Dummies, Wireless

In This Chapter
Chapter 2
From a to n and b-yond
� Networking terms you’ve got to know
� Understanding the access point, the center of your wireless network
� Learning more about antennas
� Knowing the industry standards
� Taking your physics lesson; understanding the ISM bands
� Learning your abg’s
In the not-so-distant past, networked computers were connected only by
wire: a special-purpose network cabling. This type of wiring has yet to
become a standard item in new homes, but we’re getting closer, with more
people asking to have a home wired from the start. That’s a different book:
Smart Homes For Dummies (also from Wiley and which we hope you consider
when you’re buying a new home). The cost of installing network cabling after
a house is already built is understandably much higher than doing so during
initial construction. By contrast, the cost of installing a wireless network in a
particular home is a fraction of the cost of wiring the same residence — and
much less hassle. As a result, because more and more people are beginning
to see the benefits of having a computer network at home, they’re turning to
wireless networks. Many of us can no longer recall life without wireless
phones; similarly, wireless computer networking has become the standard
way to network a home.
That’s not to say that it’s easy, though. Face it: Life can sometimes seem a bit
complicated. The average Joe or Jane can’t even order a cup of java any more
without having to choose between an endless array of options: regular, decaf,
half-caf, mocha, cappuccino, latté, low fat, no fat, foam, no foam, and so on.
Of course, after you get the hang of the lingo, you can order coffee like a pro.
That’s where this chapter comes in: to help you get used to the networking
lingo that’s slung about when you’re planning, purchasing, installing, and
using your wireless network.
Like so much alphabet soup, the prevalent wireless network technologies go
by the names 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, and now 802.11n; employ devices
such as APs and Express cards; and make use of technologies with cryptic