Wireless / Networking Sitemap - Page 5 2013-06-19
Details of DNS Flaw Presented
As reported last month, prominent network researcher Dan Kaminsky uncovered a major DNS flaw that could have led to widespread Internet outages if not fixed.
APIPA - Automatic Private IP Addressing
What is APIPA? Knowing the answer could help you land a job. Consider the example of Sam Marsh, a networking student in the UK who was recently asked this
What Is UNC?
UNC is a naming convention used primarily to specify and map network drives in Microsoft Windows. Support for UNC also appears in other operating systems via
Metamaterials for Networks (Not Just Invisible People)
Scientists at UC Berkeley made news this week with a significant demonstration of light-bending metamaterials. For some reason, perhaps the excessive hours of
U.S. Broadband Still Lagging in 2008
The U.S. ranks 15 in broadband network performance compared to other countries based on the latest Communications Workers of America (CWA) data. The average
Remote Desktop Connections - Discuss
One of our message board members recently wanted to set up their home network to access the programs and data on an old Windows 98 PC from a new Windows XP
USB 3.0 is "SuperSpeed"
Recently revealed details of the future USB 3.0 standard confirm it will support up to 10x the theoretical bandwidth of today's common USB 2.0 technology. USB
Is 5 GHz Hardware Better Than 2.4 GHz?
Mainstream equipment used in routers and other wireless networking equipment generally sends its signals in either a 2.4 GHz or a 5 GHz radio frequency range.
What Is P4P?
P4P stands for Proactive Network Provider Participation for P2P, an industry initiative to improve the efficiency of peer-to-peer (P2P) networks. P4P enables
Turn Off Your iPhone 3G Wi-Fi Connections For Safety
As most owners of Apple's popular iPhone 3G know, it contains built-in Wi-Fi networking similar to that of a laptop computer. Some iPhone 3G owners don't
About WiBro
Someone who traveled to Seoul noticed a networking technology called WiBro and asked me about it recently. WiBro is a form of WiMax broadband Internet service
UK School Fails Wi-Fi For Health Concerns
[via Wi-Fi Net News] - One primary school in Lisburn, Northern Ireland has chosen to forego Wi-Fi networking due to concerns about radiation and related
How to Change Your IP Address
With some effort, its possible to change IP addresses on your network. The procedure depends on whether the IP address is static or dynamic and also whether it
The International Space Station Gets Wi-Fi
According to NASA, the International Space Station has recently been equipped with Wi-Fi networking. Note that this isn't Wi-Fi to the ground but rather just
Do Network Routers Support Linux? - Discuss
From member PattiC: My router I'm using now isn't supported anymore... . I have my main computer with WinXP and a second, older computer running Linux
The LHC Grid - Distributing Big Bang Data Worldwide
The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is coming online in Europe today. Assuming this gigantic particle acceleration system works as designed, it will begin
World's Fastest Wireless Now Exceeds 1 Terabit/s
[via Engadget] - Network researchers collaborating in Italy have a announced a new world speed record for point-to-point wireless communication, a whopping 1.2
Invalid IP Address Errors Connecting To a Router - Discuss
Sometimes when your Windows computer fails to connect to a nearby wireless router, you'll see the error message Invalid IP Address. You should be aware of
What Is OpenDNS?
Like many people, I use OpenDNS on my home network. It is a free DNS service that translates the URLs of Web pages into IP addresses. OpenDNS theoretically
The Warranty on Your Network Router
Makers of network routers usually offer a manufacturer's warranty as part of the product offering. The terms of these warranties vary greatly and are a key
802.11v Wi-Fi (Only) Saves Power
While Wi-Fi networks are getting a speed boost with newer 802.11n equipment replacing older standards, the industry is working to improve Wi-Fi in other ways.
