Wireless Networking
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Wireless Networking

Wireless networking prices (comparisons on Kelkoo UK)

Wireless networking routers and adapters

• Maxg adapters and routers -US Robotic's 125mbps adapters and routers.
  • US Robotics Maxg wireless PC Router - enhanced speed wireless routers.
  • US Robotics Maxg wireless adapter - enhanced speed wireless adapters.
• 108 Mbps Routers
  • 108Mbps wireless PC Router - enhanced speed wireless routers.
  • 108Mbps wireless combined PC Router and ADSL modem - faster wireless routers with ADSL built in.
• 108Mbps Adapters
  • 108Mbps wireless PC Card adapter - enhanced speed adapters for notebooks.
  • 108Mbps wireless USB adapters for both notebooks and desktops.
  • 108Mbps wireless PCI Cards for desktops.

If you are buying 108Mbps (and greater) kit, you should buy products from the same manufacturer to ensure compatibility.

Always reorder by total price to see the cheapest deals.

• 54Mbps Routers
  • 54Mbps wireless PC Router to attach to your ADSL/cable modem (see the Wireless Routers category for specs).

  • 54Mbps wireless combined PC Router and ADSL modem to attach to your broadband connection.

• 54Mbps Adapters
  • 54Mbps wireless PC Cards (PCMCIA cards) for notebooks (see the Wireless Adapters category for specs).
  • 54Mbps wireless USB adapters for both notebooks and desktops.
  • 54Mbps wireless PCI Cards for desktops.
• Streaming media devices can allow easy transfer of audio to hi-fi systems and video to

As of Nov 2007, a 54Mbps (802.11g) wireless router can be bought for 35UKP including P&P and a 54Mbps wireless PCI card for 17UKP or a PC Card for 22UKP.

Homeplug/Powerline networking using the mains

A simpler, more reliable, faster alternative to wireless networking is using the mains cables in your house to transfer data.  It doesn't require any additional wiring, just the purchase of two small adapters that plug straight into your wall sockets.  You'll need at least two adapters - one for each item you want to connect to the network.  Powerline transmission currently has one dominant standard - Homeplug AV, competing with a number of smaller standards.

• Homeplug AV adapters
• Homeplug AV routers (ADSL routers with built-in Homeplug)
• Powerline adapters
• Homeplug.org - the Homeplug Powerline Alliance

Always reorder by total price to see the cheapest deals.

ADSL broadband hardware

• ADSL microfilters are necessary for broadband users to fit to their telephone sockets and cost as little as £4.

• ADSL modems allow individual PCs to access ADSL broadband.

• ADSL modems/routers allow ADSL broadband to be shared with multiple PCs.

• ADSL ethernet modems allow ADSL broadband to be fed to a router (useful if you already have a wireless or ethernet router).

• 54Mbps wireless ADSL modems/routers allow ADSL broadband to be shared wirelessly with multiple PCs.

Don't forget to reorder by total price to see the cheapest deals.

Securing your network using WPA

Most 802.11g products are backwards compatible with 802.11b products, but will slow down to work at a lower data transfer rate.  If you have a wireless router, remember to set the administrator password as well as WPA encryption (which itself uses AES encryption, used by the US military).  When buying a router, ensure it supports WPA (or WPA2) encryption, as the older WEP algorithm is comparatively insecure.  If you use the WPA algorithm at home and use a pre-shared key (PSK), it is best to use a high strength key, such as one supplied for free on this web page: https://www.grc.com/passwords.htm.