We know Wireless Routers!
Dial our 800 number, or contact us online for help with Wireless Router Setup.
We Know How to Setup Wireless Routers!
If you need help setting up your wireless router, we've got you covered with state-of-the-art tech support and computer repair services. Our Personal Technology Experts® know computers inside-out. Support.com offers a better solution. We can help you right now, 24/7, over your broadband Internet connection. There’s no need to invite strangers into your home, or be locked into someone else’s timetable.
Wireless Technology - Brief Overview
Wi-Fi is a trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance that manufacturers may use to brand certified products that belong to a class of wireless local area network (WLAN) devices based on the IEEE 802.11 standards, which is by far the most widespread WLAN class today. Because of the close relationship with its underlying standard, the term Wi-Fi is often used as a synonym for IEEE 802.11 technology.
The Wi-Fi Alliance, a global association of companies, promotes WLAN technology and certifies products if they conform to certain standards of interoperability. Not every IEEE 802.11-compliant device is submitted for certification to the Wi-Fi Alliance, sometimes because of costs associated with the certification process. The lack of the Wi-Fi logo does not necessarily imply a device is incompatible with Wi-Fi devices.
Wireless Internet Connections
An 802.11x wireless-enabled device such as a personal computer, video game console, mobile phone, MP3 player or personal digital assistant (PDA) can connect to the Internet when within range of a wireless network connected to the Internet. In addition to private use in homes and offices, Wi-Fi can provide public access at Wi-Fi "hotspots" provided either free-of-charge or to paying subscribers to various commercial services. A Hot Spot is a common public application of Wireless Access Points (WAPs), where wireless clients can connect to the Internet without regard for the particular networks to which they have attached for the moment. Organizations and businesses - such as those running airports, hotels and restaurants - often provide free-use hotspots to attract or assist clients. Enthusiasts or authorities who wish to provide services or even to promote business in selected areas sometimes provide free Wi-Fi access. The coverage of one or more interconnected access points/ hotspots can comprise an area as small as a few rooms or as large as many square miles. Coverage in the larger area may depend on a group of access points with overlapping coverage. Wi-Fi technology has been used in wireless mesh networks, for example, in London, UK.
Pros and Cons of Wireless Internet Connectivity
Advantages:- Flexible if there is AD-Hoc situation when additional workstation was required
- Implementation cost is cheaper than wired network
- Ideal for the non-reachable places such as across river or mountain or rural area
- Ideal for temporary network setups
Disadvantages:
- Lower speed compared to wired network
- Less secure because hacker's laptop can act as Access Point. If you connected to their laptop, they'll read all your information (username, password, etc.)
- More complex to configure than wired network
- Affected by surroundings, i.e., walls (blocking), microwave oven (interference), far distance (attenuation)
Wireless Security Issues
Wireless access has special security considerations. Many wired networks base the security on physical access control, trusting all the users on the local network, but if wireless access points are connected to the network, anyone on the street or in the neighboring office could connect. The fact that radio signals bleed outside of buildings and across property lines makes physical security largely irrelevant to piggybackers and not so nice hackers/ crackers.
Wireless security is the prevention of unauthorized access or damage to computers using wireless networks. Many laptop computers now have wireless adapters or cards pre-installed. The ability to enter a network while mobile has great benefits. However, wireless networking has many security issues. For instance, if wireless router security is not activated or if the owner deactivates it for convenience, it literally creates a free hotspot. Since most 21st century laptop computers have wireless networking built in (ie. Intel® 'Centrino®' technology), they don't need a third-party adapter such as a PCMCIA Card or USB dongle. Built-in wireless networking might be enabled by default, without the owner realizing it, thus broadcasting the laptop's accessibility to any computer nearby. Hackers have found wireless networks relatively easy to break into, and even use wireless technology to crack into wired networks.
The numerous security risks associated with current wireless protocols, encryption methods, the carelessness, and the ignorance that exists at the administrator and user level make it very important that all wireless network owners/ administrators define effective wireless security policies that guard against unauthorized access to computer networks. Cracking methods have become much more sophisticated and innovative with wireless. Cracking has also become much easier and more accessible with easy-to-use Windows or Linux-based tools being made available on the web at no charge. For example: Issues can arise in a non-wireless home or office network when a wirelessly enabled laptop is physically plugged into that home/office network. A cracker could sit out in the parking lot and gather info from it through laptops and/or other devices as handhelds, or even break in through this wireless card-equipped laptop and gain access to the wired network. Other security risk types include accidental association, malicious association, AD-Hoc networks, non-traditional networks, identity theft (MAC spoofing), man-in-the-middle attacks, denial of service, network injection, Caffe Latte attack, and others.
Wireless technology and wireless router equipment can be fussy, and even when you have done everything according to the manufacturer's guide, your wireless router and network setup can still seemingly not work. If you are unsure of how to do your wireless router setup, or if you want advanced technical help on setting up your wireless router and network, please give us a call. We would be happy to get your wireless router setup, wireless network security locked down, and running providing a best practices secured wireless network in your environment.
We're here 24/7 as your remote Wireless Router Setup Support help. Just call one of our Personal Technology Experts and we’ll handle everything. The entire process is easy. After you call, one of our Tech Experts will start remotely scanning your computer right away. By using only your Internet connection, we can fix just about any problem you may have—big or small. We're here to help you get the most from your technology. Also, by calling Support.com, there’s no need to go out to a local support center or invite strangers to your home. You’re free to just sit back and relax after we start.
From driver problems to stubborn viruses to a slow computer, if you have a problem with your laptop, desktop or peripheral device, don't wait another minute—Support.com can help you right now.
Call Support.com and get the technical support you need.
