Wireless network setup

I have set up many wireless networks for my customers now and can honestly say that given the right conditions they can be a reliable and inexpensive way to share your Internet connection, printers and files. While you simply cannot beat the reliability of an Ethernet (wired) network for home use, wireless can be the network of choice. Conversely I would not be happy supporting a business that way, and given the mandate to support a business network would have to insist it was wired.

However, for the home user these are my 4 basic guidelines to a successful Router set up:

1. 1. Use a reliable, and simple wireless router that supports 802.11b and 802.11g. I prefer to use the WRT54G from Linksys.
2. 2. Place the router (wireless access point) in a central location so that no PC (or wireless printer) would have to transition more than 3 walls or floors when taking a "line of sight" between router and the end device (PC).
3. 3. Ensure you change the default name of the wireless transmission (SSID) otherwise you will conflict with your neighbor that fails to do the same. It can be anything you want, but keep it short and sweet to make setup easier, e.g. joe, molly, geneva, hotrod, rover, etc.
4. 4. Finally enable WEP network security, don't go crazy, just use the 64 bit key which simply equates to 10 hexadecimal characters. They must be 0-9,a-f, so again keep it simple and use your 10 digit cell or home phone number, that way you won't forget it.

To access the above mentioned settings on the WRT54G Linksys router simply point a browser at the gateway (aka router) address of your network. 192.168.1.1
The default login is Username = [blank], password = admin. You can change the password if you like but just don't forget it, better still, write it on a post it and stick to the underside of the router. Once into the router you can set or check your wireless settings.

Setting up the Wireless on your Windows XP PC or Laptop

In order to connect to your wireless network you will need to setup your wireless system to link to your particular wireless system (SSID, 3 above) and also enter the wireless encryption protocol (WEP) key as described in 4 above. Microsoft Windows has it's own application (Wireless Zero Configuration) that will assist you to do this. However, some wireless adapters, either integrated or after market add-ons, come with their own applications. Usually one has to choose either the Microsoft application or the third party. If you choose to use the third party application follow the directions supplied, usually in the help menu.

Alternately you can follow the Microsoft Wireless setup Wizard as follows:

1. Go to Control panel and select Network Connections.
   
   
2. Assuming you have a Wireless Network Connection right click on it and left click View available connections.
3. You should see your wireless name here, if you do not you need to trouble shoot that first. Click on "Set up a wireless network for a home or small office" under network tasks on the left.
4. Click Next then select "Set up a new wireless network" then click next.
5. Type in your wireless name (SSID - #4 above in router setup) and select "manually assign a network key" then click next.
6. Type in your WEP key twice as set in router set up #5 above and click next.
7. Select "Set up network manually" and click next then Finish.

Your computer should now automatically connect to the router in 30 seconds or less.

Still having problems? Better call your local PC and Network Specialist.

Till the next time..

Ctrl=Alt-Delete

Steve

Drive Failures

For those of you that don't believe in backing up your documents, photos or music, and you are the majority, here is something to think about. I have been seeing an increasing number of hard drive failures over the past few months. Sometimes I am contacted early in the failure cycle but sometimes its just too late. Catastrophic failure of the hard drive means you lose everything. Basically your computer will not start (boot) and in many case the BIOS(the Basic Input Output System) will not even recognize that your computer even has a hard drive. As Monty Python would say you have a "Dead Computer". (see Dead Parrot sketch)

What this means is that all those digital family pictures you have downloaded to your computer are gone. Your financial records from Money, Quicken or your favorite tax program are lost forever, not to mention your address book in Outlook, calender and all those emails you wanted to keep. Gone, gone, gone.. Favorite web sites, music, family trees, and medical records, all gone. Sure there are companies out there that will dismantle a damaged drive and recover any data that still exists but these services run into the $1000s and there are NO guarantees.

So what can you do:

1. Install an automatic backup system, today.
   
2. Pay attention to changes in your computers performance, if it is taking extra time to respond to data opened from your hard drive this could be an indicator of a hard drive failure.
   
3. Ensure your hard drive is monitored by the S.M.A.R.T. system giving you an early warning of pending failure.
4. Have your computer serviced regularly by a qualified technician.
5. Consider replacing your hard drive after 2 to 3 years

Of late I have seen many Maxtor hard drive failures. Now to be fair they are an inexpensive brand and consequently used in high numbers. However, Western Digital drives fall into this same criteria but I feel are not failing as frequently. If you have a Maxtor drive in your PC, and it is more than 2 years old, and you don't have an automatic backup system, I would highly recommend you change it. Fix My PC 2 will change your hard drive over to a Seagate or Western Digital, 160 GByte Drive for $129. Look at your BIOS or Windows Device Manager to determine what drive you have.

So you have been warned.. but let's hope you you don't experience a drive failure, and if you do that you have everything backed up.

Until then Ctrl-Alt-Del

Steve Holder