If you have several computers that are not networked, or if you want to replace your ethernet network, you'll need a wireless router. This is a single unit that contains:. A wireless router allows you to use wireless signals or ethernet cables to connect your computers and mobile devices to one another, to a printer and to the internet.
Most routers provide coverage for about feet If your home is very large, you can buy inexpensive range extenders or repeaters to increase your router's range. As with wireless adapters, many routers can use more than one Normally, Once you plug in your router, it should start working at its default settings. Most routers let you use a web interface to change your settings. You can select:.
Security is an important part of a home wireless network, as well as public WiFi hot spots. If you set your router to create an open hot spot, anyone who has a wireless card will be able to use your signal. Most people would rather keep strangers out of their network, though. Doing so requires you to take a few security precautions. It's also important to make sure your security precautions are current.
The idea behind WEP was to create a wireless security platform that would make any wireless network as secure as a traditional wired network. You also can change other router settings to improve security. For instance, you can set it to block WAN requests to keep the router from responding to IP requests from remote users, set a limit to the number of devices that can connect to your router and even disable remote administration so that only computers plugged directly into your router can change your network settings.
You should also change the Service Set Identifier SSID , which is your network name, to something other than the default so that hackers can't immediately tell what router you are using. And selecting a strong password never hurts. Wireless networks are easy and inexpensive to set up, and most routers' web interfaces are virtually self-explanatory. For more information on setting up and using a wireless network, check out the links that follow.
Sign up for our Newsletter! Mobile Newsletter banner close. Mobile Newsletter chat close. Mobile Newsletter chat dots. Mobile Newsletter chat avatar. Mobile Newsletter chat subscribe. How WiFi Works. Wireless networks make it easy to connect to the internet wherever you go.
Contents What Is WiFi? What Is WiFi? Here's what happens: A computer's wireless adapter translates data into a radio signal and transmits it using an antenna.
A wireless router receives the signal and decodes it. The router sends the information to the internet using a physical, wired ethernet connection. They transmit at frequencies of 2.
This frequency is considerably higher than the frequencies used for cell phones, walkie-talkies and televisions. The higher frequency allows the signal to carry more data. The 2. In ideal conditions, the 5 GHz band has a max range of about feet 61 meters , but in the real world, it is much more prone to interference from walls, doors and other objects.
For a while, its cost made it popular, but now it's less common as faster standards become less expensive. It can handle up to 11 megabits of data per second, and it uses complementary code keying CCK modulation to improve speeds.
It uses orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing OFDM , a more efficient coding technique that splits that radio signal into several sub-signals before they reach a receiver. This greatly reduces interference. It significantly improved speed and range over its predecessors. For instance, although It is less prone to interference and far faster than its predecessors, pushing a maximum of megabits per second on a single stream, although real-world speeds may be lower.
Like It is sometimes called 5G because of its frequency band, sometimes Gigabit WiFi because of its potential to exceed a gigabit per second on multiple streams and sometimes Very High Throughput VHT for the same reason. This standard extends the capabilities of First of all, the new routers allow an even higher data flow rate, up to 9.
WiFi 6 also lets manufacturers install many more antennas on one router, accepting multiple connections at once without any worry of interference and slowdown. Some new devices also connect on a higher 6 GHz band, which is about 20 percent faster than 5GHz in ideal conditions.
WiFi Hot Spots " ". WiFi has enabled people to work anywhere they can get a signal, like at this coffee shop. Building a Wireless Network " ". Smartphones, tablets, smart TVs and laptops all access the internet with the help of a router the device pictured with two antennas.
The name of the network, known as its service set identifier SSID. The default setting is usually the manufacturer's name. The channel that the router uses. Most routers use channel 6 by default. If you live in an apartment and your neighbors are also using channel 6, you may experience interference. Switching to a different channel should eliminate the problem. Your router's security options. Many routers use a standard, publicly available sign-on, so it's a good idea to set your own username and password.
AES is considered the most secure. Public hot spots are either open or use any of the available security protocols, including WEP, so use caution when connecting away from home. WiFi Protected Setup WPS , a feature that ties a hard-coded PIN to the router and makes setup easier, apparently creates a vulnerability that can be exploited by hackers, so you may want to turn off WPS if possible, or look into routers that do not have the feature.
WPA3 was released in and became the security standard as of It aims to solve some of the vulnerabilities in WPA2 by putting much more complex encryption on both the router side and client side of the connection. This encryption also changes over time, meaning if a hacker had managed to access an unauthorized connection at one point in time, they would be locked out again the next time they try to connect.
WPA3-enabled devices can also add some client-side encryption while using open public networks. It's worth noting that no matter how secure, a wireless network will surely have some method of exploit that can be used by hackers. When it comes to sensitive government or corporate data, a simple wired connection is the more secure alternative. In order to access or spy on a wireless network, a hacker has to be within physical range of the router, so attacks at home are not very likely to occur.
It doesn't use a password to authenticate users — it uses a computer's physical hardware. Each computer has its own unique MAC address. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Necessary Necessary. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
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