Emailing is considered the second most rock solid communication tool in the business world after telephones. Infact, for many business users, it has proved to be obligatory just like the telephone is. With the facility of emails going wireless it is going to be an even more important part of modern communicating technologies. Wireless email system or also called mobile emailing solution has become a very big wireless enterprise growth engine and it is estimated that it will cross the fifty five million users mark in that by the year 2010.

Of course wireless technology has many more benefits than just emailing. It is now advanced enough to connect all your computers, share your files and other devices, surf the internet etc. Let us look at some of the basic advantages of wireless technologies and how its made our lives easier:-

End of wires: this is probably the most important reason why one would love to go wireless for your business networking. Wires are problematic, expensive, and dangerous for both health and life and above all, they look unattractive. Zero wires in your homes or office increases the safety as there are no problems such as exposed wires. The other thing is that you will not have to bear the headache of connecting all the wires and disconnecting them again and again. Wireless technology also relieves you from checking every wire now and then to see whether they are working perfectly or whenever the connection shuts down.

Internet connectivity for all: the wireless networking gives the facility of a very cheap, easy to share single internet connection for several users. New computers can be added to the network simply by connecting them with the wireless card and switching them ‘on’. By this they can get instant internet connection immediately.

Sharing files and printers: a wireless network technology gives you the opportunity to access your files and documents wherever you are. It also makes it very easy to coordinate the data stored in your laptop or desktop computer. It is much easier to transfer data between machines connected through wireless mode. The other thing is that only one printer can be used for multiple devices. Printer connected to one computer of a network can be used by any computer of that network.

Always connected; wireless technology allows us to always stay connected through our computers, mobiles, PDAs etc. Doesn’t matter which device you are using but you can have access to all your important files, access the internet and best of all, receive and reply to your emails anytime, anywhere you want.

Freedom: the biggest and the greatest facility of wireless network technology is that you can take your computer or wireless device wherever the signal reaches. This technology is much more like changing your old landline phone with a new hi-tech mobile phone. In other words, the freedom obtained is invigorating and refreshing.

Wireless technology has been around for a while but it is witnessing a massive boom since couple of years now and is expected to grow at an exponential rate as more and more people realize the potential of wireless technology and the fact that it makes all our work that much easier helping us stay connected all the time whether it is through wifi internet or using wireless email solutions etc.

Wireless networks are great and allow us to set up networks quickly, easily and without the hassle of physically running cables etc.

However wireless networks need to be secure from outside / unauthorised users otherwise people can use your network for their own malicious intentions. An example of this is people using your wireless connection to connect to the internet and download illegal content. As it is your internet connection it is your responsibility.

So how do you secure your wireless network?

Well there are several things you can do so here are some basic security steps:



TURN OFF SSID Broadcasting – Once you have all your required computers (wireless clients / devices) on your network, TURN OFF SSID broadcasting so that no one can see your wireless network.

Change the name of your SSID from default to something else. For example a SSID named Netgear easily identifies your network and its hardware.

Change default router username and passwords. Most routers have the same, default admin username and password. So all an intruder has to do is login to your router using the defaults and then lock you out.

Use MAC address filtering – set which devices can connect to your wireless network by their MAC address. Use ipconfig / all to identify your MAC address.

Use IP filtering or IP address reservations so that only those IP’s can access the network.

Use Port filtering / blocking to block ports you do not need open.

Use authentication – either PSK or EAP – DO NOT LEAVE AUTHENTICATION OPEN.

Use encryption to protect your data. WEP and WPA are 2 types of encryption however WPA is recommended.

Set logon hours so that people cannot access your network out of hours.

Use a wireless network analyser such as Netstumbler (free) to test your network.



Using the above wireless network security steps will help protect your wireless network from unauthorised use and prying eyes.

Even as you’re reading this, you are probably sitting at a computer that is confined to a particular part of your home, say your bedroom or living room. But, what if you want to use a laptop or computer from anywhere in your house? That’s where a wireless router comes into play.

A wireless router is basically a network device that lets you connect several computers to the internet without using a cable, but by using wireless access points, or WLAN. In essence, wireless routers allow the freedom of several users to be able to access the internet. Plus, wireless routers also free you from messy wires.

Basically, a wireless router works using signals that have the same radio frequency range as the wireless network card installed in the PC. The significant feature of this exchange of signal system is that both the router and the network card function on the same radio frequency range, thus allowing the transmission of data to and fro, between the devices.

In other words, the wireless router uses radio frequency range signals between devices instead of physical wiring connections to transmit signals. Being an intelligent device, a wireless router can determine whether a signal needs to be transmitted to a local computer on the internet or to the internet.

The signal’s strength is dependent on the manufacturer along with the internet signal strength that the ISP provides. A wireless network has the added functionality of providing security to the network with firewalls, security keys, and so on.

It is not difficult to set up a wireless network. All you need to do is connect the wireless router to your internet connection, and then just set up the drivers in your computer or laptop. You need not worry about anything, because the wireless router that you buy will come along with the drivers, manuals, and CDs, which will help you with the software and driver set up and the configurations.

Clearly, there are several advantages that a wireless router provides. The term ‘wireless’ is what it is all about. With a computer connected to a phone line or a cable, you get the sense of being tethered to a machine that is in turn tethered to a fixture or wall. This entails you sitting at one spot for a long time in order to do your work or access the internet.

But by fixing a wireless router, you can roam about all over your house, or even building, without having to remain connected to a cable modem or phone jack. This way, if for instance you prefer working outside, you will have the freedom to go out onto the deck, without needing to worry about setting up outdoor cables. If you feel like strolling down to your favorite café for a mug of latte, you can head straight there and surf the net while you wait for the brew to be made. These days, even airports allow you to surf the net without wires while waiting for your plane. Simply put, as long as you have a wireless router in place, especially a long range one, you can log on and surf the net practically from anywhere.

Not having to be tethered to a wall is particularly beneficial for employees or self-employed business people. Basically, any location can become your virtual office. With services and stores equipped with wireless routers, it’s easy to set up shop at any convenient restaurant like McDonalds or Panera. And in towns and cities with wireless facilities, access will spell freedom from the confines of a cubicle or tiny office. These days, more and more companies are allowing their employees the option of working from home.

Even as far as the sales force of a company is concerned, they can go from place to place without needing to return to the headquarters. Since the nearest Starbucks can be turned into a virtual office, business updates and sales reporting can be carried out via a laptop or PDA. This will mean more time being spent in the sales effort and less time being spent in the office.

The broadband router wireless VoIP technology is another great innovation. With this device, you can connect to the internet, using any ordinary phone device. You can then make calls to anybody in the world via your internet connection.

So do wireless communications have any drawbacks? Unfortunately, they do. Even though a great deal of flexibility and convenience is offered by this technology, some tradeoffs are there. A wireless network that is shared by all the users of a particular area has less bandwidth. This is felt most often where high-bandwidth multimedia applications or heavy file transfers are used. In addition, it is more difficult to secure wireless networks, plus, the installation of networking wiring to points of access requires coordination and long lead times with some combination of facilities maintenance and OIT. Hence, if you are thinking of going in for a wireless router you need to take the drawbacks into consideration.

Before buying a wireless router, it is best to check out the reviews about various brands in the market. There are many reliable and well-known brands such as Belkin wireless router, Netgear wireless router, and Linksys wireless router. Check out online to see which one will suit your needs, whether at home or in the office.

Wireless routers make life far more convenient and easier. You can go anywhere, without being restricted by wires and still be able to access the internet.