|
Going wireless at home is becoming more popular and less complicated.
"It's convenient," said Mike DeVore, general manager of KDSI.
With no cables to tie a computer down, a user can "plop it on the couch or on the kitchen counter" and access the Internet, he said.
There are a few ways to get a wireless connection, such as using a fixed wireless connection or a mobile connection, DeVore said.
Fixed wireless connection
A fixed wireless connection allows Internet access to come into the home through a wired service provided. A router is then used to rebroadcast the signal throughout the home. This method allows for a number of devices to access the wireless signal inside and around a home.
DeVore said this is particularly helpful if a child returns from college with a laptop and wants to get on the Internet or, in a business setting, a number of laptops in a conference room need Internet access simultaneously.
Tim Victor, owner of Computer Concepts, said his company is an Internet provider and sells the equipment needed to get a wireless signal at home. To do so, a small antennae is attached to the outside of the house to transmit a wireless signal inside to a router. The signal can then be picked up by a laptop or desktop computer or any handheld device with a WiFi card, he said.
Such a wireless connection is comparable in price to a DSL connection, both men said.
Mobile connection
A mobile connection is provided by a cellular phone company and costs a little more than a fixed wireless connection. However, the user gets more function for the money, DeVore said.
With mobile service, the wireless signal is provided by a cell phone company and can be accessed from "the road," Victor said.
Need for jacks?
Both men said wireless signals in homes are growing in popularity and are becoming more and more common in Grand Island. Though wireless is becoming more common and people are using cell phones more, DeVore said there may be a need for wired jacks in the future. He suggests that anyone building a new home add wired jacks in key places, such as the office, for future use if necessary.
Security issues
As with most new technology, steps must also be taken when using a wireless signal to protect the user's privacy, their computers and their files, DeVore said.
There are security risks with an "out-of-the-box" connection, he said. Routers are easy to connect but some users might avoid activating the included security features because it takes longer and may require more expertise, he said.
A security key can be activated to restrict which computers can access the wireless signal. DeVore suggests using a named network to add security but says something obvious, such as a surname, should be avoided as it would make it too easy to tap into the network.
"Something obscure, like your dog's name, is better," he said. "People do need to turn it on. Only about 50 percent probably do."
Victor also said its important to use security features to protect personal information.
"You can encrypt the signal with a password," he said. "That would keep someone from pulling into your driveway and using your Internet."
|
