The Smart Shopper's Guide To Wireless Notebooks
Portability factor of notebook computers is responsible for their increasing demands. In the 21st century world, our dependence on computers has increased tremendously. We can not do without computers at our workplace, our homes and even when we are on the move. Notebook computers are an answer to this increased dependence. They take care of our computing needs on the move. It is portable, sleek and as powerful as a desktop computer. And because of its ability to replace the desktop computer, they have become an inseparable part of our life. And the recent addition to their family is wireless notebooks.
Wireless notebooks are the recent offering of computer manufacturers. These notebooks are capable of providing access to a local area network or the internet without plugging into the physical setup of wires and cables that is so important for desktop computer networks. They can do so by using wireless technology. With increasing miniaturization of machines and hardware, it has become possible to provide the facility of wireless communication in the already sleek notebook computers.
The wireless technology for notebook computers evolved from the technology used for cell phones. This evolution has completely revolutionized the world of notebook computers. It is estimated that around 42 million wireless notebook computers are produced these days. But one needs to understand various technologies associated with wireless communication before buying one of them. The various technologies associated with wireless communication are 802.11 standards, 3G Evolution Data Optimized, Blue tooth, Media Access Protocol (MAC), Wireless Encryption Protocol etc.
Wireless notebooks use three major standards for wireless data transfer. 802.11a is a wireless data standard that uses frequency of 5 GHz to provide data transfer rates as high as 54 Mega bits per second (Mbps). 802.11b standard uses the 2.4GHz radio spectrum to achieve data transfer rates of 11Mbps for up to 150 ft. Although it says 11 Mbps, in actual use only 5-6 Mbps data transfer rate is achieved. But such a rate is enough for Internet surfing and playing games. The b standard has only 3 channels while the a standard has 8 channels. The most advance of the 802.11 standards is the 802.11 g standard. It is a hybrid of both a and b types. 3G EV-DO (which stands for Evolution Data Optimized) technology can exhibit a download speed of 400 to 700 Kbps and a maximum of up to 2 Mbps. Wireless communication can be both an advantage as well as disadvantage. Somebody with the right equipment and a little ingenuity can interrupt the wireless frequency and access the data transfer taking place on unsecured channels. To avoid that, certain safeguards need to be in place. The two most basic modes of securing wireless networks are MAC and WEP address filtering. Using these two, the advantages of wireless communication on notebooks can be fully enjoyed.
Wireless Laptop Reviews
| 
