Saturday, March 22, 2014
Using WPA for a more secure wireless connection
Wi-Fi Protected Access, or WPA, is a new, improved security standard for wireless connections. WPA has addressed the weaknesses of WEP; it was developed to create a viable alternative to WEP that is more secure than that standard. The fundamentals are the same between the standards, but WPA has improved some of the various mechanisms that plagued WEP. For example, encryption keys are now dynamic and change often automatically. Additionally, the complexity of the encryption key has also been increased to help fight off users who try to derive a key from data that they capture. One of the largest improvements in WPA is the addition of authentication to the wireless connection. Now, users have to have the right encryption settings, as well as a valid username and password, to gain access to the network.
This new standard is just starting to gain momentum. Microsoft has released a special patch for Windows XP that adds this new standard to Windows. However, installing the patch will not allow you to use this new standard. Just as with WEP, WPA is programmed into the firmware of the hardware components. In order to use WPA, you must have hardware that specifically supports it. Currently, only a few companies offer base stations and wireless adapters that support this new method of security. However, that will change in time.
The next time you are considering purchasing a wireless base station and adapter, do some research and pick one that supports WPA to ensure that your wireless communications will not be decrypted and your privacy is secure.
Saturday, March 15, 2014
4G wireless devices to call customer service for help
It’s not clear whether these 4G problems are a long-term phenomena or growing pains. In any case, J.D. Power found that 60 percent of 4G subscribers called their wireless provider in the last six months. Customers with 3G phones called their carrier 47 percent of the time. Feature phone owners only called for support 35 percent of the time.
The big problems: 4G devices see more network problems and customers don’t understand that service coverage is limited.
Given Verizon’s lead in 4G most of those calls were aimed at the carrier. Nevertheless, Verizon Wireless had to top overall customer service score.
Wireless Networks An Effective and Reliable Way to Connect With the World
A computer network that is wire free is called a wireless network. Wireless networks are those networks that are interlinked to one anther with some other wire free tools. These networks are generally associated with telecommunications and networking wherein two or more nodes are connected with one another such that the data can flow to and fro between them. These networks do not use wires and are generally implemented with a kind of remote information system which makes the use of electronic radio waves for connectivity. These networks can easily transmit data and other information to other nodes i.e. computers very easily.
A wireless network is again divided into four kinds, depending on their features and uses, they are:
• Wireless PAN: It stands for wireless personal area network; this is known as a personal area network as it covers only a small geographical area. One such example of the WPAN is the Bluetooth; it provides connectivity only to an area of 10mts and thus a wireless personal area connectivity provider.
• Wireless LAN: This is a sort of wireless network that supports local area connectivity. It stands for wireless local area network. The only difference is that it covers a larger area than pan.
• Wireless Wan: It stands for Wireless metropolitan area network. This wireless network is spread in a metropolitan area i.e. wide area than when compared to pan and LAN.
• Wireless WAN: It stands for wireless wide area network wherein a wide are is covered and the nodes are connected with one another perfectly.
• Mobile networks: This network came in to initiation with the development of mobile smart phones which are used to talk and at the same time can hold computer data with transferring abilities because they are often connected to GSM.
A wireless network eases the flow of information from one computer to the other. One can share real time information at a rapid speed and with an amazing efficiency. These networks are age old techniques to send information anywhere in the world without recognizing the geographical frontiers and language barriers. Wireless networks are in operation from a long time and are used to send, receive and communicate through radio electromagnetic signals. People are now sharing data, merging and exchanging files across borders breaking barriers. One can say that wireless networks have considerably changed the world and made it one big family.
These networks are inexpensive and a cost efficient way of communicating and sharing files, data and other info between groups of computers. These networks are used in business and other important areas where communication is important. Wireless networks offer a wide range of connectivity and that too without the hassles of wiring. All in all, wireless connectivity is reliable, superficial, fast, flexible and easy to get in. It involves a rapid speed and consumes very little time. It is an answer to all your connectivity needs and gives you instant access to the world behind your table.
Friday, March 14, 2014
Securing Your Home Wireless Network
What is a Home Wireless Network?
Networks are set up by connecting a piece of equipment called a “router” to your modem.” The router broadcasts a signal throughout your house that creates that can be picked up by your computers, smart phones, and tablets, providing access to the high speed Internet signal coming in to your modem.
The Danger of an Unprotected Network
While home networks have reached the point where they can be set up by nearly any skill level of user, not as many people are not aware of the dangers of not having their network secure, nor the steps they can take to make their network secure from intruders. An unprotected network could permit malicious ‘hackers’ to gain access to your data. In essence, accessing everything on your home computers by coming in through a “back door.”
