Most people in the UK who use the Internet do so via a broadband connection and router that is directly connected by a wire to their PC or laptop. Of course this is perfectly acceptable, but what advantages could “going wireless” bring and how do you go about this?

Well let’s start by explaining what “wireless” means. Well pretty obviously it means that hardware devices, such as your PC and the router that connects you to the internet, transmit information between each other without the need for a wire; instead they use radio signals. Providing your devices are within the “hot spot” (or “in range” as we used to refer to it) then they can happily talk to each other as if there’s a wire between them.

As wireless devices use radio waves, then just as your radio signal varies depending on where you are, so does your device signal. This means that they tend to only work up to about 100 metres (still quite a distance) and numerous thick walls between the two devices may also cause problems. However, this means that most devices will work happily in and around most modern houses without a problem.

The first thing to consider is what type of network to use. The current flavours of wireless network are unhelpfully denoted by the numbers ‘802.11’ followed by the letter b, g or n as follows:

• b – This is the oldest and slowest and has a bandwidth of up to 11 Mbps and a fairly short range
• g – Currently the most common and is faster at up to 54 Mbps with a greater range
• n – Is the latest and has a bandwidth of up to 200 Mbps and an even broader coverage.

Don’t worry too much about the terminology; all you really need to know is that the greater the bandwidth, the faster the connection! This means that if you want to download huge files (such as films) whilst lounging in bed or sitting in the garden then the faster the better. However, it is worth noting that the speed reduces as the signal weakens so a category b network with a strong signal may actually be faster than a category n with a weak signal.

With the expansion of wireless networks there are occasions when your signal may interfere with your neighbour’s signal causing the connection to be unreliable. If you think this is the case then call in the experts as it’s possible to find a free channel and force your router to always use this.

It’s important to know that it isn’t only your router that has to be capable of using wireless; to connect wirelessly your device (PC, laptop, handheld organiser, games console, etc) must be compatible too. Check to make sure that your device is ‘WiFi Enabled’ and that it can also connect using network type b, g or n (as appropriate).

If you’re not sure about what your current devices are capable of, you need advice on exactly which router to purchase or you need help to set it all up securely, then The PC Support Group is happy to help. Just call us on 0845 2233116 or raise a request through our web site at www.pcsupportgroup.com.

There is, however, an important consideration when setting up and using a wireless network… security!  Did you know that unless your wireless network is properly setup with the right security, any wireless device can connect to your network when in range?  That includes your neighbours and anyone passing by your home, including ‘information thieves’ who actively seek out your personal and confidential information such as your security settings when banking online.

To protect yourself you need to set a password (or key) on your router that will be demanded every time an unknown device tries to connect. WEP encryption is the simplest form of security used by older wireless devices, but for greater security then you should choose WPA which is almost impossible to break into.

So what about those hard to reach spots? If the signal from your router doesn’t quite reach every corner of your home then you have a few options.

You can add one or more wireless access points to boost the signal.  These are devices that connect to your wireless network and broadcast their own wireless signal, effectively providing coverage beyond the reach of the main wireless signal.

Alternatively you can consider a different kind of wired option. ‘Homeplugs’ use the electrical wiring in your home to transmit information. Simply put one plug into an electrical socket near your router, connect it to your router, then put another into a socket in the room that has the weak signal. When in that room your device will now use the electrical cabling to talk to the router and out to the internet. Recently homeplugs have started appearing with wireless access points at one end, effectively giving you a wireless connection anywhere there is an electrical point.

So what about those devices you have that aren’t wireless ready? Perhaps you have a printer that you would like to use from anywhere in your home or share with other members of the family?  In many cases it is possible to buy a unit that plugs into your devices USB connection (many printers and PCs under 5 years old have a USB connection) and once installed and configured with the supplied software will work wirelessly.

We’re not pretending that all of this is easy so if you would like to go wireless but would like help from the experts to get it all working (and supply everything too if you wish) then just contact The PC Support Group, we will be happy to help.

To contact us about computer support, you can call 0845 2233116, e-mail us on info@pcsupportgroup.com or complete a request for service form on our website at www.pcsupportgroup.com

About The PC Support Group

The PC Support Group (www.pcsupportgroup.com) specialises in providing quality computer support to small business and home users. Put simply, we really only offer one service… to remove all your worries and concerns about your computers and anything that communicates with, runs on, or connects to them. If we can achieve this we know our customers will be delighted that they can concentrate on using them to achieve their goals, whether that’s simply doing some on-line shopping or growing a successful business.