| Everybody wants to get on wireless these days. | | | | *Wireless Channels: By default, almost all routers |
| It is sort of "the thing to do." Funny thing though | | | | come pre-configured to use either channel 6 or 11 |
| is, nobody seems to know what they are doing | | | | (if I'm not mistaken). Find out what channel the |
| when it comes to wireless. They think they crack | | | | surrounding networks are using and select a |
| open the box plug in some cables and away they | | | | different channel. As mentioned above, |
| go. Well, it isn't really quite that simple. | | | | Netstumbler for Windows works well for this as |
| Issue number one, would be security. You | | | | well as kismet for Linux and Kismac for MAC. |
| absolutely MUST think about security if you | | | | *Chicken Wire: That's right, I said chicken wire. I |
| implement a wireless network at your home or | | | | didn't come up with this one myself. I had a |
| office. If you think you are helping out your IT | | | | wireless class at college, and my professor told us |
| department by putting an access point up in your | | | | about chicken wire. Chicken wire is used in some |
| office so you can move the stuff around your | | | | houses to either hold in insulation in the walls, or is |
| desk more freely, you are sadly mistaken. If you | | | | used when putting up plaster walls. The holes in |
| have done this without setting up any kind of | | | | the chicken wire are not large enough to allow the |
| encryption, you have just opened a huge back | | | | sign wave of the wireless signal to penetrate the |
| door to your companies network. At home, you | | | | wall and thus creates a Faraday cage of sorts. |
| may not be so worried. If someone shares my | | | | Issue number three, compatibility. Almost all |
| internet, so what? Someone next door could | | | | wireless devices come with the WiFi logo which is |
| easily setup a phishing scam in the apartment | | | | supposed to indicate some sort of standard. It |
| next door, and use your wireless connection for | | | | suggests that if you have a Belkin router, your |
| the internet access. Then guess whose door the | | | | Linksys wireless card should be compatible. Well, 9 |
| FBI will come knocking on? That's right, yours. So | | | | times out of 10 that is true, but every once in a |
| encryption is a must, I highly recommend using | | | | while there is that 1 time where it is not true. It is |
| WPA and not WEP because WEP has been | | | | almost always best practice to stick to the same |
| proven to be easily crackable. | | | | manufacturer. If you are a D-Link person, stick |
| Issue number two, would be placement. Before | | | | with D-Link, if you like Linksys, stick with linksys |
| setting up anything, you should do a site survey. | | | | and so on. |
| Walk around your home or office and look for | | | | Issue number four, Firmware. The manufacturers |
| things that can cause interference. Map things out, | | | | of your equipment frequently come out with |
| and take notes. Take a laptop with netstumbler | | | | firmware updates for their products. If you notice |
| installed and look for other wireless networks in | | | | issues with your router or card, look on the |
| range and see what channels they are on. Some | | | | manufacturers website for a possible firmware |
| things that can cause problems are: | | | | update. Lots of times, the update can correct the |
| *Cordless Phones/Microwave Ovens: These | | | | problems you are having. |
| devices operate at 2.4Ghz, which is the same | | | | Issue number five, loss versus gain. Every time |
| frequency Standard 802.11G/N routers use. Since | | | | you have to send a signal down a wire you have |
| they both operate at the same frequency, they | | | | loss. If you have a long cable going from your |
| will interfere with each other's signals. | | | | modem, CSU/DSU etc going to your router there |
| *Concrete Walls: Concrete causes a problem, not | | | | will be loss of signal. The longer the cable, the |
| because of the thickness or the re-bar in it, but | | | | more loss. Likewise, the air creates signal loss as |
| because of the water in the mixture. The magic | | | | well. The farther you are from the antenna, the |
| thing about concrete is that it never stops curing, | | | | weaker the signal. On the flip side, whenever you |
| and the water in the wall can cause signal loss. | | | | have an antenna, you have gain. Every time the |
| *Pointing your antenna: Some people think that | | | | signal comes out of the antenna, or is received |
| pointing the antenna is self explanatory, but it isn't. | | | | by an antenna there is a little bit of gain in the |
| You can't point your antenna like you point your | | | | signal. So what does that mean to you? Shorten |
| finger because the signal coming off the antenna | | | | your cables if possible, and buy higher gain |
| radiates from the sides of the antenna, not the | | | | antennas for your routers if you need the signal |
| top. | | | | to travel longer distances. |