Setting Up and Securing Your Network
Once your router is connected to your modem, follow the instructions which will allow you to change certain settings on the router. Generally this is accomplished via a secure website that the router manufacturer describes in the documentation that comes with the router.
Router Identification Names
Each router has an identification name. The default name is set by the manufacturer and is generally the name of the router manufacturer. The first step in securing your network is to change the name of your router, to a unique word that is not easily guessed. The identification name is also referred to as the SSID (service set identifier). An important option at this step is to “disable the SSID broadcast.” What this means is when people sign on their computers near your network, and see a list of available networks in the area, your network will not be listed.
Router Passwords
The router will come with a preset password as well, and of course you should change the password to something that also cannot be easily guessed. Neither the router’s identification name or the password should be something easy like your last name, or house address. Like any user name or passwords, they should be something easily remembered by you and your family, but not something that neighbors or strangers could obtain after several attempts of trying to log on to your network.
Security Options
As the technology of routers has advanced, so have the different types of security available within routers. This “security” allows the network to communicate with your computer, as you have “told” your computer to recognize the type of security that the router is transmitting with.
While the router will give you several different options of security to choose from, if it is available designate the security level as WPA2; WPA would be your second choice. These two options offer the most secure methods of protecting your network.
Guest Password
You may, as an option, set up a separate “guest password” for when visitors come to your house; this is in lieu of you providing them with your own personal password, as they would have the ability to access your network after they visit. Depending on the type and quality of the router, some networks “broadcast” beyond the walls of your house, providing you with another reason to protect the network as best as you can.
Firewalls
A firewall is an additional layer of protection. In the event someone has gained access to your network, a firewall prevents them from using your computer to send out malicious emails or other data. Most computers have built in firewall software, and it is just a matter of choosing the option to turn it on. Many computers will prompt you if you shut your firewall off, and advise you that it is not the best idea.
Updating
As with any password advice you read, for any device or service, you should consider changing your router password from time to time. Of course, you will have to remember to advise your family members of the new password.
Friday, March 7, 2014
Are Wireless Routers Faster Than Wired Counterparts
Actually, The answer to this question in all honesty is “ It depends”. Wireless routers provide users with mobility, but are they in actuality any faster than wired modems. No, not really, this is debated far and wide yet the side by side comparisons shows that they are just about neck and neck.
This is true because your Internet speed is determined by what you are currently receiving from your ISP. If you have a service plan in the higher echelons of course you will experience greater speeds than your peers. Even then outside forces will have an effect on what speed you actually receive.
While the numbers nay say one thing it has no bearing on the reality of each individual situation. Speed is determined by the slowest link in the data transfer chain. Your router may actually have a higher bandwidth than that of your ISP connection. Your hard drive could also be the cause of your slower speed. The n there is poor signal strength coming straight from the tower. All of this affects the bottom line.
If all you do is browse on the Internet or play a few games it is possible you will notice the discrepancy, but only fleetingly so. If you are using your connection for major work and downloading big file loads then of course it will make a bigger difference. If your connection promises blazing speeds and you are experiencing only a trickle you have to consider if maybe your wireless router is the hold up.
Data networking professionals all agree that a wired network is faster in connectivity than a wireless router system. There are reasons why, that are not common knowledge. A wireless router connects several devices to the same signal. The signal is then spit between each device which by logic alone calls for it to be a little slower.
Wired networks mostly use the Ethernet protocols for data communication. They generally have bandwidth speeds that start at 10Mb per second all the way up to 1000. These are what you are bound to find in most offices. It sends and receives data simultaneously.
The ISP offers a maximum of broadband speed up to 1.5MB per second. This defines the rate at which data is uploaded and downloaded. The router just takes different packets of data and distributes it from the Internet to whichever device is requesting the data. If you have several devices on at the same time the speed will be reduced exponentially.
The more device the more the signal must split and this will cause a speed bottleneck within your network. With DSL and cable to include other devices they would each need their own line, which means separate signals, this alone makes it faster.
Answers are never as cut and dry or as simplistic as the questions they precipitate them. Finding out what works best is more about the uses you have for it. Speed after all, is relative.
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Huaweis E5 Wireless Modem
Monday, January 20, 2014
Casio Exrilm C721 Verizon Wireless
Friday, January 17, 2014
Netgear JNR1010 N150 Wireless Router Price in India