PoE - Power over Ethernet
Power over Ethernet (PoE) enables ordinary Ethernet network cables to function as power cords. If you need to install network equipment where an A/C outlet
Sneakers That Find Wi-Fi for You
Wi-Fi signal detectors help you find Internet access when away from home. Typical Wi-Fi finders take the form of keychains or wristwatches produced by various
1 Gbps Home Internet Hits Japan
[via NetworkWorld] - Japan service provider KDDI apparently will start installing 1 gigabit per second (Gbps) Internet connectivity to homes this week. It's an
First U.S. Customers Now Getting Mobile WiMax
Xohm (xohm.com) is the name of Sprint's new WiMax Internet service. The Sprint WiMax package offers wireless broadband at competitive prices, although for now,
Reasons Why Pings Fail - Discuss
When attempting to ping one of the computers on your home network, you may encounter a failure. The failure message depends on the type of ping utility you use
What Is WiLDNet?
Wireless networking has become common in many parts of the globe thanks to Wi-Fi technology. Too bad that Wi-Fi only works over distances of a few hundred feet
What Is Fixed Wireless Broadband?
Fixed wireless broadband is a type of high-speed Internet access where connections to service providers use radio signals rather than cables. Several different
Wireless Networking, This Time With Light
As reported in ScienceDaily, researchers at three U.S. universities are moving ahead with plans to develop smart light technology for computer networks
The Open Wireless Defense (for P2P)
Legal actions against those who use P2P file sharing networks have a long history now, but matters are still far from settled. A primary concern of many is to
How Can I Get 300 Mbps Speed on My 802.11n Network?
802.11n network equipment may advertise 300 Mbps of supported bandwidth, but know that this is a theoretical number only achieved under ideal conditions.
"Unable to Join Network Failure (error -3)" on the iPhone
The error message Unable to Join Network Failure (error -3) appears on an iPhone when it fails to connect to a Wi-Fi network. In fact, the reasons for
What is MSComm?
MSComm is a standard Visual Basic programming module developed by Microsoft for serial port network interfaces. MSComm is sometimes used in VB software
Question the Accuracy of Internet Speed Tests
[via Wi-Fi Net News] - Numerous Web sites promise to measure the speed of your broadband Internet connection using various testing strategies. According to
Common Error Messages on Computer Networks
If your network connection is not configured properly or suffers a technical failure, you will often see an error message displayed on your screen. These
Set up Cheap Network Storage with FreeNAS
FreeNAS is an Open Source software package that implements a Network Attached Storage (NAS) server. You can install FreeNAS on, say, an old PC, and have it
Netgear WNR834B 300Mbps Wireless N Broadband Router
The WNR834B is an entry level Draft N router with three MIMO antennas and a basic Ethernet switch for wired connections. You can achieve up to 270 Mbps
What You Should Know About a/b/g/n
In 802.11 Wi-Fi networking, a shorthand notation is often used to describe which primary communication protocols a given device supports. The common forms are:
POLL: Do You Refuse to Buy Unofficial 802.11n ("Draft N") Wi-Fi Gear?
Today's Wi-Fi equipment based on the 802.11n standard is often called Draft N gear because 802.11n is not yet a formally ratified industry standard. Most
What Is Streaming Video (Media)?
Streaming media is video and/or audio data transmitted over a computer network for immediate playback rather than for file download and later (offline)
"://" in URLs Explained
Recently, members of our message board have been discussing the syntax of URLs - specifically the use of :// characters such as in
IBM Tries to Revive Interest in BPL
While many factors suggest BPL (Broadband over Power Line) will never become a popular networking technology, the need to provide high-speed Internet to
What Is Back to My Mac?
Back to My Mac is a remote desktop access feature of Apple computers running Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) or newer. Back to My Mac allows you to connect to a
Why There Are Only 13 DNS Root Name Servers
A reader recently inquired why the Internet Domain Name System (DNS) currently uses exactly 13 DNS servers (that happen to be named 'A', 'B', 'C', ... up to
What's Your MTU? 1454 May Be The Right Answer
Recently I was troubleshooting someone's home network that used a PPPoE Internet connection. Certain Web pages (typically ones that serve streaming videos)
POLL: Have You Ever Had Your Network Equipment Stolen?
