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Overview
Wireless Home Networking Simplified
- The full-color, fully illustrated, simple guide to wireless home networking
- Step-by-step instructions: Plan, install, secure, optimize, and troubleshoot your wireless network
- Discover all the fun things you can do with your wireless network
Jim Doherty
Neil Anderson
Using today’s wireless networks, you can save money, become more productive, and even have more fun! Now, there’s an easy, fully illustrated step-by-step guide to wireless networking for your home: Wireless Home Networking Simplified.
This plain-English guide teaches you everything you need to know to set up a wireless network at home, even if you do not have a technical background. You’ll find simple, easy-to-follow guidance on selecting the right equipment, installing your network devices properly, connecting to the Internet, safeguarding your information, fixing problems, and much more.
- Understand how wireless home networks work
- Compare today’s wireless standards, and choose the right one for you
- Design your wireless network for maximum convenience, reliability, and simplicity
- Secure your network, step by step–and keep it secure
- Troubleshoot failed connections, poor coverage, and slow performance
- Temporarily allow guests onto your network without exposing your data
- Use your network to listen to music, view video, and play video games anywhere in your home
- Preview and prepare for tomorrow’s wireless technologies
Wireless Home Networking Simplified cuts through the confusion, demystifies the technologies, and helps you make the most of wireless… quickly, simply, painlessly.
This book is part of the Networking Technology Series from Cisco Press®, the only authorized publisher for Cisco Systems®.
Category: Networking
Covers: Home Networking
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780133034820 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Pearson Education |
| Publication date: | 01/10/2012 |
| Series: | Networking Technology |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 384 |
| Sales rank: | 988,694 |
| File size: | 52 MB |
| Note: | This product may take a few minutes to download. |
About the Author
About the Authors
Jim Doherty is the vice president of marketing at CipherOptics, where he leads the outbound marketing
teams. Prior to joining the CipherOptics team Jim held leadership positions with Symbol
Technologies and Cisco. Jim has more than 15 years of technical marketing and engineering experience
and has led various marketing campaigns for IP telephony, routing and switching, and network
security solutions. Jim is the coauthor of the Networking Simplified series of books published by
Cisco Press. Jim is a former Marine Corps sergeant; he holds a B.S. degree in electrical engineering
from N.C. State University and an M.B.A. degree from Duke University.
Neil Anderson is the senior manager of enterprise systems engineering with Cisco. Neil has more
than 20 years of broad engineering experience including public telephone systems, mobile phone
systems, Internet, and home networking. At Cisco, Neil’s focus is on large corporate customers in the
areas of routing and switching, wireless, security, and IP communications. Neil is the coauthor of the
Networking Simplified series of books including Home Networking Simplified, Home Network
Security Simplified, and Internet Phone Services Simplified. Neil holds a B.S. degree in computer
science.
Table of Contents
Contents
Part I How Does It Work
Chapter 1 How Wireless LANs Work
Why Wireless?
Before We Get to the Wireless Bit, What the Heck Is a LAN?
Okay, Now the Wireless Part
Challenges for Wireless Communication
The Solution
Putting It All Together
Summary
Where to Go for More Information
Chapter 2 Wireless Standards: What the Letters Mean
The Standard 802.11 and the IEEE
802.11a
802.11b
802.11g
802.11n
Combinations
What Happened to the Other Letters?
Summary
Where to Go for More Information
Chapter 3 Selecting the Right Wireless Standard for Your Network
What to Consider When Choosing Your Wireless Standard
Compatibility
Relationships Among Wireless Standards
Dual-Band Products
Proprietary Extensions
Speed 27
Range
Security
Cost
Additional Considerations
Comparing the IEEE WLAN Standards
Recommendations
Summary
Where to Go for More Information
Part II What You Should Know
Chapter 4 Planning Your Wireless Network
Wireless Network Topologies
Sketching a Network Layout
Thinking Your Network Plan Through
Determining the Networking Capabilities of Your Computers
Looking for a Wired NIC
Looking for a Wireless NIC
Determining Your Immediate Needs to Create a Wireless Network
Completing Your Plan
Summary
Chapter 5 Wireless Security: What You Need to Know
Why Should I Worry About Wireless Network Security?
What Do I Do to Secure My Wireless Network?
Don’t Advertise Your Wireless Network
Scramble Your Signal
What Is Encryption?
Choosing an Encryption Key
Disable Ad Hoc Networking
Other Tips to Consider
Summary
Where to Go for More Information
Chapter 6 What to Buy
Determining Network Readiness
Making Your List, Checking It Twice
Wireless Router Options
Wireless NIC Options
Gear for Travel Bugs and Road Warriors
Extra Stuff
Where to Buy Your Gear
Summary
Where to Go for More Information
Part III How Do I Set It Up?
