I begin with a definition of Wi-Fi according to Wikipedia: “Wi-Fi is a wireless technology brand owned by the Wi-Fi Alliance intended to improve the interoperability of wireless local area network products based on the IEEE 802.11 standards. Common applications for Wi-Fi include Internet and VoIP phone access, gaming, and network connectivity for consumer electronics such as televisions, DVD players, and digital cameras.” The different types of devices that are now using the Wi-FI technology increases daily. The ease with which devices can “talk’ to each other has dramatically improved communication between devices. Computers and laptops can talk to cell phones and so on.

Wi-fi technology is the future. It will mean the difference between effective transmission of information and the poor delivery of said info. If you look on it from a logical point of view, it would be impractical to run cables from the North Pole to the South Pole to facilitate communication. That is why wireless technology is important and will continue to play a valuable role in communication. It saves money and time and is more feasible. We can definitely look for even greater things to come as Wi-Fi gets more sophisticated.

BlueTooth is becoming an increasingly popular technology. As a wireless means of communication, it has revolutionized how people are able to share information and data and also make calls. The truth be told, it has impacted positively on technology over the past several months and will indeed make greater strides in the future. Persons with devices that have BlueTooth can easily share files by simply placing the devices beside each other. One drawback I have seen with this new technology is that sometimes the files you are sending to one person in particular may inadvertently be shared with other persons who have devices that use BlueTooth who are in close proximity to them. So there seems to be a slight glitch in secure data transfer. A means of encryption may have to be formulated to ensure that only the intended party receives the files or better yet is able to read them.

BlueTooth can be found on cellular phones, PDA’s, Palm Tops, Laptops, and even some Desktop computers. As such, you do not need to be on the internet to share information. Wireless technology has made life much easier for everyone and keeps getting better and more sophisticated. BlueTooth headsets, for example, have eliminated the need for a corded earpiece. Just ensure that you keep the headset fully charged or else you won’t be able to use it. In addition to being more convenient, it is also more comfortable and in some cases provides a clearer transmission. Are you decked out with BlueTooth devices as yet? You may get left behind if you wait too long. Remember, technology changes every minute.

As times change, the conventional ways of setting up a network has become more or less tedious. The fact is that with the expanse of communications and telecommunications making the world a very small place, it is impossible to connect any two or more global networks via cables only. The global village of which we are all residents now demands the use of wireless networking protocols and systems. As such, wireless communications have literally taken over every aspect of how we keep in touch. Almost everything we do today depends on some form of wireless interaction.

Let us look at the whole picture logically. If you wish to speak via web cam to a friend in another country, at some point during the whole process some wireless device plays a role. So, if you are in the United States and have a friend in the North Pole, it is very easy to talk to that person (audio and video). The simple process goes like this:

^ You are connected to the internet via your ISP, whether dial up or broadband (can be hard wired or wireless connection)
^ The ISP is connected to either their own VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal) or uses the service of a phone company or other private entity
^ The VSAT points into space at a communications satellite with which it exchanges data and information (this is wireless, of course)
^ The communications satellite is linked to an earth station that also sends and receives information between itself and the satellite
^ The earth station sends its data to Central Stations of telephone companies which in turn connect the computers on the network to the person you wish to speak to

Pretty cool, huh?! Wireless networking is indeed here to stay and as time goes by it gets more and more sophisticated. The quality of the transmitted media is also getting better and better and we can expect to see some fantastic changes in media and communications.

Some of the times when people complain that their wireless devices do not work properly, it is their own fault. Have you ever tried using using a cell phone in a ‘back room’ where little or no light from the outside can be seen? The fact is that certain devices cannot transmit and receive data properly on the inside, worst if it is a sound proof room! Even laptops with wireless connections face a similar dilemma.

Proper communication between wireless devices can be achieved in a number of ways:

1. Ensure that the signal strength in the area that you are using the device is strong. If it is low, go to an area where you can get more bars.
2. Since some cell phones do not work well in sound proof rooms or rooms that are protected with thick walling. Find an area closer to an entrance/exit that leads outside before making a call.
3. Use laptops and other portable devices on a wireless network in the recommended usability range for better reception.
4. Make sure that you use only compatible devices on wireless networks to prevent conflicts and other errors.