Best NAS Drives for Home Network Storage
These
Mesh Networking With 802.11s
802.11s is the developing IEEE standard for Wi-Fi based mesh networking. Unlike Wi-Fi networks that require a router (or other access point), a mesh
How to Add A Wireless Laptop to a Wired Home Network
A member of our message board recently bought a new Wi-Fi laptop but wasn't sure about the best way to integrate it with their existing home network that uses a
Adding a Print Server To a Wireless Network - Discuss
Some broadband routers feature print server support that allows you to share compatible USB printers across a home network. This week, a member of our
Using the Microsoft Xbox 360 Wireless Gaming Receiver for Windows
Microsoft's Xbox 360 Wireless Receiver for Windows enables you to use standard Xbox 360 controllers (and other accessories) wirelessly with Windows games. A
POLL: Do You Allow Neighbors to Access Your Wi-Fi Home Network?
What Is a Network Name?
Did you know a network name is a text string that devices use to reference a particular computer network? These strings are, strictly speaking, separate from
Cannot Connect to Windows Update - Discuss
Cannot Connect to Windows Update - Discuss
Buffalo WZR2-G300N Wireless-N Nfiniti Router
The WZR2-G300N is Buffalo Technology's mainstream Wireless-N broadband router rated at 300 Mbps. Many agree this product has excellent performance.
Can We All Stop Connecting to "Free Public WiFi" Now?
Anyone who regularly uses their laptop or iPhone to search for a public Wi-Fi hotspot, has probably encountered the SSID called Free Public WiFi more than
Edge Caching vs. Net Neutrality Explained
In an apparent preview of the contentious discussion we should expect next year around net neutrality issues, Google's future plans for something called edge
The Belkin Switch-to-Mac Cable
If you've mainly used Microsoft Windows PCs in the past but recently acquired an Apple computer, you may be wondering about how best to transfer your data
POLL: How Many Times Have You Replaced Your Failed Router?
Considerations in Building a Hotspot Network - Discuss
We recently received this message board question from Eric - I have acquired a VSAT system here in Iraq. I want to set up a system for the troops
New Sierra Wireless ExpressCards Improve Cellular Networking
For those of you with laptops featuring ExpressCard slots, the newest wireless modems from Sierra Wireless may make a nice upgrade to your Internet
Hotel Internet Bandwidth Demand (and Hopefully, Capacity?) Growing
It's no surprise that Internet use is growing at meetings of business travelers. Higher-end corporate hotels logically have been upping their network capacity
Troubleshooting an Unresponsive Ethernet Card - Discuss
Two of our message board members recently went through a troubleshooting exercise on what appeared to be a dead Ethernet card in a Windows PC. This discussion
The Proximity-1 Space Link Protocol Celebrates Five Years
This month, the U.S. NASA rovers Spirit and Opportunity are celebrating a truly incredible five years of operation on the surface of Mars. Part of the
HomeGroup in Windows 7 Beta
At this year's U.S. Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Microsoft announced the Beta release of their new Windows 7 operating system. Windows 7 should interest
POLL: Is Setting Up a Home Network Way Too Complicated?
U.S. Wireless Broadband Rollouts Counting on DTV Transition
As the continental U.S. prepares to switch from analog to digital television (DTV) broadcasting next month, politicians are starting to debate whether to
Connecting Xbox to Internet via a Laptop - Discuss
A typical way to get your Xbox game console online is to connect the Xbox to a router. Fortunately, if you don't have a router, you can sometimes still
What is a Baud?
How many of you remember the days of 9600 baud (and slower!) modems? In computer networking, the term baud was once widely used in relation to those old
Do You Need Your 802.11g Router to Run at 108 Mbps?
Some newer 802.11g wireless routers are rated at 108 Mbps. These routers contain additional technology for accelerating network connections beyond the standard
Conficker Worm Continues to Threaten Networked PCs
The Conficker network worm (officially called Conficker.B or Downadup) apparently is still infecting millions of PCs across the Internet, even after months
POLL: What's Your Favorite Brand of Router?