Chapter 7 Wireless Router Setup
Connecting the Wireless Router
Configuring the Wireless Router
Using the Linksys Setup Wizard
Using an Internet Browser
Using Linksys EasyLink Advisor
Summary
Where to Go for More Information
Chapter 8 Wireless NIC Setup
Installing the Wireless NIC
Installing a PCI Wireless Card in a Desktop Computer
Installing a PCMCIA Wireless Card in a Laptop Computer
Installing a USB Wireless NIC in a Computer
Associating the Wireless NIC to the Wireless Router
Wireless Profiles
Wireless Connection Managers
Using the Windows Wireless Network Connection Utility
Using Linksys WLAN Monitor
Using Linksys EasyLink Advisor
Summary
Where to Go for More Information
Chapter 9 Wireless Security Setup
Setting Up Wireless Encryption
Tips Before We Start
If Only It Were That Easy
Manually Setting Up Wireless Encryption
Enabling WEP Encryption on the Wireless Router
Enabling WEP Encryption on the Wireless NIC
WPA Encryption Example
Setting Up Wireless Encryption with Linksys SecureEasySetup
Linksys SecureEasySetup on the Wireless Router
Linksys SecureEasySetup on the Wireless NIC
Setting Up Wireless Encryption with Linksys EasyLink Advisor
Linksys EasyLink Advisor on the Wireless Router
Using EasyLink Advisor to Add Encryption to Wireless NICs
More Wireless Security Steps
Stop Advertising Your Wireless Network
Turn On the Firewall
Prevent Unintentional Roaming
MAC Address Locking
Top Troubleshooting Tips for Wireless Encryption
Summary
Where to Go for More Information
Part IV “Honey, This Stupid Wireless Thing Is Not Working”
Chapter 10 Troubleshooting: I Can’t Connect at All
Steps to Connecting
Scanning
Matching
Associating
Securing the Connection
Obtaining an IP Address
Sending and Receiving
What Can Go Wrong
Problems During Scanning
Problems During Matching
Problems During Association
Problems Securing the Connection
Problems Obtaining an IP Address
Problems Sending and Receiving
Five Things to Look At First
How to Tell if You Do Not Have a Connection
Figuring Out Why It Will Not Connect
Scanning-Related Issues
Incompatible Wireless Standards
Wireless Turned Off
Poor Signal Strength
Matching-Related Issues
SSID Mismatch
SSID Broadcast
Association-Related Issues
Security- and Encryption-Related Issues
Encryption Type Mismatch
Encryption Key Mismatch
Windows XP Authentication Setting Mismatch
IP Address Assignment—Related Issues
Determining if an IP Address Is Assigned
Determining if IP Address Assignment Is Failing
Trying the Windows XP Repair Function
Checking the Router’s DHCP Client Pool
Wireless Connection Made
Oops, How Embarrassing!
The 10-Minute Miracle
Summary
Where to Go for More Information
Chapter 11 Troubleshooting: I Can Connect Sometimes
How Wireless Coverage Works
Tuning Your Wireless Coverage
Performing a Wireless Survey
Wireless Survey Using Windows XP
Wireless Survey Using Linksys WLAN Monitor
What to Conclude from Your Wireless Survey
What You Can Do to Improve Coverage
Improving the Location of the Wireless Router
Trying Different Channels
Trying Different Antenna Positions
Upgrading the Antenna
Using Wireless Range Extenders and Additional Access Points
Upgrading the Wireless Router
Summary
Where to Go for More Information
Chapter 12 Troubleshooting: I Can Connect, but It’s Slow
Is the Broadband Internet Connection the Bottleneck?
Checking the Broadband Connection
Testing Your Broadband Speed
Is the Wireless Network Too Slow?
Understanding Wireless Standards and Speeds
Verifying Wireless Network Speed
Is the Wireless Network Signal Getting Degraded?
Interference from Other Wireless Routers
Checking for Conflicting Wireless Routers
Determining Whether the Conflicting Wireless Router Is Causing an Issue
Correcting a Conflicting Wireless Router Situation
Interference from Cordless Phones and Other Devices
Determining Whether the Conflicting Cordless Phone Is Causing an Issue
Correcting a Conflicting Cordless Phone Issue
Summary
Where to Go for More Information
Part V Bells and Whistles
Chapter 13 Wireless Video and Entertainment
Wireless Video Cameras
Finding Uses for Wireless Video Cameras
Connecting the Video Camera to Your Wireless Network
Determining Who Can Access the Video Camera
Viewing Video from Within Your House
Viewing Video over the Internet
Setting Up the Wireless Router for Internet Camera Viewing
How to View the Camera over the Internet
Problems with Viewing Video over the Internet
Using the Video Camera as a Motion Detector
Wireless Online Gaming
Gaming Servers
Options for Online Gaming
How to Connect Video Game Consoles to Your Wireless Network
Setting Up the Wireless Game Adapter
Connecting a Video Game Console
Connecting to an Online Game Provider
Networking Your DVR
Typical DVR Setups Today
Reasons to Network Your DVR
Networking Your DVR 290
Using TiVoToGo
Summary
Where to Go for More Information
Chapter 14 Wireless to Go
What Is a Wireless Hotspot?
How to Find Wireless Hotspots
Wireless Hotspot Options and Costs
Discovering and Connecting to Wireless Hotspots
Connecting to Hotspots Using Linksys WLAN Monitor
Connecting to Hotspots Using Windows XP
Connecting to Hotspots Using Boingo
Passing the Membership Test
Example: Connecting to a Free Service at Bear Rock Cafe
Example: Connecting to T-Mobile Service at Borders Book Stores
What Not to Do When Using a Wireless Hotspot
Setting Up Your Own Portable Hotspot
How Wireless Travel Routers Work
Setting Up a Wireless Travel Router
Setting Up Your Laptop to See the Travel Router
How to Use a Wireless Travel Router
Summary
Where to Go for More Information
Chapter 15 The Future of Wireless Networking
Wireless Networks Will Be Faster
Wireless Networks Will Go Farther
Wireless Networks Will Be in More Places
Wireless Networks Will Move with You
More Devices Will Connect to Wireless Networks
Summary
Where to Go for More Information
Appendixes
Appendix A MAC Address Filtering
Appendix B 802.11n Wireless Channels
Appendix C 802.11 Additional Revisions
Index