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Linksys 11Mb wireless networking
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| Sun Dec 24, 2000 | 3:51P| PermaLink |
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For homes and small offices, wireless networking is now being promoted as the easiest (but certainly not the cheapest) way to network computers and share a broadband Internet connection. Since you don't have to drill holes in your walls or run cable under your floors, it's a low-effort way to get everyone connected that needs to be. Most wireless LAN equipment currently on the market uses the IEEE 802.11 networking scheme. The latest ratified version of this is 802.11b, and since this is a standard, this means that any of the equipment using 802.11 is compatible with each other, and can be used together.
Two years ago, wireless networking was out of the reach of most consumer and small office buyers, with wireless routers costing $1400 or more, and the wireless networking cards themselves costing over $300. In 1999, the first major company to finally get 802.11 networking down to a reasonable price point was Apple Computer, with the help of Lucent. The Apple AirPort system costs $299 for their router, with network cards coming in at $99. The cards themselves are Mac-specific, although Windows PCs with an 802.11 card from a third party (like the Linksys card in this review) can communicate with the router and access a LAN with little problem other than correct settings.
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FULL STORY @
GAMERSDEPOT
(http://www.gamersdepot.com/hardware/networking/linksys/wireless_net/001.htm)
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