Taking the plunge
Of all the options available to you, the easiest and least expensive method of
making a wireless connection to the Internet is Wi-Fi. In order to get started
down the Wi-Fi highway, you need the following:
Wi-Fi-enabled computer: There are two methods for enabling a laptop
or PDA for use in a wireless environment:
· Wi-Fi adapter: By using an inexpensive adapter, wireless capability
can be added to almost every laptop and most PDA devices. I tell
you more about finding adapters in Chapter 3 and more about set-
ting them up in Chapter 4.
· Integrated card: Most new laptop computers, and quite a few PDA
devices, come equipped with a built-in wireless card. If you're
shopping for a new computer, I give you some helpful hints in
Chapter 3.
Hotspot proximity: You need to be within the coverage area of the radio
transceiver, or access point, that has a wired or satellite connection to
the Internet. (I introduce hotspots in the "What the heck is a hotspot?"
section later in this chapter, and Chapter 5 explains how you can find
them.)
Wireless Internet service provider: Better known as and often referred
to as a WISP, most hotspot operators are WISPs or they contract with
WISPs for service. In most cases, you can buy an hourly, daily, monthly,
or annual subscription to a WISP -- as you discover in Chapter 6.
The Nuts and Bolts of Wi-Fi
To put it very simply, Wi-Fi uses a two-way radio signal instead of wires to
complete the connection between your computer and the wired connection
to the Internet. Also, instead of using slow dialup, the business end of a wire-
less Internet connection is usually high-speed DSL, cable, or T-1 line.
CB radios for computers
Sometime in the late '50s or early '60s, a couple of truckers stuck CB radios in
their rigs so they could irritate each other while heading down the highway.
Obviously, for radio communication to occur, both drivers had to install
radios -- and each radio had to be capable of both transmitting and receiving
Part I: The Wonderful World of Wireless Fidelity
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