireless signal can be seriously affected by the thickness of your walls, floors and also how many other wireless connections are in your area. With thick floors and walls your signals can become distorted or even wiped out causing problems transmitting and receiving information.

There are solutions on the market to increase the power of your wireless transmitters and receivers which would increase connectivity issues in the event that they occur.

Security is not a problem as such for wireless as long as you properly secure your network. The simplest form of protection is to use something called a WEP key. A WEP key is used on both the computer and wireless router and acts as a code between the two machines to keep data encrypted. If someone does not have the key they should not be able to access your network. There are further options available depending on your chosen wireless router to increase the level of security.

By not securing your wireless network you are essentially leaving the front door of your network and internet connection open to anyone who wishes to connect using their own wireless equipped computers.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, both technologies serve the same purpose but with different pro's and con's. If you are looking for an easy clutter free solution with increase mobility then I would recommend attempting a wireless network setup as long as you ensure that you set at least WEP encryption to protect your computers and internet connection from unauthorised access.

If you are looking for a slightly more secure and reliable connection then go with a wired setup. A wired setup should bring you faster networking speeds with the disadvantage of having to have wires running between devices.

by: James Streep

About The Author

James Streep is a computing and networking specialist. He has been working with a UK based company Discs Express for several years and has been advising customers on computer hardware and network solutions. Discs Express are a specialist online retailer of computer hardware, peripherals, Ink cartridges and blank optical media. More information can be found at http://www.discsexpress.com

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