There are other things you can do, but these are the most common reasons why people experience problems.

Cisco is a name that just about anyone in the field of Information Technology and Networking is very familiar with. The company makes arguably some of the best pieces of equipment used in thousands of networking environments all over the world. Remarkably though, Cisco is much more that just a name on some pieces of hardware. They are involved in other areas of IT that quite a few people are not aware of. For example, they have a data centre that is one of the best in the world. It helps businesses that utilize it to function more effectively and thereby lower operating costs.

Cisco also has wifi products that allow users on a company network to be connected no matter where they may be, without having to worry about the network’s security being compromised. Talking about security, Cisco offers secure networking solutions that are second to none. This means that any network that uses their range of security solutions is guaranteed to be protected against any harmful intrusions on their network. Another quality product that Cisco offers is voip. This product helps to cut the communications costs of any business by about half since voice calls can be make over a secure LAN or WAN connection, instead of over a regular phone line which is more expensive.

For companies that are interested in video conferencing, Cisco has the right solution for you. As the name suggests, this product allow persons to have a meeting or other discussion via video even if they are in different parts of the world. The thing about video conferencing, too, is that many people can be a part of the same meeting if they are in several different countries or departments. This saves on traveling expenses and allows companies to use the monies saved in other areas of their operations. In essence, whatever your networking needs are, Cisco is your best choice for all the solutions to your needs.

This was a paid post.

There are many ways of defining what a Router is. Here are two:

Definition 1:

A device or setup that finds the best route between any two networks, even if there are several networks to traverse. Like bridges, remote sites can be connected using routers over dedicated or switched lines to create WANs. – www.ohsu.edu/vcs/glossary/

Definition 2:

A device that determines the next network point to which a data packet should be forwarded enroute toward its destination. The router is connected to at least two networks and determines which way to send each data packet based on its current understanding of the state of the networks it is connected to. Routers create or maintain a table of the available routes and use this information to determine the best route for a given data packet. – www.ml-ip.com/html/support/glossary.html

Simply put, a Router is a device that routes the signal from one network to another or from one computer to another on any given network, allowing transfer of information. Routers do not have definite numbers of ports as it all depends on where exactly it is going to be used. Some Routers have as little as three (3) ports (one input and two outputs) to more than ten. Some have multiple input ports also. Prices also vary depending on the features and brand name. Some of the top-of-the-line names include NetGear and Cisco.

This is the final of the three part series on Common PC Problems and Their Solutions. As promised we are going to take a look at the wireless keyboard and wireless mouse.

This will be a bit easier than their wired counterparts as usually one of four things would generally have gone wrong for either wireless mouse or keyboard not to work. These are:

1. The infrared (IR) line-of-sight is being blocked
2. The IR port has not been activated in the BIOS
3. The wireless device itself is defective
4. Improper driver installation of the IR communications device on the computer

Let us now focus on dealing with the problems:

Problem 1 – Ensure that nothing is blocking the IR line-of-sight either in front of the mouse or keyboard and also on the computer. If something is blocking it, common sense prevailing, simply remove the object.
Problem 2 - Start up your computer and press ‘F1′ or ‘Delete’ or whatever other key allows you to enter your BIOS settings. Look for ‘Advanced Configuration’ (or something similar) and search for ‘Enable IR Port’ (or something similar). Then press ‘F10′ and choose ‘Save Configuration Changes and Exit’. Once your machine has retsarted and your operating system loads, the devices should work.
Problem 3 – If you suspect that the wireless keyboard or mouse is defective, have it checked out by a professional (if you know what to do, then by all means go ahead). The device may need to be repaired or replaced. Based on the choices presented to you, you have to decide. In any case, the end result should be that you have a fully functional keyboard and mouse.
Problem 4 – If the driver installation for the IR communications device was corrupted in some way, uninstall the present driver, restart your computer, and then re-install the driver.

I hope that the three part series I presented has been of some help to you. By no means is this the last article on dealing with computer related problems and how to fix them. From time to time I will bring you more of these articles.

If there is something that you want me to research and discuss on this blog, please send me a note. In order to prevent phishing, I will not post my email address here. To contact me, please [Click here to register a helpdesk account]. Then login and send me your request.