Direct Computer Connection via Bluetooth Dongles - Discuss
One of our message board members recently tried to set up direct Internet connection sharing between their two Windows XP PCs using Bluetooth adapters
Enabing Wi-Fi via USB PC Cards - Discuss
Some PCs, including older laptop computers, don't have built-in Wi-Fi. One way to enable these systems for Wi-Fi is through a wireless Ethernet bridge.
What Is a Network Hacker?
In computer networking, hacking is any technical effort to manipulate the normal behavior of network connections and connected systems. A hacker is any person
What is We-Fi?
We-Fi is a company that offers free software intended simplify how you connect to Wi-Fi hotspots. Installing the We-Fi software allows your computers to
Failed Wireless Connections and Windows Live OneCare
Do you have a new laptop computer that suddenly fails to load Web pages while browsing? Recently I spent some time troubleshooting such a problem for a friend.
Watch for File Size Limits on Email Messages
All Internet-based email systems set a size limit on messages. For example, Gmail restricts messages to no larger than 20 MB while Windows Live Hotmail
Going Wireless - Mice
After you've set up a wireless network for your home, it becomes increasingly difficult to ignore the other wires and cables attached to your electronic
POLL: Have You Cut Back on Home Networking Because of the Economy?
What is Cy-Fi?
When I was a kid, I tied a portable AM/FM radio onto the handlebars of my bicycle to listen while riding around the neighborhood. There wasn't any better
Amazon Whispernet and Kindle 2 Whispersync
Congratulations to Amazon for their release of the Kindle 2 ebook reader this week. Both the Kindle and Kindle 2 utilize Whispernet, a wireless
The Future of UWB is Bleak
[via Gearlog] - Several companies involved in the research and development of Ultra-Wide Band (UWB) wireless technology have failed, TZero being the latest
Which Instant Messaging Clients Are Best?
Instant messaging (IM) systems are commonly used as Internet chat clients. IM is also one of many methods for sharing files between PCs on a network. Brandon
Can Neighbors Use Your Web Browser over Wi-Fi? - Discuss
A concerned parent (and wife) has asked us whether it's possible for a neighbor to log into their laptop over Wi-Fi and use the Web browser: My son who is
The Proliferation of *Fi
Starting 50 years ago, audio electronics were often marketed under the generic term Hi-Fi, short for high fidelity. Hi-Fi was basically the only form of Fi in
POLL: Is In-Flight Wi-Fi a Good Thing?
What is NFS? Network File System
Popular many years ago on Sun workstations, NFS technology allows you to share files stored on a server with clients via a process called filesystem mounting.
Login Error When Sharing Files Between Windows XP and Vista - Discuss
Sharing files between Windows XP and Windows Vista computers on the same home network is a notoriously quirky process. Right now one of our readers is hitting
DISCUSS: Errors Acquiring Network Addresses via Wi-Fi
From our message board: I got a wireless router a couple of weeks ago and its been working fine. Now when I try and connect, the status of my wireless
Linksys TFTP Client for Router Firmware Upgrades
Last week, I spent some hours trying to reload the firmware on an old Linksys router. Normally you can update a router's firmware via its console
POLL: Do You Use a VPN Client?
Surveyor SRV-1 Blackfin Robot
[via dailywireless.org] - If you're interested in robots, the Surveyor SRV-1 Blackfin Robot is probably your dream come true. This 802.11g enabled remote
Sharing Only Media Files - Discuss
From Kellyvan - When I access this computer from the other one, there is a music note on the drive itself. I can not even try to access any other files,
Is DD-WRT Worth Your Time?
Wherever there's a discussion about technical issues with router firmware, particularly on Linksys routers, it doesn't take very long before some networking
New Cadillacs to Get In-Car Wi-Fi
In-car Wi-Fi came to the U.S. last year for selected models of Chrysler vehicles. In this month's follow-on announcement, General Motors will soon start
Apple Sued Again for iPhone Internet Connection Speeds