Google+ Wireless Network Roundup ~ High Tech House Calls
Expert Computer Consulting for Homes and Small Businesses

Let there be hope...

Life has changed there is no doubt and we wanted to reach out to see how you are doing.

As we go through this interesting time, we are trying to look at this as an opportunity to focus on our family and on friends like you. Let us use this extra time to catch up and talk more. Let us cook food that is not fast, but interesting and satisfying. Let us learn to enjoy a time to try new things. Let us find ways to enjoy time at home!

Computer Security

If my client base is any experience, anyone can be a victim of a Ransomware, Malware or Virus attack.

What can you do about it?

I conduct audits of your entire computer infrastructure and apply best practice solutions to plug the security holes on your computers, Smartphones and networks.

Now offering consultations to give you the best protection possible:


404.229.0839
carlthorne@hthcatlanta.com

Jack of All Trades, Master of Many

Jack of All Trades, and Master of Many

We provide technical support for:


Homes and small businesses

Windows and the Mac OS platform

iPhones and Android Smartphones

Wireless and wired networks

New device setup

Old device upgrade or repair

One-on-one training

Remote assistance


How To Stop Malware

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Wireless Network Roundup

Here is some general information about wireless networks that you can use to improve your wireless network.

   For your wireless network to be functional, the high speed Internet modem and wireless router must both be turned on. The computer nearest your network devices does not have to be on for your wireless network to be up. In fact, no computer, smartphone, Ipad, laptop, etc. has to be turned on for your wireless network to be functional.  Your wireless network is independent of any operating system resident on the device you are using to browse the Internet with.

   Occasionally, your computer will be connected to the wireless network, but you cannot access any websites on the Internet. Unplugging your high-speed Internet modem and wireless router may fix the problem. Count to 20 and then plug the modem back in. Count to 30 and then plug your wireless router back in. You may have to reboot your computer to take advantage of the fixed connection. If you need to do this procedure more than once a month, you may have a failing modem or wireless router or you have an intermittent problem with the Internet coming into your home.

   High-speed Internet access modems and wireless routers last between 3 to 5 years. You may want to replace your wireless router more often because wireless technology is evolving rapidly. A newer wireless router may mean a faster wireless network with more area coverage in a more secure environment.

   Never buy a gateway from your high speed Internet access provider. A gateway is a combination high-speed Internet access modem and wireless router. Many high-speed Internet access providers charge you a monthly charge for the privilege of having a wireless network in addition to renting the gateway. Most gateways provided by Internet access providers are of low quality. You can do much better with buying your own wireless router. Leading vendors for wireless routers are Cisco (previously know as Linksys and D-Link).
   Like any piece of electronic equipment, wireless routers will last longer if they are plugged into a surge protector. The surge protector should have a built-in protection of at least 1000 joules to be worthwhile. A better solution to protect your wireless router would be a UPS. This is a battery backup that constantly monitors your electrical level from your outlet. If there is a surge or spike in the voltage, devices plugged into the UPS are serviced by a steady voltage level from the battery until the voltage from the outlet stabilizes. Typically you buy a UPS and plug your computer and monitor into it. A model rated at 300 volt/amps should have enough outlets for you to plug your wireless router into it. (Please search my blog www.hthcatlanta.blogspot.com for a more extensive blog entry on UPS.)

   Each device you use to browse the network wirelessly has a limitation based on the wireless card built into that device. There are currently three main standards for wireless networks (801.B, 801.G and 801.N). Older devices will not be able to connect to a newer standard network. Newer devices can connect to older standards. Most wireless routers have the capability of broadcasting to all three wireless network standards, but may not be able to broadcast to all three standards simultaneously. Typically, a wireless router can be set up to broadcast to an 801.B and 801.G network simultaneously or to just an 801.N network singly. Based on the devices on your wireless network, you may have to dumb down your wireless router to 801.B/801.G so that all your devices can connect to the wireless network. New wireless cards can be purchased for windows computers that can upgrade that computers network access to 801.N, but it is rare to be able to upgrade older Apple computers with a newer standard wireless card.


   Any wireless network should be made secure by changing the administrator account password needed to access the wireless router setup program. Default passwords for wireless routers are easy to find out with a Google search or by downloading installation guides from vendor websites.

   To prevent unauthorized users from connecting to your wireless network, your network needs to have a password key. You can set this up when you configure your router for the first time. As wireless networks allow more and more area coverage, it is not unusual to see four or five neighbors' wireless networks from your home office. Amazingly, many of those networks can be connected to by you because they are unsecured by a key. If you have a label maker, create a label with the username and password pair to administrate the router along with the key and tape it to the wireless router. You will be glad you did. You can find out the key if you have the username and password pair, but if you can't log in to the administrator account, you will need to reset the router to the default factory settings and re-program it.

   You apply patches and updates to your computer and smart phones. You need to do the same to your wireless router. Typically those patches and updates are in the form of firmware. There is not an automated way to be informed of firmware updates. You must periodically check the vendor's website for firmware updates for your wireless router. In fact, the first thing I do when I install a router is to check for a firmware update before I configure the router. Follow the directions closely for the firmware update. Typically, you want to apply the update from a computer that is physically connected to the router (via an Ethernet cable), rather than attempting an update from a computer connected wirelessly. It is possible the update will wipe out all the original configuration settings, so be sure and document all settings before attempting the upgrade.

   Wireless networks in college dorms and off-campus college apartments are of poor quality and have poor support. If you buy a wireless printer for your college student, have the printer physically connect to the computer through a USB cable, rather than a wireless connection. Your college student will grumble about having to connect the USB printer cable to the laptop to print something but this beats not being able to print because you could not get the printer to work wirelessly or to work consistently on the wireless network. If you ignore my advice, remember that to program a wireless printer to work on a wireless network, you must install the printer software while connected to the specific wireless network that the printer will be connected to. So after you got everything unpacked and the bed made, remember you still have to install the wireless printer software.