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.[ Team LiB ] ABC Amber CHM Converter Trial version, http://www.thebeatlesforever.com/processtext/abcchm.html[ Team LiB ]SummaryAlthough 802.11b is the most widely used wireless standard today, other standards existthat can help you connect wirelessly.802.11a presents a faster way to go wireless, but isincompatible with 802.11b.Infrared technology can be used for connecting computers andprinting, but it is much slower than 802.11b and does not pass data through walls.Newer,faster technologies, such as 802.11g, work with older technology (802.11b) and will helpreduce incompatibility problems.[ Team LiB ] ABC Amber CHM Converter Trial version, http://www.thebeatlesforever.com/processtext/abcchm.html[ Team LiB ]Chapter 6.Finding Hardware and HelpIn this chapter." Conducting Your Research" Finding Reliable Reviews" Buying Equipment Online" Ensuring Interoperability" Finding Help on the Internet" Checking Out the Web" Finding Answers through Newsgroups" Getting Assistance from Mailing Lists" Looking Toward the FutureNo matter how much research and shopping you do, one fact will remain: technologychanges quickly.You might feel like your equipment is obsolete between the time youwalk out of the store and the time you open the packaging to install it.To some degree, itcan t be helped.The latest, fastest, and (hopefully) most user-friendly products areconstantly in development, and they always have the annoying habit of being cheaperthan the equipment you bought last month.Don t worry too much about obsolescence.Doyour research, and then jump in.Once you know what kind of wireless hardware you require, you can start researching thespecific models you want and then find them at a reasonable cost.The Web can help.If you buy smartly, you can also better your chances for interoperability down the line.Knowing that wireless technologies such as 802.11b and 802.11a are incompatible couldsave you a costly mistake.Especially when buying online, make sure that the product youare purchasing is what you think it is.Price looks too good to be true? Make sure you regetting the latest version of the technology.More than one penny-pinching buyer hasfound their wireless networking equipment uses older and slower technology that mightnot be worth the price break.Be a smart consumer, and make a phone call to hardwaremakers and retailers to get the facts.[ Team LiB ] ABC Amber CHM Converter Trial version, http://www.thebeatlesforever.com/processtext/abc[ Team LiB ] ABC Amber CHM Converter Trial version, http://www.thebeatlesforever.com/processtext/abcConducting Your ResearchSince technology changes quickly, your first stop should be a Web site that specializes innetworking.You ll be able to find out what the experts think will best suit you, find thelatest news, and often find reviews of wireless networking hardware.The following sites will give you a good, up-to-date view of the current wirelessnetworking offerings from vendors.Start your search here and you ll find more aboutwireless network setup and troubleshooting that you probably will ever need.Especially ifyou re just starting out, you should get to know these sites.HomeNetHelp (www.homenethelp.com)HomeNetHelp offers excellent tutorials and troubleshooting (Figure 6.1).The site does aparticularly nice job of mixing its own advice with feedback from users, who offer insighton the unexpected hangups you might find when installing hardware.HomeNetHelp is agreat place to find what might be called the secret handshake-that one small hardware tipor software setting that, when you know about it, can bring your network to life.Withoutthe secret handshake, you re often left in the dark.Figure 6.1.Stuck? Check out HomeNetHelp.About.com (www.compnetworking.about.com)About.com can point you to a number of helpful, and often-updated, web sites for all kindsof networking, both wireless and wired.This networking resource weeds out the lacklustersites and helps you find ones that will help you get started-or get you out of a jam (Figure6.2).Figure 6.2.About.com has become an invaluable source of goodadvice-and good links-on the Web. ABC Amber CHM Converter Trial version, http://www.thebeatlesforever.com/processtext/abcchm.html[ Team LiB ] ABC Amber CHM Converter Trial version, http://www.thebeatlesforever.com/processtext/abc[ Team LiB ] ABC Amber CHM Converter Trial version, http://www.thebeatlesforever.com/processtext/abcFinding Reliable ReviewsYour best bet for finding wireless networking equipment is to read comparative reviews.You ll find a number of independent news sources offering their buying advice free on theWeb.Here are a handful of computer trade magazines that put wireless networkingequipment through lab testing and real-world applications to help you know what you ll begetting before you purchase.CNET (www.cnet.com)A great starting place.CNET s Web-only approach might lack some of the depth of alonger article in a print magazine, but easily makes up for it with frequently updatedcontent (Figure 6.3).CNET offers coverage of both PCs and Macs, as well as, to a lesserextent, the Linux operating system.Figure 6.3.CNET offers wide-ranging advice and wireless hardwarereviews.PC World (www.pcworld.com)Favoring concise, plainly spoken advice and tips over jargon, PC World is a great place tofind news about new wireless networking hardware, reviews of the latest equipment, andhow to set it up.You ll also find the full issue of the print magazine on the web site.PC Magazine (www.pcmag.com)PC Magazine has some of the best-known reporters and columnists in the computerindustry.Strong, thorough coverage of the latest technologies.Highly recommended.TechWeb (www.techweb.com)TechWeb tends to offer more of a hobbyist or information technology (IT) approach to itsnews, review, and how-to articles.That said, news coverage is top notch, and a greatplace to learn about the latest trends in wireless hardware and software (Figure 6.4).Figure 6.4.TechWeb caters to information technology professionals. ABC Amber CHM Converter Trial version, http://www.thebeatlesforever.com/processtext/abcchm.html[ Team LiB ] ABC Amber CHM Converter Trial version, http://www.thebeatlesforever.com/processtext/abc[ Team LiB ] ABC Amber CHM Converter Trial version, http://www.thebeatlesforever.com/processtext/abcBuying Equipment OnlineLet s assume you ve found the hardware you need and have a general idea what it willcost you from reading over the trades on the Web.Now it s time to find a fair price andpurchase your hardware.A good place to start is with an online comparative pricingservice.CNET HardwareFormerly called Computers.com, this site was created and is maintained by CNET.The sitemixes reviews (rating hardware on a 10-point scale) with links to its shopping site,Shopper.com.A nice mix of editorial and buying advice.Shopper.comUnlike Computers.com, Shopper.com (Figure 6.5) focuses on price comparisons amongonline sellers rather than equipment reviews.The site does offer user reviews of sellers,however, which can help you find reputable vendors.Figure 6.5.Shopper.com points you to the latest prices.PriceWatch (www.pricewatch.com)This underused site offers a no-nonsense design, fast loading pages, and an efficientsearch engine.Most importantly, PriceWatch displays some of the lowest prices you ll findfrom sellers.A great site when you re ready to buy (Figure 6.6).Figure 6.6
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