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.

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.